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Obit For Judge James Riley Kelly
Headline Died. KELLY
At his home in Newton County, MO., Round Grove (near Rocky Comfort),
JAMES KELLY, aged 82 years, 2 months and 7 days.
Text Judge Kelly was born near Nashville, Tennessee, February 8, 1817, and grew to manhood amid the stirring events that marked the early history of that state.

In 1836, July 19, he was married to Polly Randall, in Barry county, and about the same time though only nineteen years old, he was elected and served as a Justice of the Peace, being perhaps the youngest officer that ever held a judicial position. Later he was elected Sheriff of Barry county for two terms successfully, the second time by unanimous vote of the people the opposing candidate, who had formerly been Sheriff, withdrawing for the reason as admitted, that opposition to Mr. Kelly was useless, the sentiment of the people being overwhelmingly in his favor.

In 1857 Mr. Kelly came to Missouri and settled upon and improved the farm which has been the Kelly homestead ever since. Here his children grew to manhood and womanhood. Here he bestowed upon them his parting benediction when they left the paternal roof to build homes and rear families of their own, and when the father or the mother of any of these young families were stricken down by death, hither were gathered the young orphaned children, so that in addition to raising an unusually large family of their own children, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly reared many more grandchildren and all without the loss of one by death while under their care.

Mr. Kelly leaves surviving him his widow, the faithful partner of his life for almost sixty-three years, and now eighty years old, also eleven of their thirteen children, Wm. J. Kelly, John M. Kelly, rowan Kelly, James M. Kelly, Geo. R. Kelly, H. B. Kelly, A. w. Kelly and U. S. Kelly, Mrs. Rebecca Holmes, Mrs. Mary e. Kimbough and Mrs. Nancy Duncan, all of whom were with their father during his last moments. His children dead are, Amos N. Kelly and Mrs. Sarah L. Bailey. One sister, Mrs. Sarah Noyer of Exeter, Barry county, and one brother, Jasper N. Kelly, of Tennessee, also survive him.

Besides his eleven children living there are also fifty-seven grandchildren and forty-six great grandchildren, in all one hundred and fourteen descendants, constituting a family of truly patriarchal proportions.

Judge Kelly took a deep interest in public affairs, but during his long residence in Newton county could seldom be persuaded to accept any office the duty of which required him to leave home. His official life, therefore, consisted chiefly in serving as justice of the peace in which office his democratic neighbors repeatedly elected him, though he was a most stalwart republican.

He was a member of the county court in 1866 67 and in 1868 was elected to the legislature. His broad-minded fairness of character was well illustrated while on the bench during the troublesome time immediately following the civil war. His colleagues, for partisan reasons, removed the county public administrator and ordered him to turn over the papers and property in his hands to his successor of their appointing, and when that officer refused to obey they commiited (sic) him to the county jail. Judge Kelly, though agreeing with them in politics, vigorously protested against their proceedings, and when he found that he could do nothing he indignantly left the court and went home.

Until recently Mr. Kelly enjoyed the most rugged health, but not-withstanding the long and happy years vouchsafed to him, when death came he was ready to go without a murmur. For thirty years he had been a consistent member of the Christian church on earth and he felt assured of his peace in the church above. He died as he lived, at peace with all the world and with his Maker. His many friends extend their sympathy to his bereaved family, and will cherish and revere his memory.
Newspaper or Funeral Home Miner And Mechanic
Date Saturday May 20, 1899
Death Cert Link -
Resource Newspaper
Submitted by George Kelly