KELSH, George (1894 - 1949)

KELSH, MCMANUS

Posted By: Marilyn O'Connor (email)
Date: 3/18/2005 at 14:43:09

George Kelsh

George Kelsh, childhood hero of scores of us farm boys, met a tragic death in a right angle collison between his new Chevrolet coach and a gravel truck at an intersection three miles south of Hanford, last Sat. afternoon.

He's been a cattle buyer and farmer for the past 20 years but what made him famous with children for miles around the Center school was the fact
he not only owned a threshing machine, later a couple of them, but he was the engineer on that coal-eating, smog-belching steam engine that thrilled the kids on farm after farm every year at threshing time.

Black and greasy, with his hands on the throttle and steering wheel, and tooting the whistle at ogled eyed youngsters, no crooning idol of today was ever more sought for by bobby-soxers as George was by the boys from Kelly's on the creek to up beyond Cartersville and east and west for miles.

His position as champion thresherman of course went out when he sold his machine to Francis Cooling and Walt Murphy, but his popularity with the kids of the community never dwindled.

Though he had no children of his own, he never tired of having them around him, and there's many a child who looked on George as a "dutch uncle".

George Kelsh was the eldest son of T. J. Kelsh, rural mail carrier in the buggy and Model T. days, and grew to manhood in the farm next door to the Center school.

He inherited his Dad's keen eye for horses and knew every team worth knowing in the county.

On Thanksgiving day in 1928 he married Agnes McManus and after their wedding trip they moved into their home in Dougherty, operating from here as a home base, he did trucking, bought and sold livestock and later operated the Forrett farm which he bought in the "30's".

For the past few years he and Agnes lived in Mason City and commuted between there and his farm near here.

And now he's gone, but not forgotten, for his booming voice, his hearty laughter, his love of excitement and his broad shoulders and long strides are still vivid in our memory.

"May God reward him abundantly for his many good deeds, and may God's Sorrowful Mother comfort his widow, Agnes, and his brothers and sisters.

Note from the County Coordinator: Dates were not provided by the original transcriber. Dates now included were obtained at FindaGrave.com:

George J. Kelsh
 

Cerro Gordo Obituaries maintained by Lynn Diemer-Mathews.
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