Joseph Kelso

KELSO, JOHNSTON, SHAW, ARMSTRONG, MCKINSTRY, REDMOND, CRESSY

Posted By: Anne Hermann (email)
Date: 1/2/2010 at 12:34:46

J. W. Ellis, History of Jackson County, Iowa, 1910

JOSEPH KELSO.

There was no dissent to the opinion that Bellevue had lost one of its most honored, prominent and valued citizens when Joseph Kelso was called to his final rest on the 20th of March, 1898, at the age of eighty-four years. His life history was closely connected with the annals of Jackson county and the nature and variety of his public service, his identification with professional interests and above all, his pleasant and cordial relations with his fellowmen made his loss one that was deeply and widely felt. He was born in County Antrim, Ireland, a son of the Rev. Joseph and Rebecca (Johnston) Kelso, who were also natives of Ireland but were of Scotch descent. The ancestors migrated from Scotland to the north of Ireland at the time of the rebellion. The Rev. Joseph Kelso was a Presbyterian minister and spent his entire life in the country of his nativity. Unto him and his wife were born the following named: John J., a physician, who died in Ireland; Robert, who was also practicing medicine in that country until his demise; Joseph, of this review; Dr. James Kelso, a physician, who died at Ackley, Iowa; William Henry, who practiced medicine at Sterling, Canada; Mrs. Jane Armstrong, who died in California; and Mrs. Maria McKinstry and Mrs. Sarah Armstrong, who died in Ireland. There were also two half-brothers; the Hon. David Kelso, of Kansas, who served in the state legislature there and was prominent as attorney for the Kansas & Texas Railroad; and Thomas, who followed merchandising, at Belleville, Canada.
Judge Kelso, whose name introduces this record, spent his youthful days amid the refining influences of a cultured Christian home in his own land. He emigrated to America in 1840, settling first in Virginia, and subsequently he removed to Pike county, Ohio, where he engaged in teaching school, devoting his leisure hours during that period to the study of law. In 1845 he entered upon a regular course of law studies under the direction of the Hon. Thomas Corwin, while later his preceptor was John M. Douglas, who afterward became president of the Illinois Central Railroad. Following his admission to the bar he came to Bellevue in 1849, locating here for the practice of his profession. From that time until his death he remained an honored and valued citizen of this county and was widely recognized as one of the foremost members of the bar of this part of the state. In the early '60s he became associated with W. L. Redmond in the banking business, under the firm name of Kelso & Redmond. The partnership was maintained
until 1868, when Mr. Redmond withdrew and Mr. Kelso remained alone in business as proprietor of a private bank up to the time of his death, when he was succeeded by his sons, Walter C. and Joseph Kelso. His law practice and his banking business, however, by no means comprised the field of his activity. He was prominently connected with public affairs in an official capacity at different times. Early in his practice here he was elected prosecuting attorney and served very acceptably in that office. In 1857 he was elected county judge of Jackson county and remained upon the bench for one term, his strictly fair and impartial decisions winning him "golden opinions from all sorts of people." He also held the office of mayor and was elected to other official positions within the gift of the city and county. He regarded a public office as a public trust—no trust reposed in him was ever betrayed in the slightest degree. It is said that while he was prosecuting attorney he prepared his cases so carefully and prosecuted them with such zeal that no person indicted by him escaped conviction. His political allegiance was originally given to the whig party and upon its dissolution he joined the ranks of the know-nothing party. Later he became a supporter of the democracy and affiliated with that organization until his demise. His position was never an equivocal one and he stanchly advocated at all appropriate times and places the views which he held.
Judge Kelso was married twice. In 1858 he wedded Miss Eliza Cressy, of Beverly, Massachusetts. They traveled life's journey happily together for about nine years and were then separated by the death of the wife, who died in Bellevue in 1867, leaving two sons: Walter C., who is now a banker of Bellevue; and William, a grain dealer and banker of Hallock, Minnesota. In 1870 Judge Kelso was again married, his second union being with Miss Sophia F. Shaw, of Maquoketa, who was born in Ellisburg, Jefferson county, New York, December 3, 1836. Her father, John Shaw, was born in Palmer, Massachusetts, in 1790. He was a son of David and Elizabeth (McMaster) Shaw. In 1794 the family left New England and removed to Otsego county, New York, where John Shaw was reared to manhood on a farm. While he early became familiar with agricultural pursuits, he believed that other business lines would prove more profitable and congenial, and engaged in merchandising until he came to Iowa. It was in the spring of 1839 that he made his way to Dubuque, where for one year he engaged in the drug business. He then came with his family to Bellevue, where he remained two years, during which time he engaged in merchandising and also filled the position of postmaster. On the expiration of that period he located on land which is now a part of the present site of Maquoketa and there he spent his remaining days. He had secured this tract as a squatter's claim about 1836 and he bought the land from the government as soon as it was placed on the market. Thereon he remained up to the time of his death, which occurred in 1853. He married Sophia Fisk, a native of Massachusetts, who removed with her parents in 1820 to New York, where she resided to the time of her marriage. Her father was Dr. William Fisk. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Shaw were born the following children: Sophia F., who is now the widow of Judge Kelso; John C., deceased; Laura, who is the widow of J C. Brocksmit and lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Carrie E., who is the widow of Dr. W. H. C. Moore and is living in Essex, Iowa; Mary C., of Maquoketa; and Austin F., who died in 1890. Both Mr. and Mrs. Shaw were very public spirited and were actively interested in the advancement of educational and religious matters in this community. They gave all their children a good education and thus were they well equipped for life's practical and responsible duties.
Mrs. Kelso, largely reared on the old homestead farm which her father had taken up from the government, began her education in the country schools and afterward attended the seminary at Rockford, Illinois, now known as Rockford college. She then took up the profession of teaching, which she followed in this county at intervals for sixteen years, the last year being spent as a teacher in the schools at Bellevue. Unto Judge and Mrs. Kelso were born three children: Carrie, now the wife of the Rev. Daniel Russell, a Presbyterian minister who has occupied pulpits in New York and Pittsburg; Joseph, cashier of a bank at Bellevue; and Jennie, the wife of W. B. Guthrie, a professor in a New York city college.
The death of Judge Kelso occurred March 29, 1898, and thus was terminated a long and useful life. He was a man of the strictest integrity and honesty, who loved the truth in all things and abhorred falsehood. Though advanced in years he continued in active business until his last illness and his name was a synonym for integrity in all commercial and financial transactions. He held friendship inviolable and was a valued and progressive citizen, but his best traits of character were reserved for his own home and fireside. At the time of his demise one of the local papers said: "By the death of Judge Kelso his town has lost a sagacious and energetic man of business; his fellow citizens a pattern of fidelity and industry; his friends a safe counselor; his family a kind husband and indulgent father; but he has left them a legacy richer than his wealth in the memory of one who above all things hated falsehood and loved the truth, whose integrity was never doubted, who never failed in the fulfillment of a promise and who never broke his word."