Fred Kelsall, b. 28 Sep 1854

HANCOCK, PRESTON, DEREL

Posted By: Donna Moldt Walker (email)
Date: 2/20/2004 at 23:21:11

Fred Kelsall, well-known throughout Brandon Township and vicinity, occupies the homestead of his father and being on the sunny side of forty, has made an admirable start in life. He owns and operates 300 acres of choice land which is mostly under good cultivation and which is embellished with a substantial stone residence. It is conveniently arranged, with a large dry cellar under the whole structure. His barn and other outbuildings are well adapted to the purposes of mixed farming. In addition to this Mr. Kelsall makes a speciality of stock-raising - horses, cattle, and swine. He is in all respects a first-class citizen, socially, morally, and financially, and worthy of mention in a work designed to perpetuate the names of the leading men of Jackson County.

The Kelsall farm is pleasantly located on section 9, and here our subject first opened his eyes to the light Sept. 28, 1854. His parents were Edmund and Hannah (Hancock) Kelsall, who are represented elsewhere in this volume. He was at an early age made acquainted with the various pursuits of farm life, attended the district school and completed his studies in Sheboygan, Wis. Upon approaching manhood, although making the homestead his headquarters, he at times left the old farm and was variously engaged elsewhere. In the meantime he traveled quite extensively over the states of Kansas, Nebraska, and Missouri with the view of purchasing land, but finally returned to Iowa without investing.

When approaching the twenty-fourth year of his age Mr. Kelsall was married, March 15, 1878, to Miss Ida V. Preston, who like himself is a native of this county and was born in Brandon Township, Nov. 1859. The parents of Mrs. Kelsall were Charles and Hannah (Derel) Preston, natives of New York and Ohio, but now residents of Ozark, this county. Mr. and Mrs. Kelsall are the parents of one child, a daughter - Elise Gertrude. Our subject, politically, is a straight-forward Democrat, and besides serving as Justice of the Peace at the present time, has held most of the local offices. Socially, he belongs to the I.O.O.F., Lodge No. 339, at Fulton.

Both Mr. and Mrs. Kelsall possess decided musical talent and in company with Miss Patience Preston, the sister of Mrs. Kelsall, form what is familiarly known as "Kelsall's String Band," which frequently supplies the musical wants of the neighborhood. They have one of the most attractive homes in the township and enjoy the friendship of its best citizens.

("Portrait and Biographical Album of Jackson County, Iowa", originally published in 1889, by the Chapman Brothers, of Chicago, Illinois)