Terry Kelsey

KELSEY TERRY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/21/2010 at 14:19:11

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Kelsey-Terry
By D Sargent

Frank E Kelsey, 1846-March 24, 1931, came to Sergeant Bluff, Iowa from Watertown, New York in 1866. To Frank Kelsey and Gibson Bates belong the credit of making the first definite effort to secure an Old Settlers Picnic for Woodbury County. They organized the Woodbury County Pioneer Association and the first meeting took place at Galland Park, August 18, 1903. They planned a program and hoped the Sioux City Old Settlers would join to help make it a success. Mr Kelsey was President of the Old Settlers Association in 1912 and 1914. His great grandson, Elbert Sargent, is now on the Pioneer Valley Days Committee in Sergeant Bluff, a celebration similar to the Old Settlers Picnic.

Frank Kelsey married Mary A Terry, 1852-April 17, 1940, on March 23, 1871. She came to Iowa from Rootstown, Portage County, Ohio, with her parents in a covered wagon in 1865. She taught school in a sod school house near Elk Point, South Dakota, making the trip by ox team. They farmed east of Sergeant Bluff. They farmed east of Sergeant Bluff. When he retired they moved into their home at 301 2nd Street, Sergeant Bluff. They had one daughter, Mamie, who married Isaac Sergeant. Mr Kelsey was a member of the G.A.R. and honorably discharged in Washington, D.C. on June 9, 1865. Mrs Kelsey was a member of the Womens Relief Corps, for many years.