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JOHN KELLY was born on the farm which he now owns on April 3, 1860, a son of honored early pioneers of Benton county, Patrick and Mary (Ryan) Kelly, who are mentioned on other pages of this work. It was also upon this old homestead that John Kelly passed the days of his boyhood and youth, receiving in the meantime his education in the neighborhood school, and here he is now extensively engaged in general farming and stock raising. He remained under the parental roof until his marriage, then renting for two years, after which, he returned and bought the homestead, a beautiful tract of three hundred and seventy acres, and its many valuable improvements have been placed there by him. He has a splendid modern home, and all buildings in keeping therewith. He is a representative citizen, a splendid business man, an active worker in the interests of Democracy, and he has served his community as a school director.
On the 26th of January, 1888, Mr. Kelly was married to Elizabeth Crelly, who was born in Iowa township of Benton county January 9, 1864, a daughter of Thomas and Mary (Burke) Crelly, who were born in Ireland. Leaving their native land for the United States in the fall of 1865 they landed at New Orleans, and coming up the river to St, Louis and thence to Muscatine, Iowa, they drove across to Benton county, where they both entered and bought land in Iowa township. They were among the very first to seek a home in Benton county, their advent antedating the railroads here, and markets were then long distances away. Seven of the nine children born to Mr. and Mrs. Crelly are living, namely: Mrs. Ellen Harty, of Platte, South Dakota; Margaret, the wife of James Kelly, of Van Horne; N. J., a resident of Kennebec, South Dakota; Mrs. Katie Gibbon, whose home is in Kingsley, Iowa; Elizabeth, the wife of John Kelly; John, of Luzerne, this state; and Patrick, who is living at Larchwood, Iowa. Eight children have blessed the marriage union of John and Elizabeth Kelly, — Frank, Ray, Tresa, Leo, Helen, Blanche, Orin and Harlan. The family are members of the Van Horne Catholic church.
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