Hugh A. KELLEY

  General Notes:

Chapman Brothers, Portrait and Biographical Album of Knox County, Illinois, Containing Full Page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens of the County, Together with Portraits and Biographies of All the Governors of Illinois, and Presidents of the United States. (Chicago, Illinois: Biographical Publishing Company, 1886), pp. 407-408.

Hugh A. Kelly, a farmer residing on section 15, Cedar Township, is a native of Augusta County, W. Va., and reared in Greenbrier County, Feb. 26, 1813. He came to Fulton County, IL., in 1833, where he remained from November until the following April, when he moved to Cedar Township. His father, James, was a native of Virginia, and his parents were from Ireland. James Kelly, the father, died in 1819. He married Miss Jane (Hulit) Kelly, also of Irish extraction. This lady died in 1843, but had become the mother of 4 children - Hugh A., Nancy, Sarah and James. The gentleman whose name heads this biography married Miss Catherine Castle, Dec. 13, 1832, and her death took place Mar 24, 1881. They had no children. Mrs. Kelly's parents were of German & Irish extraction, and of her family there is one sister living.

Mr. Kelly may be counted as one among the oldest pioneers of this township. Altogether he has been Supervisor of the township for three terms, as well as school director for the last twenty years. He is one among the foremost members of his lodge in the ancient craft of Masonry. He was first a Mason in 1861, in Abingdon Lodge 185. Mr. Kelly has 240 acres of improved land, on which he erected a fine dwelling in 1865. He is one among the prominent breeders of short-horn cattle and his horses are all good grades. He has devoted his life to farming and stock-raising and has been quite successful in the accumulation of property. He is regarded as one of Cedar Township's most thrifty and enterprising farmers. His farm ranks high among the many excellent ones of this splendid county. He is a devoted member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as was also his wife, who took an active part in the good of that Christian organization. In politics he favors Democracy and by that party is considered one of its best friends.

Hugh married Catharine CASTLE on 13 Dec 1832 in Greenbrier Co., VA.³⁸ (Catharine CASTLE was born on 6 Oct 1804 in VA,⁹⁹⁵ died on 24 Mar 1881 in Knox Co., IL ³⁸ and was buried in Cherry Grove Cemetery, Abingdon, Knox Co., IL ⁹⁹⁵.)