JAMES E. KELLY
About 1770 John Kelly came from Pennsylvania to the then wilds of
Washington county, where he founded the family that has since been
honorably identified with the growth of the county. He was a soldier
of the Continental army, Revolutionary war, and fought at Kings
Mountain. His son Andrew E. Kelly, married Joanna, daughter of
Major John Edmondson, another of the pioneers of the county, and
their son, James E., subject of this sketch, was born February 23, 1811,
at their home in the southeast part of this county. Near Osceola, September
29, 1836, he married Margaret Buchanan, who was there born
July 28, 1814. Her father, William Buchanan, Esq., was many years
high sheriff of Washington county, many years magistrate and overseer
of the poor. He was a son of Matthew Buchanan, and he married
Jane, daughter of Benjamin Keys, of this county.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. James E. Kelly are: William B., Andrew,
Elizabeth C. (deceased), Amanda L., Hay (deceased), John Walter and
Sally. The two eldest sons served through the late war in Company F,
37th Virginia regiment. Andrew, orderly sergeant of his company,
was wounded at Kernstown. William B., who was made sergeant-major
of the regiment, was twice wounded in the right arm, in the same
battle. Except when wounded, these brothers took part in every movement
of the 37th, and at the surrender Andrew was the only able-bodied
man left of the original eighty-five of the company, and was in command
of the fragment of the shattered regiment there, and as such
signed all papers relating to the surrender except the paroles.
James E. Kelly has always been engaged in the cultivation of his farm
in Washington county. He filled the office of deputy sheriff two years,
and of overseer of the poor six years.
