Contra
Costa County
Biographies
JAMES
KELLY
JAMES KELLY. Although a resident of this state for half a
century and a farmer by occupation, James Kelly has turned his attention
exclusively to grape culture since 1891, on his well-improved farm two miles
southeast of Martinez, where he located about 1877 and now has one hundred and
seventy-five acres, about fifty of which are in vineyard.
Born in county Antrim, Ireland, near the
city of Belfast, January 1, 1837, Mr. Kelly is the youngest in a
family of seven children born to Thomas and Mary (Coulter) Kelly, the former a
native of Antrim and the latter of Scotch-Irish extraction. The father was a farmer while a resident of
his native land, but subsequently emigrated to America
and spent the balance of his life in retirement, attaining the advanced age of
eighty-five years. His wife died in
1847. Of the six sons and one daughter
born to them but one is now living.
After the death of the mother the family left Ireland for a home in the
United States, taking up their abode in Racine county,
Wis., and it was in the log school houses in that county that Mr. Kelly’s
education was completed, he having obtained his primary education in
Ireland. In 1854 he left his home in
Wisconsin, crossing the plains to California in company with his brother
Samuel, who had previously made the trip hither in 1850, but returned home in
1854 with such glowing accounts of the country that James was easily induced to
accompany him. Arriving in Contra Costa
county the brothers at once engaged in the dairy business at Pinole, on the old
Dr. Tennant ranch, continuing in that line of work until 1864. Removing to the Rodeo valley at that time,
they carried on general farming there for many years and in 1877 Mr. Kelly
purchased the fine farm where he now resides.
About 1880 he erected a handsome residence in Martinez and made that his
home for a period of ten years, for the purpose of giving his children proper
educational advantages. For fourteen
years he was engaged in general farming in this section, but in 1891 he turned
his attention exclusively to grape culture.
The home ties of
Mr. Kelly date back to March 29, 1864, when he was united in marriage
with Margaret J. Dowd, a native of Ireland, who accompanied her parents to
the United States at a very early age, locating in Wisconsin in 1849. Nine children blessed this union, six of whom
are still living, as follows:
Mary A., wife of H. J. Curry; Alice E.;
Margaret A.; George W.; Samuel Coulter; and Grace. All reside in Martinez. Mr. Kelly is a Republican in
politics. He has served as school
trustee for years and as county supervisor from 1887 to 1891. He is prominently connected with Martinez
Lodge No. 90, A.O.U.W., of Martinez, and with Alhambra Grange of the
same city. In religious matters the family are members of the Catholic church.
[Inserted by D. Toole]
JAMES
KELLY
James
Kelly’s obit is on Find-a-Grave without source.
1910
May 2, The San Francisco Call, P4, San Francisco,
California
Deaths
Kelly
– At Vine Hill, near Martinez, Contra Costa county, April 30, 1910, James
Kelly, beloved husband of Margaret Kelly, father of
Mrs. H. J. Curry, Alice E., George W.,
Coulter S., Margaret A. and Grace Kelly, and brother of the late
Samuel and Patrick Kelly. Friends and
acquaintances are respectfully invited to attend the funeral today (Monday),
May 2, 1910, leaving the family residence at 10 a.m., thence to St. Catherine’s
church, Martinez, where mass will be said, commencing at 10:30 a.m. Interment Catholic
cemetery, Martinez, Cal.
[These
articles reference Margaret Kelly who died in 1916 as the daughter of James
Kelly.]
1916
Oct 27, Oakland Tribune, P17, Oakland, California
Kelly
– In Martinez, October 25, 1916, Margaret Kelly, beloved daughter of Mrs.
Margaret Kelly and the late James Kelly, and sister of Mrs. H. J. Curry, Miss
Alice E. Kelly, Mrs. Howard Veale, George and Coulter Kelly, a native of
Martinez, Cal. Funeral will take place
Saturday, October 28, 1916, at 10 a.m., from the residence of
H. J. Curry, thence to St. Catherine’s church, at Martinez, where
high mass will be said. Interment, Catholic cemetery, Martinez, Cal.
1916
Oct 29, Oakland Tribune, P46, Oakland, California
Kelly
Funeral Large
Richmond,
Oct 28 – One of the largest funerals in the history of Martinez took place this
morning when the remains of Miss Margaret Kelly were laid to rest in the St.
Catherine cemetery. Rev. Henry Shaw
officiated at the funeral services, which were held at the St. Catherine
church. Miss Kelley[sic]
met her death in a runaway while on her way home from the county tar[sic]
collector’s office, where she was employed.
1927
Apr 9, San Francisco Chronicle, P31, San Francisco, California
Mrs.
Margaret Kelly Dies in Martinez
Martinez,
April 8 – Mrs. Margaret J. Kelly, a resident of this city sixty-three
years, died today at the home of her daughter, Mrs. H. J. Curry. She was the widow of James Kelly, former
Contra Costa county Supervisor, and was 80 years of age. She is survived by a son, George W.
Kelly, and three daughters, Mrs. Curry, Alice Kelly and Mrs. Howard Veale of
Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Transcribed by Donna Toole.
Source: History
of the State of California & Biographical Record of Coast Counties,
California by Prof. J. M. Guinn, A. M., Pages 1005-1006. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2016 Donna Toole.
Contra Costa County Biographies