Yuba County
Biographies
JOHN
K. KELLY
JOHN K. KELLY. The present coroner of Yuba county and an undertaker of more than local reputation is J.
K. Kelly, who was born in Smartville, Yuba county,
the son of Peter and Maria (Gallagher) Kelly, and the date of his birth was December 5,
1873. A native of County Cavan, Peter Kelly came to the United States in 1853,
making his first settlement in New York state, but he finally came to
California by the Panama route, being drawn to the state, no doubt, in the
h9ope hat here he might find a wider scope for the development of his plans in
the line of hydraulic mining. That his
choice of location was wisely selected is proven by the fact that he was
eminently successful in his mining ventures, and all his life, in a greater or
less degree, was engaged in mining pursuits, principally in Yuba county. He also
engaged in the livery business in Marysville, and there he died in 1898, when
in his sixty-third year. The wife and
mother also died in Marysville in 1884.
Of the five children born to Mr. and
Mrs. Kelly four are living, namely:
Harry; John K.; Peter F., and Mamie A.; the oldest son,
Thomas J., died January 7, 1905.
John K. received his boyhood training in and around Marysville, and
when sixteen years old he ventured in the world of business as a clerk in
Hampton’s hardware store. After a short
experience there, however, he decided to learn the plumber’s trade, and
forthwith began an apprenticeship which was completed in the prescribed time,
and he followed the trade until becoming interested in the undertaking
business. With the same thoroughness and
precision which had been the keynote of his success in learning the plumber’s
trade he set his mind to master the details of his new undertaking, and in 1900
went to San Francisco, where for a time he was in the employ of
Halstead & Co., and while in that city he also took a course in the
California School of Embalming. In 1901
he returned to Marysville and started in business on his own account at
No. 408 Second street, as a funeral
director. His establishment is equipped
with all the necessities for the proper conduct of his business, being
up-to-date in every particular.
In 1902, on the Democratic ticket,
Mr. Kelly was elected coroner of Yuba county,
leading both party tickets. He took the
office in January, 1903, his term to run for four years, and it is safe to
predict that his fellow-citizens will have no cause to regret their choice, as
his private life has been above reproach and it is only fair to believe that
his public life will be the same.
Mr. Kelly is considerably interested in fraternal matters, and is
identified with the Benevolent Protective Order of Elks, Young Men’s Institute,
of which he is ex-president, the Foresters of America, Eagles, Fraternal
Brotherhood and the Knights of the Maccabees.
He is also identified with the Native Sons of the Golden West, his name
being on the roll of Marysville Parlor No. 6.
[Inserted by D.
Toole.]
John K. Kelly
1916
Aug 19, Oakland Tribune, P7, Oakland, California
Childhood
Romance Ends in Wedding
San
Francisco, Aug 19 – A romance which began twenty years ago, when both the
principals were school children, blossomed into happy reality yesterday when
John K. Kelly, coroner of Yuba county, and Miss Etta Wenzel, both of
Marysville, were married by Rev. M. Coleman of Marysville at St. Mary’s
Cathedral in this city. It was twenty
years ago that Kelly and Miss Wenzel vowed to wed some day in the distant future. Kelly is now president of the Trolley League
and formerly was a director of the Marysville baseball club. Mrs. Kelly is the daughter of an old Yuba
county family which has been prominent in civic activities for many years. Kelly and his bride left San Francisco
yesterday on a honeymoon trip the itinerary of which was kept secret. The couple will make their home in
Marysville.
1916
Aug 21, Oakland Tribune, P6, Oakland, California
Old-Time
Sweetheart Weds Yuba Coroner
Marysville,
Aug. 21 – A romance, which had its beginning nearly twenty years ago when the
principals were school chums together, was happily made a reality in San
Francisco when Miss Etta Wenzel, daughter of one of the pioneer families of
this district, became the bride of John K. Kelly, coroner of Yuba county. The announcement of the wedding occasioned
considerable surprise in this city. The
ceremony was performed by Rev. Father Coleman of Marysville in St. Mary’s
Cathedral in San Francisco. Following
the marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Kelly left for San Diego, where the groom will
attend the convention of California Funeral Directors, of which he is the vice
president and of which he will become president. He is also the president of the Trolley Baseball
League. Mr. and Mrs. Kelly will make
their home in Marysville following the honeymoon.
1916
Aug 24, Santa Cruz Evening News, P1, Santa Cruz, California
They
Counted Without Judge Who is an Elk
Marysville,
Yuba County, Aug. 24 – When Ray S. Wickwire and Mary
E. Johnson, a San Francisco couple, selected Marysville for their Gretna Green,
and a quiet place where they might wed without ostentation, they had the
misfortune of having forced upon them to tie the knot Police Judge W. E.
Langdon of this city, who is also secretary of the Marysville Lodge of Elks.
Double Wedding Follows.
In
the absence of all of Marysville’s clergymen, who just now are enjoying their
vacations, Wickwire and his bride-to-be, kept an
appointment with Judge Langdon in the Elks’ Home. Here they found a coterie of Elks celebrating
the wedding of John K. Kelly, a member of the lodge. It is easy to guess the rest. The rollicking Elks made it a double wedding
against the protests of the couple.
Not
“Quiet Affair.”
It
was anything but a “quiet affair.” The
bride was embraced and kissed and the groom also came in for the spirit that
was thrown into the occasion. They will
long remember the unexpected that was lent to their wedding.
1917
Jan 15, The Los Angeles Times, P3, Los Angeles,
California
State
Coroners Form Organization
(By
A.P. Night Wire)
\San
Francisco, Jan. 14 – The California State Coroners’ Association was formed here
yesterday, eighteen county coroners from different
parts of the State being present. Dr. T.
B. W. Leland of San Francisco was elected president, and Dr. Frank H. Philipps of Sonoma county,
secretary. The aim of the organization
will be to secure the passage of more efficient laws, it was stated, and for
the mutual benefit of the members. The
following coroners represented their respective counties: John K. Kelly, Yuba; <snipped>
Findagrave Memorial:
Etta
W. Kelly
Birth:
1879
Death: 1918
Burial: Praise Chapel Mausoleum, Yuba City, Sutter
County, California, USA
Created
by: Tim Hammill
Record
added: Dec 01, 2011
Find
A Grave Memorial# 81353191
Findagrave Memorial:
Harry
J. Kelly
Birth:
1870
Death:
1921
Burial:
Praise Chapel Mausoleum, Yuba City, Sutter County, California, USA
Created
by: Tim Hammill
Record
added: Dec 01, 2011
Find
A Grave Memorial# 81353214
1925
Nov 15, Oakland Tribune, P60, Oakland, California
Marysville
Mrs. John K.
Kelly,
who recently returned from an eastern trip, was hostess to the Town and Country
Club at her home in E street Thursday afternoon.
1927
Aug 27, Oakland Tribune, P9, Oakland, California
Bank
President Dies
Marysville,
Aug. 27 – (AP) John Kelly, 53, president of the Decker-Jewett bank, here, died
at his home yesterday. He was a native
of Yuba county and was coroner here from 1902 to
1922. He is survived by his widow and a brother.
Findagrave Memorial:
John
Kieran Kelly
Birth:
1872
Death:
1927
Burial:
Praise Chapel Mausoleum, Yuba City, Sutter County, California, USA
Created
by: Tim Hammill
Record
added: Dec 01, 2011
Find
A Grave Memorial# 81353237
1927
Dec 5, Oakland Tribune, P2, Oakland, California
Marysville
Banker Leaves $157,964
Marysville,
Dec. 5 – The estate of the late John K. Kelly, local banker, is valued at
$157,964.26, according to an appraisement completed by Peter J. Delay, G. Fred
Parks and H. B. P. Carden. The estate consists of cash, stocks, bonds,
notes and real estate. The personal
property is given a value of $71,840.85.
Sixteen parcels of real estate are included in the appraisement.
Findagrave Memorial:
Peter
Francis Kelly
Birth:
May 10, 1875
California,
USA
Death:
Sep. 22, 1946
Sacramento
County, California, USA
Burial: Praise Chapel Mausoleum, Yuba City, Sutter
County, California, USA
Created
by: Tim Hammill
Record
added: Dec 01, 2011
Find A Grave
Memorial# 81353276
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 446-449. The Chapman
Publishing Co., Chicago, 1904.
© 2017 Donna Toole.
Golden Nugget Library's Yuba County Biographies