James KELLY, Sr ¹

   Cause of his death was Killed by Indians.

   Another name for James was KELLEY.

   User ID: 148.

   General Notes:

Came from Plainfield, MA, to Marietta, OH, with wife in Nov 1788, Killed by Shawnee two years later in 1790.

SOURCE
Telephone Conversation Florence Louise FLEMMING Engle 30 May 2001-
"Joseph KELLY's father was killed by the Shawnee Indians just south of Marietta on the Ohio River. He had told his wife and two sons to run for the house. Mother and oldest son (James Jr) got back safely. The Indians captured the youngest son (Joseph) and he was held in captivity for seven years before his mother was able to get him back..."

NEWPAPERS
Marietta Register 17 Feb 1876
Correspondence From a paper by Dr Hildreth
Continuation of the History of Belleville- furnished by A.T.Nye
Death of James Kelly
"Among the early settlers of Marietta, was James Kelly, who came out to Pittsburgh with his family, September 1788, where he spent the winter. In the spring of 1789 he came down to Marietta in a flatboat, and resided in Marietta during the succeeding summer. Mr Kelly was a farmer in Plainfield, Massachusetts, and then married Anna Hart. Pecuniary embarrassment caused by going security for a friend, rendered it necessary to sell his farm, and he sought a new home in the West. The winter of '89 and '90, Mr Kelly and his family spent in Campus Martius, and there his youngest son St Clair was born- he was the first white child born in Marietta. In the spring of 1890, Mr Kelly removed with his family to Belleville, a settlement in Virginia, about thirty miles below Marietta, when he raised that summer a crop of corn. Early in the morning of 7 Apr 1791, Mr Kelly with his son Joseph, then a lad of seven years, was engaged at work in a field just outside of the garrison at Belleville, and only about one hundred and fifty yards from it, John...where he was, and sent out a party of six men to obtain possession of him. He was brought home and restored to his mother, though not without some regret on his part at parting from his Indian friends. Mr Joseph Kelly spent the rest of his life in Marietta, where he married and had a family of children..."

From Linda Jean Engle:
"Joseph Kelly's Own Story of His Capture by the Indians, and the Killing of His Father at Belleville, Virginia (Just Below Parkersburg, West Virginia in 1790, and His Five Years' Life with the Shawnees" as told by him in person at a Pioneer meeting 7 Apr 1859, and written for publication by Manly Warren and published in the "Marietta Intelligencer"
"The Marietta Leader" a semi-weekly paper 7 Apr 1994 reproduced a report of a pioneer meeting 7 Apr 1859 wherein Jospeh Kelly told this story written up for publication by one of the pioneer members present, Mr Manly Warren, and is described in an editorial of this 7 Apr 1894 'Leader' as:
"This issue of the'Leader' is a PIONEER number. We are pleased to devote a large amount of our space relating to the early comers to Marietta, who endured extreme hardships that they might see grow here a gardenin what was then a wilderness, but where now for miles around there smile numberless thrifty farmsteads.
"The greatest romantic happening, next to the Blennerhassett experiences, was the capture of Joseph Kelly by the Indians. the story we print in full, as compiled by Manly Warren, deceased, in the Marietta Intelligencer of 7 Apr 1859" (George M Cooks, Editor)
"Mr Joseph Kelly of this place, then proceeded to relate the narrative of his captivity among the Indians. He was four years of age when his father moved to this country with his family, in November 1788. His brother, St Clair Kelly, was the first white child born in the State of Ohio. He was born 30 Dec 1788, in this block house at Marietta. Mr Kelly distinctly recollects many circumstances that occurred during his childhood days. On one occasion, while playing in the garret of the Blockhouse in Harmar, he foound an old keg, which had containeed 'Cherry-bounce' in which some of the cherries remained, well-soaked with whiskey. He remembers eating enough of them to make him quite drunk.
"Mr Kelly's family afterwards removed to Belleville in Virginia in 1790. Joseph was now about six years old and able to help his father considerably about his work. One morning he told his mother that he should eat a hearty breakfast, as he calculated to 'do a big day's work that day.' After finishing his meal, he started out with his father to drive some hogs that had broken into the yard. While employed in this manner he discovered several Indians coming towards them. He was so horrified at the sight that he could neither speak nor move. One of the savages seized his father, who grappling with him, threw the Indian oveer his head more than twice his length, when all closed in upon them. During the scuffle, a shot was fired from the fort that nearly killed one of the Indians. In return, they shot some oxen, and Joseph's father fell, pierced by one of the bullets.
"They now caught Joseph by both arms and hurried him away. His mother related afterwards that she heard his voice for half a mile calling for help while she was powerless to assist him. They proceeded rapidly on their course, bearing the wounded Indian on a litter and dragging their captor along for about the distance of a mile, when they made a halt. By threats and blows they had succeeded in hushing the lamentations of Joseph. Suddenly the peculiar call of a turkey was heard in the wilderness. It was answered by the Indians, who could mimic the note of a wild turkey to perfection. This was repeated three times and soon more Indians joined them, who had been guided to the spot by the telegraphic signal. Among the newcomers was a white youth of 18 or 20 years, who had lived them since a mere child. He was completely disguised as an Indian and had probably been stolen from one of the settlements. The young man could speak English very well, and in conversation with Joseph, endeavored to ascertain how men there were in the fort. Though Mr Kelly knew there were but few, he made him believe that the fort was filled with warriors: thus rendering an important service to the colony. About sun-down the Indians started on their journey again, and came to the Ohio River at a place where there was a high drift pile. They crossed the river a day's journey below Belleville. That night they encamped a mile back from the river. there were 31 Indians in the company, which was composed of Delawares and Shawnees. They treated Mr Kelly very cruelly, and the disguised Indian we have mentioned before ordered him to light a pipe. At first Mr Kelly complied, hoping to conciliate him, but on another occasion, when the command was repeated, he refused. The youth cut a hickory switch and laid it pretty smartly on his shoulders and repeated the order. Mr Kelly says he would not have obeyed him if he had been whipped to death. Life had little vaue to him then. He expected according to Indian custom to be tortured and burned as a prisoner, and did not care, at that time, whether he lived or died. After the youth had tired of whipping Mr Kelly, an old Indian, who had sat in one corner, looking very serious, jumped up and clapped him on the back, and praised him in broken English for his fortitude, calling him 'good boy'.
"When they started on their journey the next morning, Mr Kelly was so wearied and foot-sore that he could walk with difficulty, and was placed by the Indians astride an old cow to ride. Not admiring this mode of conveyance, whenever they passed through a clump of bushes, he would fall off resignedly. finally, the Indians became tired of replacing him on her back, and fastened him there- tying his feet together under the cow's belly. Thus, Mazeppa-like was he borne through the thickets and brambles to the infinite amusement of the Indians, and the decided detriment of his clothes and person. In this manner they traveled through the forest for three days, when the Indians of the different tribes separated; the Delawares taking one course, and the Shawnees, who retained Mr Kelly going in the direction of the Shawnee village on the Maumee River, ant the mouth of the Auglaize. Mr Kelly's ideas of the Indian character, founded on his expereience among them, do not agree with the generally received notions of their stoic gravity, etc. He says they are much inclined to merriment and sport among themselves, and relieved the tedium of their long journey, bu making him the butt of numerous practical jokes.
"Within a half-mile of their destination, the company halted to brush up the finery, and paint each other preparatory to a 'grand entree' into the town. [The village contained between 250 and 300 inhabitants, of whom 50 or 60 were warriors- Hildreth 1839 p33]. A number of guns were fired as a signal that they had a prisoner, and the populations rushed out, en masse, with wild yells of joy to receive them. They were soon conducted to the 'Council House' a rude wigwam of large size, with hundreds of scalps, trophies of war, hanging around the walls, where a consultation was held by the assembled braves in regard to the fate of their captive. He felt in tolerably good spirits until he saw his father's scalp brought in and triumphantly exhibited. The horror of the moment is vivid in his mind to the present day..."

Marietta Register
Friday 24 Jun 1864
Death of Joseph Kelley [sic]
Joseph Kelley, one of our eldest and most highly respected citizens, died on Saturday night 18 Jun 1864 in the 80th year of his age.
Mr Kelley was born in Plainfield MA and when four years of age came with his father to 'the West' remaining at Pittsburg through the winter of 1788-89. In the spring of 1789 James Kelly, the father, removed to Marietta and in Dec 1789, Mrs Kelley gave birth to the first male child born in the colony- St Clair Kelly- a brother of the subject of this notice, and who died about forty years ago.
In 1790 the family removed to Belville VA about thirty miles below Marietta. April 7, 1791, early in the morning, Indians attacked and killed James Kelly, the father, who was in a field with a hoe, and defended himself vigorously. He was shot down and scalped. Joseph was with him, and was taken prisoner by the Indians. He was then in his 7th year. He was taken off by the Shawnees to their towns in northwestern Ohio...

BOOKS
Washington County Historical Society, Inc, Washington County Ohio to 1980, Pg 207, 1980, Washington County Historical Society, Inc, 417 Second St, Marietta, Ohio. "...Joseph [Kelly]'s parents, James Kelly and wife, Anne Hart Kelly, came from Plainfield Massachusetts, to Marietta, Ohio, in November, 1788..."

Wolf Creek and the Muskingum, Notes on the Settlement of Southeastern Ohio, Richard Walker PhD, Gateway Press Inc, Baltimore MD 1996, Chapter 18 These Honest-Hearted People The Indian Captivity of Joseph Kelly Page 213:
"James Kelly at Marietta. James Kelly, his wife Anna Hart, and their children- John, James, Mary, and Joseph- of Plainfield Massachusetts, arrived in Marietta in November 1788. They lived at Fort Harmar through the fall, then across the Muskingum River at Campus Martius. There- 30 Dec 1788- their son was born, the first white male child born at Marietta. They named him Arthur St Clair Kelly [30 Dec 1788-1823 Parkersburg WV. He lived most of his life at Marietta], after the governor of the territory.
"They moved to Waterford andin the spring moved again to the garrison at Belleville, Virginia, which had been constructged in the winter of 1785-1786 about 20 miles down the Ohio River from Marietta. On April 7, 1791 [Williams p 76]:
"The father and two sons were one day working in a small field of corn quite near the block-house, when they wre surprised by a party of Indians. Mr Kelley [sic] had no gun or other arms to defend himself with, and was instantly killed. John succeeded in reaching the block-house, Joseph, then about seven or eight years of age, was captured and carried away. The widowed mother fearing to remain at Belleville afer the killing of her husband, made here way with her tree children to Marietta, where she remained through the period of the war as an inmante of Campus Maritus. She received no tidings from her little son Joseph, and mourned him as dead..."

ANCESTRY.COM 22 Jul 2000
Database: Massachusetts Town Marriage Records
KELLEY, James, Spouse: Anne Hart, Marriage Date: March 17, 1774, Marriage Place: Worcester, Source: Vital Records of Worcester,
KELLEY, James of Colchester CT and Anne Hart, 17 Mar 1774.

   Events:

1. Removed; Nov 1788, Marietta, Washington, Ohio, USA. From Plainfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts

   Marriage Information:

James married Anne HART on 17 Mar 1774 in Worcester, Worcester, Massachusetts, USA. (Anne HART was born about 1752 in , , Connecticut, USA and was christened in Plainfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts, USA.)