KELLEY: Of Curtis.
Archibold Kelley, born in Marion County, Virginia, about the year 1818, and his wife, Christina, born in the same county about the same date, daughter of John D. Sharp, arrived and commenced their home on Stover Fork about the year 1848; from other dates we infer five of their seven children came here with Archibold and Christina. The names of their children we can give here, in order of their respective ages, are Reverend William Kelley, long a Methodist Episcopal preacher; John N. Kelley, Harriet, Eliza, Safrona, Blackburn, and Christopher Columbus Kelley. Archibold Kelley soon made a good farm of many acres, and was long an active citizen in the church and secular affairs of the county.
For further concerning this family, as to the daughters, see family names of the men they married, and as to the sons, the following:
Rev. William Kelley went out as a circuit rider of his church; whom he married if he married we do not know.
John N. Kelley married Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel Romine, 1867, then of Romines Mills, Harrison County, and they made their home on the head of Stover. Of this marriage were horn: Addison Allen, year 1868, and Ida May, 1871, she is the wife of C. M. McCoy of Left Reedy Creek.
Harriet, daughter of Archibold and Christina Kelley, married in same neighborhood, April 15, 1858, James E., son of Jacob Radabaugh.
Mary Eliza, daughter of Archibold and Christina Kelley, married Lemuel, son of John McCoy, March 14, 1860.
Safrona, daughter of Archibold Kelley, has not married.
Blackburn, son of Archibold and Christina Kelley, was born about the year 1830; was twice married, his first wife being Jane Whetzel, of Harrison County family of Whetzels. Of this marriage, three children were born; their names: William, Orlando and Ferd. For his second wife Blackburn married _______ Hughes, of Jackson County, W. Va. Of this marriage were born one son and one daughter, named Melvin and Cora, respectively.
Blackburn Kelley was a soldier of the Civil War.
Christopher C. Kelley, son of Archibold and Christina (Sharp) Kelley,was born ___________, grew up on the home farm on upper Stover; married Elizabeth McCoy, born in Barbour County, daughter of John and (Crislip) McCoy. Of this marriage three children were born, named in order of their ages: Annie, wife of Ben T. Board; Calvin Josiah, married and lives on part of the old home farm; and Dona, who married Irven, son of Hugh Ingraham, of the Ingrahams of Curtis District.
The above named Christopher C. Kelley was many years a prominent personage in his district, active and dependable in civic and church work, especially that of the Methodist Episcopal denomination; served as a justice of the peace, one or more terms; was a member of the county court one term of four years, president of that body in his turn; and was elected by the people and served as Roane Countys member in the House of Delegates, 27th session of the State Legislature, 1905.
This family of Kelleys were noted for the number of blonds of the lightest hair and pink skinned blonds.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 568-569
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
