Kelleym
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
MATHIAS J. KELLEY. This
gentleman is a well respected and capable agriculturist, who resides about
three miles northwest from Wilbur on land he secured through the right
of purchase. Mr. Kelley has devoted himself steadily to farming since
he came to this county in 1898 and has a good place of one quarter section,
well improved and productive of good crops.
Mathias J. Kelley was born in Sullivan county,
Missouri, on August 17, 1862, the son of Hon. P. J. and Sarah J. (Warren)
Kelley. The mother was born in Missouri, while the father was born
in Lee county, Virginia, in 1837. He migrated with his people to
Missouri when a child and at the breaking out of the Civil War enlisted
in Company C, First Missouri Cavalry, but was forced to take his discharge
on account of a wound. He crossed the plains in 1865 and made settlement
near Walla Walla. Here he accumulated a large amount of property
and then removed to Milton, Oregon, where he is living at the present time,
the owner of a fine estate of both town and country property. He
is a prominent citizen and has been chosen by his acquaintances to represent
his district in the state legislature, where he acquitted himself in keeping
with his wisdom and ability manifested through a long and successful career.
Mathias J. was educated in the public schools of the state of Oregon
and then began to assist his father on the farm. For a number of
years he was occupied thus and finally in 1898 he came thence to his present
place, which he purchased, and settled to farming.
In 1892, Mr. Kelley married Miss Mary, daughter
of William W. and Anna E. (Jones) Davies, who was born in Walla Walla county,
on April 17, 1873. The parents are of Welch descent and her father
now resides in California and the mother died in 1879. To Mr. and
Mrs. Kelley there have been born four children, Claud H., Lloyd H., Susie
G., and Hugh H.
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