Kelly, James

     Was born February 2, 1824, on the old family homestead, where he still resides, near Emory, Washington county. He is a son of James and Nancy Kelly, his father the son of Ezekiel Kelly, who came from Ireland and settled in Virginia near Harpers Ferry. His mother was Nancy, daughter of Jonas Smith, who came to Washington county at an early date, and settled near Emory.

     In this county November 15, 1854 Rev. George R. Barr, D. D. officiating clergymen, he married Mahala Helton, and their children were born in the order named: Alice M., Melinda F., James N., Milton F., Jefferson D., Thomas C., William H., Jonas S. The two eldest, Alice and Melinda, are now deceased; James is superintendent of a large and prosperous school near Chicago, Illinois. Mrs. Kelly was born in Floyd county, Virginia, July 1, 1829, the daughter of Reuben Helton and Nancy Helton, nee Burnette, who were raised in Floyd county, and later were residents of Washington county.

     Mr. Kelly ably filled the responsible office of magistrate for about eight years, before and during the war. He had a number of near relatives in active service during the war, among them a cousin, John H. Smith, killed in battle at Saltville.

[Source:  Virginia and Virginians:  History of Volume 2; by Robert Alonzo Brock, Virgil Anson Lewis; publ. 1888;  Pgs.722-764; Transcribed and submitted to Genealogy Trails by Andrea Stawski Pack]

Kelly, Joseph L., was born in Smyth County, Virginia, March 4, 1867, son of John A. Kelly and Martha Peck, his wife; his father was a lawyer, and for twenty-five years was judge of the sixteenth judicial circuit of Virginia. He began his education in the neighborhood schools, and completed it at Emory and Henry College, from which he was graduated in 1886, with the B. A. degree. After reading law for a year under the preceptorship of his father, he entered the law school of the University of Virginia, and was graduated B. L. in June, 1889. Later, Emory and Henry College conferred upon him the degree of Master of Arts. He began practice in 1889, at Estillville (now Gate City), in partnership with Gen. Rufus A. Ayers. In 1892 he removed to Big Stone Gap, where he followed his profession until the fall of 1892, when he took up his residence in Bristol, where he has since remained. Since 1895 he has been a member of the law firm of Bullitt & Kelly, who have an extensive practice in southwest Virginia, maintaining two offices—one at Big Stone Gap, in charge of J. F. Bullitt, and the other at Bristol, under the management of Mr. Kelly. In January, 1915, Mr. Kelly was elected to the bench of the supreme court of appeals. He is a Democrat in politics, and a member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. He married, July 29, 1896, Mary Eloise Hull, daughter of Capt. D. D. Hull, of Marion, Virginia, and they have four children.

[Source: Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography; Edited by Lyon Gardiner Tyler; Publ. 1915; Transcribed by Andrea Stawski Pack.]