Ga., 17 Jan., 1849. He studied law, and in 1827 was admitted to the bar. He was several times a member of the lower branch of the legislature, and in 1839 served in the state senate. On the estab- lishment of the Georgia supreme court he became its first reporter in 1846, and published '• Georgia Reports " (5 vols., 1846-'8).
KELLY, John, antiquarian, b. in "Warner, N. H.,
7 March, 1786 ; d. in Exeter, N. H., 3 Nov., 1860.
He was graduated at Dartmouth in 1804, admitted
to the bar. and practised in Henniker and North-
wood, N. H. Mr. Kelly was a member of the legis-
lature, clerk of the house in 1828, and state coun-
cillor in 1846. He removed to Exeter in 1831, and
for many years edited the " News Letter." He was
the author of many articles in the " Proceedings "
of the State historical society, and the " New Eng-
land Historical and Genealogical Register."
KELLY, John, politician, b. in New York city,
21 April, 1821 ; d. there, 1 June, 1886. He received
a public-school education, was apprenticed to the
mason's trade, and engaged in business for himself
at the age of twenty-four. In 1854 he was elected
an alderman, and from this time until his death he
was active as a Democratic politician. In 1855 and
1857 he was elected to congress, during his last
term was elected sheriff of the county of New York,
and in 1876 succeeded Andrew H. Green, by ap-
pointment, as comptroller. In 1871 he aided
Charles O'Conor, Samuel J. Tilden. and their asso-
ciates in the struggle against the Tweed ring.
KELLY, Jonathan Falconbridge, author, b.
in Philadelphia in 1818 ; d. in Cincinnati, Ohio, in
1854. He was educated in a private school in his
native city, became a printer and publisher of
theatrical criticisms, and afterward removed to the
west, where he lectured and wrote on humorous
subjects. He published the " Arena " in New York
city, the Boston " Traveller," and the " Aurora
Borealis," and was the author of " The Humors of
Falconbridge " (Philadelphia, 1856).
KELLY, Patrick, R. C. bishop, b. in Ireland ;
d. there, 8 Oct., 1829. He was educated in St.
Patrick's college, County Kildare, and was ap-
fiointed president of Birchfield college, Kilkenny,
n 1820 Virginia was made a Roman Catholic dio-
cese, and Dr. Kelly was nominated its first bishop.
He arrived in the United States in January, 1821,
making Norfolk his place of residence. His pov-
erty was so great that he was obliged to teach.
There were seven Roman Catholic churches in the
state, which were only occasionally visited by priests
from other dioceses. In the endeavor to attend al-
most singly to the need of the Roman Catholics of
Virginia, Bishop Kelly impaired his health, and
was translated to the see of Waterford and Lis-
more in Ireland in July, 1822.
KELLY, Robert Morrison, journalist, b. in
Paris, Ky., 22 Sept., 1836. He was educated in his
native town, and after teaching for several years
qualified for the practice of law, and opened an
office at Cynthiana in 1860. He aided in recruit-
ing volunteers for the National army at Camp
Dick Robinson, was made captain, and successively
promoted major, lieutenant-colonel, and colonel of
the 4th Kentucky infantry, and commanded this
regiment until its discharge, 1 Sept., 1865, nearly
all of the time in active duty in the field. In 1866
fie was appointed collector of internal revenue for
the 7th district, but in 1869 he resigned to take
editorial charge of the " Louisville Daily Com-
mercial," at the head of which he continued until
1886. In 1873 he was appointed pension-agent at
Louisville, which office he held until he was re-
moved by President Cleveland.
KELLY, William, senator, b. in Tennessee
about 1770 ; d. in New Orleans, La., about 1832.
He studied law, and practised in Huntsville, Ala.,
and afterward in Elyton, near what is now Bir-
mingham, Ala. He was elected U. S. senator as a
Jackson Democrat, in place of John W. Walker,
resigned, and served from 21 Jan., 1823, till 3
March, 1825. About 1831 he removed with his
family to New Orleans.
KELLY, William, philanthropist, b. in New
York city, 4 Feb., 1807; d. in Torquay. England,
14 Jan., 1872. His father, a political exile from
Ireland, who had become a successful merchant,
died in 1825, leaving three sons, John, William, and
Robert, all of whom were under age. The business
was continued by the two first mentioned, and
after 1826 by the three together, who were known
as the " boy merchants." After the death of John
in 1836, the remaining brothers retired and devoted
themselves to charitable and educational work.
William bought the estate of Ellerslie, near Rhine-
beck, N. Y. (now the property of Levi P. Morton),
and engaged in farming. He was president of the
State agricultural society in 1854, one of the found-
ers of the State agricultural college at Ovid, N. Y.,
and president of its board of trustees. He was also
president of the board of trustees of Vassar college
from its foundation till his death, and of that of
Rochester university for many years, and was ac-
tive in charitable enterprises, to all of which he
contributed liberally. He was a state senator in
1855-'6, and the unsuccessful Democratic candidate
for governor of New York in 1860. — His brother,
Robert, philanthropist, b. in New York citv, 10
Dec, 1808; d. 27 April, 1856, was graduated first in
his class at Columbia in 1826, and in the same year
became a member of the firm of J. and W. Kelly
and Co. He was the founder of the Free academy
(now College of the city of New York), president of
the board of education, a regent of the State uni-
versity, and a founder and president of the board
of trustees of Rochester university. He was also
president of the board of managers of the House of
refuge, and was identified with numerous other be-
nevolent associations. At the time of his death he
held the office of city chamberlain.
KELLY, William, inventor, b. in Pittsburg, Pa., 22 Aug.. 1811 ; d. in Louisville, Ky., 11 Feb., 1888. At an early age he evinced great fondness for mechanics by constructing a tin steam-engine and boiler. At the age of eighteen he built a propelling water-wheel, and four years later a revolving steam-engine. Subsequently he became engaged in the commission business in Pittsburg, and also
owned interests in steamboats; but in 1845, his property having been destroyed by fire, he removed to Kentucky, and there engaged in the manufacture of iron. The property known as the Eddyville iron-works, including the Suwanee furnace and the Union forge, situated on the Cumberland
river in Lyon county, was purchased by him in 1846, and he soon acquired a high reputation for the excellence of his products. At the Suwanee furnace nearly one half of his metal was converted into large sugar-kettles made on cast-iron elastic moulds of his own invention, which found their
way to the sugar-plantations in Louisiana and Cuba, while at the Union forge he made charcoal blooms which were sent to the rolling-mills in Cincinnati. In 1847, owing to the great cost of fuel, he began experimenting toward decarbonizing the iron by the introduction of a current of air, thereby directly converting pig-iron into steel by
means of a converter, which can still be seen at the Cambria iron-works in Johnstown, Pa. Zerah
