Page:Historical and Biographical Annals of Columbia and Montour Counties, Pennsylvania, Containing a Concise History of the Two Counties and a Genealogical and Biographical Record of Representative Families.pdf/664

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page needs to be proofread.

COLUMBIA AND MONTOUR COUNTIES burg, P a., where his grandfather graduated sixty-one years previously, l i e at once en­ tered upon his chosai profession, newspaper work, as reporter with the Philadelphia Press.

559

R yan, who was born Ju n e 4, 1845, daughter of Franklin and Elizabeth (Billm eyer) Ryan, o f .Muncy, and granddaughter o f George and •Annie (Him m elreich) Billm eyer. M r. and M rs. Ryan had three children: .Mary A ., Mrs. K e lley; Emma J ., bom Sept. 2 1 , 1847, .Mrs. William Billm eyer; and Sarah E ., bom .March 10, 18 5 1, M rs. Daniel Billm eyer. M rs. Kelley survives her husband, living in her home near Washingtonville. S ix children were bom to them, nam ely: Ida E ., born Sept. 25, 18O5, w ife o f Jam es .Mowrer; Emma L ., born Sept. 7, 1800, at home; Bruce C .; Jesse B., born .Aug. 3 1 , 1872, who is in partnership with his brother in (he milling business at Washing­ tonville; Manic V ., Iwm Dec. 17 , 1874, w ile o f Frank E . .Martz; and Fannie .Al.. born A pril 26, 18 8 1, who died Feb. 7, 1882. Brucc C. K elley was born March 3, 1870. at Muncy, P a. He received his education in the common schools, but w as only a boy of eleven years when he began to work, firing the boiler in the sawmill for his father, re­ maining with his parents until nineteen years old. .Subsequently for seven years he was employed in the Washingtonville flour mill, after which he worked among farm ers until 1903, when he and his brother bought the mill, 'fh is mill is run by both steam and water power, and is now fitted with all the modern appliances. It was established about the time the town started, and is the oldest m anufac­ turing plant in this section, where through all clunges it has held its own. Tbe present proprietors have pursued an energetic policy, and the product is justly po|)ular, so that their trade is not confined to the immciliatc local­ ity, on which the mill had alw ays depended for support, considerable flour lieing shipped to other points. M r. K elley is a reliable and enterprising business man, a s (he improve­ ments made in (he mill alone would testify, and he is considered one o f the most sul>sianti.'il citizens o f his community. He has never had any ambition to hold office. On Nov. 22. M/>4. Mr. Kcllcy m.trricd Lydia i>l. G a ir. who was bom in December. jSfjy. in D erry township, Montour county, daughter o f .Abraliam D. and Rosanna (T u r­ ner) St. Clair, the former o f whom is dcceasctl; he w as a farm er by occupation. Mr. .and Mrs. K cllcy have no children. H is fam ­ ily has long iKcn associated with the Metho­ dist Church.

B R U C E C . K E L L E V is senior incniber of the firm o f K elley Brothers, proprietors of the flour mill at Washingtonvillc, in Derry township, Montour county, who have the only industrial establishment in their immediate locality. Although now thoroughly modem in equipment, it is the oldest plant in that section, and has supplied the neighborhood for many years. Martin K ciley, born I>ec. 22, 1803, the grandfather o f Bruce C. Kelley, was a farm er and hotel keeper in Liberty township, .Mon­ tour county, when he died. On I'eb. iO . 1820, he married Catherine Billmeyer, a native of Liberty township, born Sept. 10, 1800. who preceded him to the grave, her death occur­ ring in Danville. They had children ,ts fol­ lo w s: John, born Sept. 24, 1823, who mar­ ried Elizabeth R o a t; Frances, born Nov. 28, 1825, M rs. Thom as L c id y ; Jcssc. bom Feb. 10, 1827. who married Catherine C raw fo rd ; .Andrew, born .Marcli 18, 1829; Benjamin, l>orn Ju ly 20. 183 2; M artin, born .April 10, 183 5; Goorgc, Iwrn March 9. 1838, who m ar­ ried .Annie Billm eyer; and Jacob, born .Attg. § . J841. George »s the only surdvor o f lhi« family. Martin Kelley, son of Martin and C!athcrine (Billm eyer) K cllcy. w as bom .April 10. 1835, al Mexico, in Liberty township. Being quite young when his parents died, he worked among relatives, lumbering as well as farming, con­ tinuing thus until the C ivil w ar broke out, when he enlisted for three months in the ■•Columbia Guards.” Company C . I 4 tb Penn­ sylvania Volunteers, under Col. Wade Hamp­ ton. 'I'he company served a month over its tem i. and was discharged at Carlisle. Pa. M ov­ ing to .Muncy. Pa., a couple o f years after his marriage. Mr. Kelley remained there sixteen years, in 1882 moving to Spruce Run, near Millville. Columbia county, where he operated a sawmill for a vcar and a half. Then he set­ tled upon the i^razicr farm near Washing­ tonville, where he lived until his retirement, twenty years later, at that time moving to the home near Washingtonville at which he re­ sided until his death, which occurred Jan._ 24. 1905. He was a quiet man. attending strictly to his work and taking no part in other affairs. W IL L IA M B lvN T O N S T A R T Z K L . exIn {>olitics he was a Democrat. .A vcar after bis return from the am iy Mr. sheriff o f Montour county, living at Danville, Kelley marric<l. March 17. 1864. M ary .. w as l>orn at that kirough .'icpt. 4. 1870. son of