NICHOLAS W. KELLY On section 8, township 8, range 5, Randolph County, lies a pleasant, well improved farm, which is the property of our subject. He is a native of this county, and was born on the 8th of February, 1845, to Thomas and Elizabeth (Anderson) Kelly, natives of County Down, Ireland, and of Scotch origin. The parents emigrated to the United States about the year 1842, and after residing about seven years in Haverstraw, N. Y. (where the father worked as a brick molder, and later as engineer in a chemical factory), came to Illinois. With the exception of four years spent in Jackson Country and one year in Washington County, Kan., they have been residents of this county since coming west.
Nicholas W. Kelly served eight months during the late war as a member of Company F, One Hundred and Fifty-fourth Illinois Infantry, under General Thomas. He was discharged at Nashville, Tenn., September 21, 1865, and was mustered out at Springfield, Ill., nine days later. He was married April 24, 1866, to Miss Alsa C, daughter of Charles R. and Rhoda (Adams) Haskin, the former a native of New York, and the latter born in Kentucky. Mrs. Kelly was the eldest of seven children in her parents' family, and was born October 22, 1847, in Jackson County, Ill. She became the mother of ten children, and departed this life November 15, 1889. Only five of the family are living at the present time: Luella, Clara, Thomas A., Benjamin C. and Maida J. Mrs. Kelly during her lifetime was an active member of the Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, in which body our subject is an Elder. In his political relations Mr. Kelly is a Republican, and socially is connected with Rockwood Post No. 734, G. A. R.
Extracted from Portrait and Biographical Record of Randolph, Jackson, Perry and Monroe Counties, Illinois, published in 1894, page 208.