ANDREW KELLEY

(Born: 1814; Died: February 24, 1884)

RELEFA KELLEY

(Died: July 4, 1862)

RIPLEY C. KELLY

(Born: 1824; Died: December 23, 1884)

60 Years and 4 Months

In doing the research for this family the name has been shown as both Kelly and Kelley. It is unknown which is the correct spelling of the family name.

Andrew Kelly lived eighteen miles from Sacramento and four miles from Elk Grove, his post office. He was born in Ross County, Ohio in 1814 and lived there until 1835. He moved to Wisconsin and engaged in lead mining until 1849. In 1849 Andrew and his brother Ripley crossed the plains to California. They followed mining from 1849 to 1854. In 1850 both Andrew and Ripley where part of a mining company in the town of Nelson Point located in Plumas county. This company was called the Wisconsin Co. and composed of Ripley C. Kelly, Andrew Kelly, Warner Mekker, Abbey, Toy, Ivey, George Tilly, Meyers, John Warly, S.B. Hatch, and Alex Turner. In only three weeks they pulled out 93 lbs. of gold.

After mining, Andrew ran a hotel in Sacramento, trading in Plumas County for two years and farming in Sacramento County. He settled on the Cosumnes River. He was married in 1851 to Miss Relefa Hatch, a native of Ohio. She died July 4, 1867. Mr. Kelly's land and improvements were worth about $15,000 in 1880.

Ripley C. Kelly was the brother of Andrew Kelly. After mining with his brother he resided in Sacramento for a number of years and then settled in Plumas County. He was at one time a member of the Legislature for that county. Ripley C. Kelly was listed in the 1870 and 1880 Census. His occupation was listed as "Farmer". He was shown to have a wife named Amy, a daughter Almisa, a daughter Clarra, a son William, a daughter May and a daughter Lizzy.

This information was obtained from the books:

Illustrated History of Sacramento County; Hon. Win. J. Davis; 1890

History of Sacramento County, California; Thompson & West; 1880

Nelson Point; Portrait of a Northern Gold Rush Town; David F. Matuszak

Information was also obtained from the 1870 & 1880 Census.