Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1886-11-20

sketch OF a Remarkable CoIored Man who
spent - Years In Africa
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sketch OF a Remarkable CoIored Man who
spent 2 Years in Africa.
Pittsburg Dispatch.
1t would take a volume as large as a
Worcester unabridged to correctly re-
cord the remarkable history Of the Rev.
David Kelly, colored, who died at his
home on Roberts street, this city, at the
age OF 90 years, and he viii be bun ed
to-day.
He was born in Antietam township,
Frankfort county, this state, on Febru-
airy 10, 1922, Of slave parents. When
he was seven years old his parents,
brothers and sisters were removed west
Of the Allegheny mountains leaving him
at his birthplace near Chambersburg.
He was given his freedom on attaining
his majority, and the following year
joined the Presbyterian church, but left
It for the M. T. church. He married IN
1S49, and two years later organized the
aLiberian Enterprise Company for the
purpose Of colonizing Liberia. This
was the pioneer settlement in Liberia
Ina recently published pamphlet Rev.
Kelly gives the following account OF the
early history of the colony:
In the year 1858, December the 18th,
after a voyage Of forty-tWO days, 1 and
my wife arrived in the port Of MonrOvia,
Liberia, West Africa, (which Is the capt.
tai of the country under the auspices OF
the American Colonization Society
together with some fifty or more from
other parts than where we came from,
and our company, for we were an organ
lied company from Pennsy lvania, called
the Liberian Enterprise Company, hay
ing with I3 machinery and merchandise
to the amount of several thousand dol
lars; most Of our stock being borrowed
capital Our sales at first were quite en-
c0uraging, but the heavy expenses Of
erecting our saw mill, 80 or so miles dis
taut from MonrOvia, SO crippled that
company that it never recovered from it,
and in less than three years we, as a
company, went up, and each had to do
the best he could for himself. For my
own part, / came on the st. Pauls river,
where had a comfortable homestead,
though very often absent from it, some
times as teacher and preacher, and some
times as a member of the law-making
body of the country, etc.
The adventures and experiences OF
the brave settlers were as varied and
insOn'' Of fiction. The Africans destroyed
their homes and industries, and frequent
" attempted to kill them. In one in
slant the savage laid a perfect siege, and
Rev. Kelly and all his companions were
on the verge of starvation, when an En-
glish ship arrived and drove the savages
of.
Rev. Kelly an6 his wife remained in
the wilds of Africa over 27 years, and
during that time discovered the famous
diamond mines and richest iron ore evel
found In the world. Rev. Kelly gained
a wonderful influence over the natives
and it was mainly owing to his labOri
that Liberia became a republic. lie
was repeatedly asked to become president
but would not consent to accept any
office higher than representative, Of the
county of MOntseradO. He resigned
this Office after two years, and devoted
himself wholly to religious work.
A little over three years ago Rev
Kelly and his wife returned to America
bringing with them q full -blOOded Arr
can boy, who is still at the home Of
Roberts street On taking up their resi-
dence in this city Rev. and Mrs. Kelle,
began a life of seclusion, rarely ming
ling with the outside world Thei
neighbors state that they have Away
been in good circumstances, and it
generally thought that Rev. Kelly pos
sessed considerable wealth, procured b.
him in the diamond fields Of Africa.