The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-09-25
DEATH OF ISRAEL A. KELSEY
OCCURRED AT MS WEST HAVEN
HOME YESTERD1Y FORENOON

Aftera Ling ering Illness lasting About
Two Months One of the Fest KNOWN
Electrical Railroad Men Ina New Eng
Iand-FuneraI VIII be Held To-mor-
row Afternoon
Israel A. Kelsey, a prominent West
Haven business man and widely known
| throughout New England through his
connection with street railway enter
prises, died about 1O:45 yesterday morn
ing at his residence in West Haven af-
ter a lingering illness. Mr. Kelsey had
been i'll since July last and had gradu
ally failed in health during the inter-
vening time. He sank rapidly during
the last few days and Sunday night it
was not expected that he would live
through the night.
Mr.. Kelsey was taken i'll with typhoid
malarial fever when on his private
yacht, the Adrienne off New London,
early in July and was brought to his
home. He suffered from typhoid fever
together with Cuban maiarial fever
His death was due to exhaustion. On
Friday he was stricken with a fit of
coughing, which FASTENED his death.
Mr.. Kelsey was still a young man,
being but forty-one years old. He was
born in West Haven May 6, 1853, his
father being the late Geo. r. Kelsey, one
of the most prominent citizens of West
Haven and a power in the community
in the business development of the Dor
ough for score of years. Mr.. Kelsey
was educated in the schools of West
Haven and later in the famous Russell
school of this city. He went, when
about eighteen years old, to Florida,
where he became connected with the st.
John River Steamboat company which
was owned and operated by his father.
Remaining in florida for SINE time,
Mr.. Kelsey returned to New York when
about twenty years old and went into
business with a webbing concern in
New York city, afterwards taking
position in a suspender mandatory in
Brooklyn. He finally returned to New
Haven and went into the American
Buckle and Cartridge company of West
Haven, of which his father was chief
stockholder and president.
The West Haven and New Haven
Railroad company was organized in
1866, with Mr.. Kelsey's father a chief |
promoter in the enterprise, and in 1868
the first cars Were run over the new |
line despite great opposition from all |
sides. Mr. Kelsey became connected |
with the new road and in 1889, when his |
father died, took his place as president |
Of the road A syndicate which was in
terested in equipping horse railroads
with electricity took over the road
some years later, organized an electric
'oad from the Winchester arms factory
% the green, and in 1892 the West Ha-
ven road was sold to the Winchester
Avenue and consolidated as the Win
hester Avenue Street Railroad CO., Mr.,
Kelsey holding at one time much of
he stock and acting as director. With
he installation of electricity in street
and the great future opening
Up for electric light railway tracks Mr..
Kelsey became one of the best known
operators of electric roads in New Eng
and He had organized, sold and oper-
tied large number of companies with
Il the last ten years, and was engaged
n many important electrical develop
nent enterprises at the time of his
eath. He was president of the Milford
1olister and Framlngton Street Rail-
cad company of Milford, Mass, was
resident of the Ohio Traction company
# Cleveland, Ohio, and was director
n a large number of companies In and
ut of this state, among them being the
enfield and Longmeadow Electric Rail-
way company, the MddletoWn Street
Galway company, the West Shore
company, the Winchester Ave-
ue Railway company and the West |
Iaven Water company. He was also a
irector in the Bingham and Eastern
copper Mining company of Colorado,
nd was but lately interested in the
lectrical gas and water development of '
'uerto Principe, Cuba.
Mr.. Kelsey was married about TWEEN
y-one years ago to Miss Elizabeth
of Fair Haven and leaves a
life and three children, George and AL t
,e, who are twins, and Virginia, a {
ounger daughter. He also leaves his I
lother, Mrs. George Kelsey; Horato
. Kelsey, brother. and two sisters, I
Trs. Frank Kimberly of West Haven
nd Miss Georgia Kelsey of Chicago. f
The funeral services will be held at '
is late residence, 124 Center street s
Test Haven, tomorrow afternoon at f
80 O'clock. "