Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1907-12-26
Death Of A. J. Kelley.

The spirit of A. J. Kelley that had SO
often triumphed over the infirmities Of
| flesh and the vicisstudes of this earthly
pilgrimage, quilted the WORKOUT taber-
nacle of clay and passed to the life inn
mortal at 2 80 O'Clock Sunday morning.
The 18th of last February hemorrhages,
which were long continued, betokened
the presence of tuhercular trouble but,
with the indomitable courage and energy
that were his, Mr.. Kelley rallied his fail
ing forces and rose from the bed of sick
ness to hold the grim destroyer at bay.
The UNEQUAL contest of will power and
disease was waged with gradual loss of
ground until fortnight ago the last
citadel of his strength was carried and he
could oppose no more the mighty power
that in victory conquers pain. Yet he
still kept the semblance of confident hope
and the morning before his death was up
and dressed.
Alpha J. Kelley, son of John and
Bathsha (Wrignt) Kelley, was born in
Somerset, now West Dover, of this state,
Dec. /, 1928. His parents moved to
Brainbridge, N. Y, when he was but six
years of age and there he first attended
school. In 1913, he came back to Yer
mont and was a pupil in the schools of
Windsor until he left his studies to enter
the employ of the Tyson Furnace com
pany at Plymouth, where be learned the
trade of moulder.
After two years he took a position with
Hammond Draper of Windsor, with
whom he STAYED until 1850, when he
came TO Randolph and, buying foundry
near Randolph Center, manufactured
plows, stoves and various other kinds of
castings. Within a more recent period
the foundry was brought to this village
by the Chadwick Brothers and is now
doing business under the proprietorship
of Osgood q Roundy.
At the end of 10 years, Mr.. Kelley sold
the foundry to j. w. Carter and pur-
chased a farm adjoining the Moulton
stock farm. He improved and managed
his new property successfully until he
sold it in 1855 to the late Gilman sMoul-
ton and bought of Justin Holman the
house ON Randolph avenue that had since
been his home.
Mr.. Kelley married for his first wife
Mary f. Adams of West Windsor and
two sons were born to them-Charles A.,
who died in 1889 at the age of 40, and
Elmer W., whose death a few years ago
seemed to take the last prop and stay of
his fathers declining years. Mrs. Kel-
ley died April 10, 1854, and Mr.. Kelley
married July 6, 1860, Lucinda n. Chad
wick, who lived "a life of invalidism and
increasing helplessness from 1888 TO her
death in 1904, but through It all hadlthe
comfort OF her husbands unremitting
care and constant companionship.
Though bereaved of wife and children,
Mr.. Kelley was not left desolate. A
niece, Mrs. Lizzie Smith, and her daugh-
ter came to brighten his home and cheer
his last years with tilial affection that
.obbed loneliness of its terrors and gave
some measure of tranquil pleasure to his
remaining days.
He was strong anti-slavery man and
one of the first in his town to advocate
those principles, although at the time of
the fugitive slave law his ideas were de-
cidedly unpopular. He was the promo
ter of paper to exempt Vermont from
that law and, by the assistance of many
influential citizens, had the paper carried
before the legislature with the result that
it was eventually embodied in the statutes
of the state. He was courtfy gentleman
of the old school whose gracious bearing
was the unconscious expression of a kind I
ly, chivalrous nature.
The funeral service was held at 2 I
O'Clock Tuesday afternoon from his late
residence on Randolph avenue, Rev.
Fraser Metzger of Bethany church offici. /
ating, and interment was in the family |
lot in Southview cemetery. The bearers
were II. w. Mcintyre, II. NJ. Miller,
James Hutchinson and A. I'll. Beedle. /
Mr.. Kelley left four grandchildren but |
only one, Charles Kelley of Hawley, |
Mass, was able to be present at the fu-
neral.