Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1908-02-13
ARTHUR W. KELLEY
Death Of James stown's Pioneer cft-
lien and First Postmaster After
Long and EvsntfuI Life.
Sketch Of the Life Of 4 Minnesota
and Dakota Pioneer. Good c'ti-
zen and Loyal Friend.

Monday night at IL O'Clock occur
red the death of Arthur ". Kelley
the oldest citizen In point of resi-
dence, of those now living In James
town, and one of the first residents
of the city. His death has been ex-
pected for the last two weeks, and,
following the loss of his wife that
occurred Jan. 9th last, Mr.. Kelley
has failed rapidly. Death vas due to
kidney complication and to the
gradual loss of strength in a man OF
his age. He was conscious until
within day or two of his death and
expressed wish that he be laid be-
side bis wife in the cemetery where
her remains were placed so shorS a
time ago. He has been confined to
the house about six weeks.
A record of the life of A.W. Kelley
in this city comprises practically the
life of the city. in. point OF time, and
his early activities in st. Paul. and
in other parts Of the state where he
lived will recall to the oder resi-
dents of the early days. the hard
ships and experiences Of new coun-
try just being rescued from the do
main Of savagery.
A...W. Kelley was born at st. Da-
vids, New Brunswick, in 1882 and
was Is years old on the 18th OF De-
cember last. He lived at St. Davids
until ls4s when the family moved to
Lynville, a nearby town. Part OF his
earlier years were spent at Calais and
Militown, Maine. He came to Mime
sofa in 1854 and afterwards went TO
Georgetown on the Red river where
he helped saw the lumber that was
used in the construction of the H.
ternational, the first steamboat that
was ever run on that river. /.
Tie Hudson Bay Co. had a farm or
station at this place and at the time
Mr.. Kelley was at Fargo. the same
company had small building used
as sta tion for its supplies. This
was in 1862.
He went TO Wa6sworth on the Sis
session Reservation 10 1854 remaining
there year. He wcs injured there
In his left arm while employed in a
government saw mill of which he
had charge.
From Wadsworth he returned to
St. Paul in the fall and afterwards
moved to Abercrombie, with the
family, having been married in st.
Paul in 1859. Remaining in Aber-
crombie during the winter he re-
turned to St. Paul and. in 1857 went
to Ft. Totten lin the employ of the
government and assisted in the
building of the OLD log fort at that
place.
In 1858 he entered into partnership
with the firm of Smith apd Lewis,
old St. Paul dealers in hay and wood
and bidders for government con
tracts.
In September, 1868, his wife and
two children, Horatio w., and Mrs.
.. St. c. Chenery, both of this city,
left St. Paul for Ft. TotCen and trav-
eled all the distance from St. Cloud
by stage and team. crossing the Red
river at "A bercfombie. The family
remained at the Fort until early in
the spring of 1872. Part of the lime
Mr.. Kelley ran store .and in the
spring of that year came to James
town in company with Duncan Ken
nedy, an old timer and a skilled
plainsnan. The only residents here
at the time Mr.. Kelley first arrived
we're party of Northern Pacific sur
vayors under the charge Of James
Skinner, together with a small de-
tachment of soldiers. They we're
camped during the winter in tents
Just north of where the N. P. coal
sheds are now located.
1t being evident that the crossing
of the James river. WA" destined to be
a point'l5ot growth, Mr.. Kelley de-
cided to leave Ft. Totten and he re-
turned in May to that fort to close
up his business.
He soon returned accompanied by
his son, with the stock of goods kept
at the store, 100 head of beef cattle
and other property and closed out
the business. which had been carried.
on at the fort,in the new town. Ft.
Seward was erected on the bill west
Of the town after Mr:Kelley reached
here.
In July the other members Of the