Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1911-05-26
OLDEST PREACHER
CLAIMED BY DEATH
Rev. VIM. H. Kelly, Minister
For Over Half Century,
Dies at Home of Son.


Bluefield, on Tuesday at 1890
O'Clock His death was not unexpected
as had been quite low for some.
time. He was in his eighty-seventh
year, one of Tazewells' most highly
honored citizens, and an earnest and
effective preacher of the Methodist
Church.
The remains were brought here on
Wednesday, and the funeral services
were conducted from the Methodist
Church at $50 O'Clock. Interment
was had in Jeffersonville Cemetery
under the auspices of the Masonic
Lodge.
The funeral services were partici-
pated in by number of ministers.
Rev. E. e. Wiley the pastor, Rev.
c. w. Kelly, Presiding Elder, Rev.
7. S. Hamilton, Bluefield, Rev. A.
b. Hunter, Graham, Rev. w. w.
Hicks, and Rev. ID. II. Carr, of Blue
field, all took part in the solemn SER
vices. There was no formal sermon.
Rev. G. r. Brown read brief ac-
count of the life and labors of the de-
ceased, as published below, and made
a few very appropriate remarks.
Rev. D. H. Carr, a venerable minis
ter of the Methodist church, a life
long friend and co-laborer of deceas-
ed, made short but touching speech.
giving interesting "reminiscences of
his life and labors. Mr.. Carr was
converted and joined the church under
MIR. Kelly's preaching, sixty-three
years ago, and had known him inti-
mately ever since, and bore the high
est testimony to his character and
faithfulness as man and preacher.
We hope to have some more detailed
account of his life and labors in a
future issue of this paper.
The follwoing sketch of his long
life is condensed somewhat, from the
Bluefield Telegraph, copied from the
Midland Methodist:
"Rev. William Howell Kelly was
born September 3, 1924, in Carter
county, Tenn. Was the son of Vim
cent and Ann S. Kelly. At the age
of five years his parents moved to
Abingdon. Va.
"He grew up in and near said
town. First went to school at the
male academy at Abingdon. At fif-
teen years of age went to Emory and
Henry College for the years 1889
and 184O; where in November, 1889,
he was converted and joined the M. E.
church John M. Kelly and j. D. Glib
son were the preachers on the Abing-
don circuit.
Brother Kelly was married to
Elizabeth Carpenter, of Washington
county, Virginia, on the 3Oth day of
March, 1843. Was licensed to exhort
by Rev. George Eakin in the spring
of 1886. The 24th day of the follow
ing August he was licensed to preach
at Lebanon camp ground, Washington
county, by the Rev. E. F. Sewer.
In the spring of 184S he was employ
ed alto form the Sandy Mission. He
collected 130 members. Rev. VIM.
Hicks was presiding elder on the
Wytheville district, and seemed to
enjoy his visits to Brother Kelly's
work.
"In the fall of 1s4s, he was re-
ceived on trial into the Holston con-
ference, at Knoxville, Tenn, Bishop
Paine presiding. He was placed in
charge of Princeton circuit and Flat
Top mission. At the first quarterly
meeting, the Rev. Wiley B. Winton,
presiding elder of the Wythevlle dis
trict, employed the Rev. George
Stewart, local preacher living in
the circuit as his helper. These breth-
rem had to travel 120 miles every
four weeks and preach twenty EIGHT
times. The charges had membership
of about two hundred They had a
grand time-160 conversions in a
thinly settled country. Not great
while before his death Brother Stew
art and Brother Kelly were talking of
their labors, trials and joys, and
agreed that that was the happiest
year of their lives. The circuit en-
braced what is now Princeton cir
cult, Concord circuit, Bluestone, Flat
Top Mission, Coopers, Bramwell,
Pocahontas station, part of East
Tazewell circuits, Graham and Blue
field stations. They preached in the
court houses, log churches, school
houses, private houses, and in the
shade of trees, wherever they found
hearers, and oh the faith and the
earnestness of the bearers.
"In the fall of 1849 Brother Kelly
travelled from New River to Cleve-
land, Tenn. There was no railroad
then. That year he was assigned tc
Hillsville circuit. Had some success
and rather pleasant year. At the
session of our conference at Abingdon