Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1916-09-14
ANOTHER PIONEER SUMMONED.
Thomas Kelly, for Forty Years a Res.
ident of Dakota, Answers Last
Can-Ranks Are Thinning.

With every passing year the ranks
of the band of hardy pioneers who
ba<tled hard and long to reclaim the
Great Northwest from the savages
are thinning. Visits Of the Death An.
gel, growing more frequent with the
advance of time, are laying low the
last survivors Of those soldiers of Ma.
ture who in the '7O's and sos turned
their eyes westward and left their
eastern homes to battle against the
unknown to found new Empire.
One of the first of those hardy ad-
venturers and one of the staunchest
of Dakotans for forty years has been
the latest to answer the last sum
mons. Thomas Kelly, who came to
Dakota Territory in 1876 from the
state of Michigan where he had lived
since the time of the Civil War,
passed away at ST. Alexius hospital
in Bismarck Thursday morning, Sep
tember 7th, after an illness of several
months. Mr.. Kelly had always en-
joyed excellent health until last win
ter. He went to Florida during the
winter months and became seriously
i'll before his return. This summer
he was able to be around for q time.
However, he made frequent visits to
the hospital. A few months ago he
began to fail, and went to the hos
pital. AS he grew weaker, an at
tempt was made to prolong hislife by
transfusing the blood of healthy per-
sons into his veins. This was tried
repeatedly. Sunday before he died
he had begun to rally, and had some
hopes Of recovery. Teusday night
he was taken with a sinking spell, la
ter losing consciousness and remain
ing unconscious to the end. He was
comparatively free from pain and
gradually wasted away from the lask
of sufficient red corpuscles in the
blood
Mr. Kelly had no relatives in this
neighborhood. During his illness he
enjoyed visit from sister, Mrs.
O'Donohue, Of Campbellsford, On
tario, and Miss O'Donohue, her daugh-
ter. They had returned home, how
ever, before Mr.. KelIy's death. In
fact, Miss O'Donohue had only reach
ed Ontario when she received word
that the end was near. She returned
at once and was here in time for the
funeral.
Thomas Kelly was born at Camp
bellsford, Ontario, on March 20, 1886.
When about seventeen years of age,
he came to the States and made his
home until 1876 in Michigan. He
left there for Dakota and landed
lat Bismarck. He made short visit
to Montana and then returned to Da-
kota. He had lived in Emmons coun-
ty since 1883, and was known in ev-
cry part Of the county. The funeral
was held at Hazelton Saturday morn
ing at $3.50 and interment made in the
Catholic cemetery there. One of
the largest crowds that ever attended
a funeral in the county was present
at the last rites and to hear the fu-
neral remarks of FIR. Goebel, who
gave mastery description of the
life of the man who had been a
staunch friend to many an Emmons
county young man and who was al
ways liberal and kindly neighbor.
One of the few Emmons county
people who were here when Mr.. Kelly
first came to the territory to make
his home was T. P. Lee, of Braddock,
at present county commissioner. Mr..
Lee visited Mr.. Kelly at the hospital
the first of the month and passed with
him the fortieth anniversary of their
first trip together in the New North
west.
During the forty years since the de-
ceased had come West to make his
home the hardships were many and
the thrilling events frequent. In 1897,
when the Indians connected with the
Spicer murder near Winona were
lynched Mt Williamsport, Mr.. Kelly
was the night jaAor in charge
of the prisoners. The three
Indians that were hanged were con-
fined in the old Jail building that also
served as county Office. He was
playing cards by himself on the event
full night when he hard knock at
the, door shortly before midnight. He
thought some one from down town
had dropped in to visit for few min
utes and called out welcome. The
knock was repeated. He went to the
door and opened it, only to find him
self looking down the business end of
six-shooter. The keys to the cells
were demanded. After wrangling for
some time with the leaders of the
mob to gain time, he finally gave in
and returned to that part of the
building used by the county officials.
The writer, youngster Of nine, was
asleep in the jailor's room upstairs
at the time. This event is
but one of the many stirring scenes
that were enacted under the eyes of
this earliest of pioneers.