Thomas Riley Kelley was born January 15, 1865 in Lake Creek Township, the son of Abraham Kelley and Elizabeth Hartwell. His father was a veteran of the 128th Illinois Regiment during the Civil War and his mother was the daughter of Lorenzo Dow Hartwell. Thomas grew up on his father’s farm and received local schooling.
The 1880 federal census captured 14 year old Thomas in his parent’s farm home in Lake Creek Township with his parents Abraham aged 48 and Elizabeth 44. Siblings present in the home were Malinda H. 19, William J. 17, Henry N. 13, John R. 7, Grace T. 5 and Cora B. aged 1.
On December 26, 1889, Thomas married Launa Lucky, the daughter of James M. Lucky and Elizabeth Eckles. A marriage announcement in the Marion Leader newspaper stated that Thomas was a teacher. Several years later, when the 1900 federal census was taken, 33-year-old Thomas and 31-year-old Launa were found living on a farm in Lake Creek Township with three children. Their children were Horace L. aged 9, Hersie D. age 6 and Velce aged 4. The last child, Velcie, apparently went by the name Eva Jean later on in time. The couple stated that they had birthed 3 children and 3 were still living. No occupation was given for Thomas but it’s reasonable to assume that he was teaching. They did state that they owned their own home free of mortgage.
By 1904, Thomas was found listed as a teacher in a historical record and in 1907 he was listed as living at 1118 N. Van Buren Street in Marion with his family and working as a teacher only a few doors away from his parents.
In 1907, Thomas served as Marion city Alderman under Mayor J.C. Mitchell.
When the 1910 census was taken, the Kelley family was listed as living on N. Market Street but no house number was given. 43-year-old Thomas had switched occupations to being a self-employed real estate agent. Children in the home were Horace 12, Hersie 16 and Velcie aged 14. The family stated that they owned the home.
By the time Thomas’ mother Elizabeth passed away in Marion in October 1919 Thomas had moved his family and were living in California which was reflected in the 1920 federal census. Then, the 54-year-old Thomas was living in Fresno, California working as a real estate salesman working on commission. The only daughter living with the couple in their home was his widowed daughter Hersie D. Lindle aged 24 and her son Marvin Lee Lindle. Hersie was working as a soda fountain dispenser.
I have no records to back this up, but there appears to have been a separation of the couple shortly after 1920 because by 1924, his wife Launa is living alone in Fresno with Thomas unlisted. The 1930 census record couldn’t be found on them but they are both separated in the 1940 census. Thomas was found living as a 75 year old lodger and indicated that he had been unemployed for 52 weeks. He did, however, still list himself as married.
When their son Horace L. Kelley died in 1938, the only surviving parent listed in his obituary was his mother Launa despite the fact that his father was still living not far away in the state.
By the 1950 census, it became clear that the couple had separated since they both stated their status as separated on the census records. Thomas was an 83-year-old janitor working in an office building living in Fresno and Launa was 82 years old and living in Santa Monica.
On February 25, 1956, Thomas’ wife Launa passed away in Los Angeles. She was born April 13, 1868 and was buried in Lindsey Strathmore Cemetery in Lindsey, California near her son Horace. Only a year later, 92-year-old, Thomas R. Kelley died on November 12, 1957 died in Fresno, California. He was interred near his wife and son. His obit stated that he was a retired teacher who had taught in Fresno schools. Those surviving him were his daughters, Eva Jean Camp of Colma, California, Mrs. Hersie Casabier of Santa Monica and his sister Malinda Avery of Illinois.
Notes on Children:
Horace L. Kelley, born in April 1891, died December 3, 1938 in California after an illness of several years. Buried in Lindsey Strathmore Cemetery in Lindsey, California with parents.
Hersie D. Kelley, born August 11, 1893, married Rueben E. Lindle in December 1910 in Union City, Tn. He passed away after they had a child named Marvin Lee Lindle. Hersie remarried Monte E. Casabier, almost 20 years her senior on September 28, 1922. She passed away on September 22, 1967.
Eva Jean Kelley Camp, born September 2, 1895, married Joseph Camp in Fresno, Ca on October 1, 1918. She died February 6, 1974, burial in Cypress Lawn Memorial Park, San Mateo, Ca.
(Sources: The Leader, Marion Evening Post and Fresno Bee newspapers, federal census records, FindaGrave.com, California Death Records, Marion Street Directories, Events in Egypt, Bits of News, 1905 Historical Souvenir. Compiled by Sam Lattuca on 12/09/2023)