Roderick John Kelly : Short Biography

My great-grandfather (pictured), Roderick John "Rody" Kelly III, emigrated to Canada between 1841 and 1851. Rody's father, Roderick John "John" Kelly II, purchased 200 acres of land at Lot 5, Concession III, Nepean, Upper Canada, in 1841 from G.R. Burke. The first record of the family at that location is the 1851 Canada Census, which lists John Kelly - age 55, Bridget (Henan) Kelly his 2nd wife - age 55, Roderick Kelly - age 22, Catherine Kelly - age 20, Ann Henan - age 50, and Rory Henan - age 14. 

By the next Canada Census, in 1861, Rody had married Catherine Luther, who was born in Borrisokane, Tipperary to William Luther and Margaret Clarke. Catherine was either the granddaughter or niece of William Clarke of Borrisokane, who also settled in Nepean and whose descendants still reside there. Also on the 1861 Census were Rody and Catherine's daughters, Bridget Theresa Kelly (my grandmother) and Margaret Anastasia Kelly. John Kelly later ceded 100 acres of his land to Rody and they continued to farm together until John died in September, 1870. 

Rody and Catherine had 8 children, however, in April, 1871, Catherine died 5 days after giving birth to their eighth child. At the same time, their 3-year old and 5-year old sons fell ill with scarlet fever and died. Six weeks later, the infant, a daughter, also passed away. It was left to my grandmother, only 12 years old at the time, to shoulder the duties of raising her four remaining siblings, aged one to eleven. In 1875, the youngest child contracted diphtheria and died and Rody apparently had a breakdown.

Sometime after that, the family fell apart with one son, John, traveling to Wyoming, USA and then to British Columbia; a second son, William, settling first in the Dakota Territory, USA, then Minnesota, before returning to western Canada and, finally, back to Seattle, Washington, USA. My grandmother, Bridget Theresa, made her way to Syracuse, New York, where she met and married John Kolb. Her sister, Margaret joined them when their first child was born and the two sisters continued to live only a few doors apart for the rest of their lives.

The Kelly line as I have traced it appears as follows:

ROGER/RODERICK KELLY I (born about 1755), married HONORA RYAN (born about 1760)

• Winifed Kelly (abt 1792)

• Michael Kelly (24 Aug 1793 Nenagh - abt 1877 Nenagh) - married 1st: Mary Clarke, married 2nd: Bridget Tierney 

• Honora Margaret Kelly (29 Mar 1796 Nenagh)

• RODERICK JOHN KELLY II (28 May 1797 Nenagh - 29 Sep 1870 Nepean, Carleton, Ontario, Canada) - married 1st: 07 Aug 1825, Templemore, MARY MORRISSEY (04 May 1799 Loughmore - ?), married 2nd: Bridget Henan (? - 06 Apr 1860 Nepean, Ontario)

  • Mary Kelly (23 Mar 1830 Loughmore - ?) married Martin Ryan

  • Ellen Kelly (29 May 1832 Templemore - Dec 1914) married Francis Dooley

  • Catherine Kelly (abt 1837 Templemore - 09 Nov 1882 Nepean, Ontario) married John Hough

  • Johanna Kelly (06 Jul 1841 Templemore - ?)

  • RODERICK JOHN KELLY III (05 Apr 1835 Old Quarry, Templemore - 17 May 1896 Brockville, Leeds, Ontario, Canada) married CATHERINE LUTHER (27 Sep 1833 Crotta, Borrisokane - 20 Apr 1871, Nepean, Carleton, Ontario, Canada) 

    • ​BRIDGET THERESA KELLY (11 Mar 1859, Nepean, Carleton, Ontario, Canada - 11 Jan 1947, Syracuse, Onondaga, New York, USA) - married 11 May 1886, Syracuse, New York, JOHN BAPTISTE KOLB (24 Jun 1855, Riedseltz, bas-rhin, Alsace - 01 May 1927, Syracuse, Onondaga, New York, USA)

    • Margaret Anastasia Kelly (04 Nov 1860 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 18 Oct 1942, Syracuse, New York)

    • John Kelly (05 Jun 1862 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 29 Jan 1942 Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

    • William John Kelly (09 Jun 1864 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 11 Mar 1833 Seattle, Washington, USA) married 1st: Jennie Keyes, married 2nd: Myrtle Mae unknown, married 3rd: Cora Belle Richmond

    • Roderick Kelly (25 Feb 1866 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 23 Apr 1871 Nepean, Ontario, Canada)

    • Richard Kelly (14 Aug 1867 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 19 Apr 1871 Nepean, Ontario, Canada)

    • James Kelly (09 May 1869 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 08 Sep 1875 Nepean, Ontario, Canada)

    • Catherine Kelly (15 Apr 1871 Nepean, Ontario, Canada - 26 May 1871 Nepean, Ontario, Canada)

Research and DNA have identified many extended branches of the Kelly and Clarke families, but there are still many gaps to be filled. I would be interested in hearing from other connected descendants and would welcome any information on the Tipperary families of Kelly, Ryan, Morrissey, Clarke, and Luther as well as their descendants.