DR. THOMAS KELLEY
Bio-Pen Pictures
SURNAMES: ANDERSON, LEEDS, WATKINS, LEDBETTER, MESSER
is a native of Illinois, born near Lincoln, Logan County, in 1836. His father, Alexander, and his mother, Lucinda (Anderson) Kelley, moved into Illinois at an early date, and were married in that State in 1833. His father was a native of Kentucky and his mother of Ohio. They removed in 1842 from Logan County to De Witt County, settling near Clinton, occupying a farm, where they have continued to this day. Dr. Kelley attended the usual district schools there, commencing the study of medicine previous to the outbreak of the war. He enlisted in the Union army in August, 1861, joining Company K, Forty-first Illinois Infantry, in which command he remained until his term of service expired, being mustered out on September 8, 1864. His regiment served in the Army of the Cumberland, also in the Army of the Tennessee, participating in the battles of Fort Henry, Fort Donelson, Shiloh, siege of Corinth, in a battle on the Hatchie River, Coldwater, Massachusetts, siege of Vicksburg, at Jackson, Mississippi, on July 12, 1863, and with Sherman as far as Atlanta, previous to his March to the Sea. The only battle in which he waswounded during his whole term of service, notwithstanding that he was actively engaged in all the battles in which his company and regiment participated, was at Jackson, Mississippi, on July 12, 1863, where he received a flesh wound in the thigh. Dr. Kelley was partially crippled for several years from this wound, receiving a pension during that time. When fully recovered, he neglected to call further for his pension money, feeling he no longer had a just claim on the government, and no longer signed and returned the vouchers. He enlisted as a private, was promoted to the First Lieutenancy of his company for gallant and meritorious conduct on the battlefield during the siege of Vicksburg, and more particularly during the battle at Jackson, Mississippi.
Soon after his return to Illinois he resumed the study of his profession, under the preceptorship of Dr. John Wright, of Clinton, Illinois; attended lectures at Rush Medical College, Chicago, during the sessions of 1869-71, graduating February 1, 1871. Removed in that year to Santa Clara County, California, engaging in the practice of his profession, to which he has since devoted himself exclusively.
Dr. Kelley was married, in 1859, to Miss Alice Leeds, of Ohio. She died while he was in the service, leaving one son, A. M. Kelley, now Principal of the public schools of Saratoga, California. In 1863 he was married to Mrs. Sarah Watkins, of Clinton, Illinois. Their four children are: Lessie, now the wife of C. H. Ledbetter, Jr., of San Francisco; Thomas D. Libbie, and Nannie, now living at the parental home and attending school. Dr. Kelley is a member of John A. Dix Post, No. 42, San Jose, G. A. R.; of Lodge No. 125, Knights of Pythias, San Jose ; and of Mount Hamilton Lodge, A. O. U. W.
Dr. Kelley's
father, his brother John, and two brothers-in-law, George Messer and William
Kelley, were in the Union army during the war. His brother, and brother-in-law,
George Messer, died in the service, and brother-in-law, William Kelley, was
killed in the engagement at Dalton, Tennessee. Dr. Kelley is a Republican, and
believes in the fullest protection of American industries.
Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 648-649
SANTA CLARA COUNTY The Valley of Heart's Delight