From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, page 347.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


ISAAC KELLEY

Isaac Kelley, one of the earliest settlers of Ohio county, came to 
the valley from the east at a very early date in the opening of the 
country, and being a man of much force of character and ability, was 
chosen sheriff of Ohio county, at a time when the county embraced all 
of the territory now divided between Brooke, Ohio, Marshall and 
Hancock counties.  His vocation was farming, and he was a man of 
considerable property.  His son, John Kelley, was born in this 
county, April 7, 1784.  He followed farming, and also held the office 
of deputy sheriff of Ohio county, under his father. He married 
Elizabeth Wilson, a daughter of Adam Wilson, one of the early 
settlers.  She was born at the forks of Yough, Pennsylvania, February 
19, 1785, and died December 23, 1859.  John Kelley had just passed 
his fortieth year when he died, May 1, 1824. Seven children were born 
to them, of whom two are living: John Kelley, who resides near 
Mansfield, Ohio, and Adam Wilson Kelley, who has for over a third of 
a century been prominently interested in manufacturing at Wheeling 
and vicinity.  He was born six miles east of this city on January 21, 
1815, was reared as a farmer and followed that vocation until about 
1847.  In about 1853, he removed to Benwood and engaged in the 
manufacture of nails, as a member of the firm of Gill, Kelley & Co.  
In 1855 he returned to the farm where he remained until 1858, during 
which period the firm of Gill, Kelley & Co., at Benwood, failed in 
business, and in the fall of the year last named, Mr. Kelley leased 
the nail works and again removed to Benwood, and a few months later, 
when the property was sold on a deed of trust, he became the 
purchaser and operated the works on his own account, until July, 1864 
when he sold the business and removed to Wheeling.  Mr. Kelley was 
then for a considerable period not actively engaged in any 
enterprise, until the failure of the Belmont Nail company, in 1879, 
when he joined with the other bond-holders, and purchased the works 
in August of that year.  Upon the re-organization of the company he 
was chosen president, a position he has since held.  Though 
particularly connected with the branch of manufacture just mentioned 
his enterprise and investments have by no means been confined to that 
channel, and among his other interests it may be mentioned that he is 
a director of the Exchange bank and of the Belmont Bridge company.  
Mr. Kelley was married October 23, 1855, to Anna D. Musser, daughter 
of Joseph Musser, late of Washington, Penn., and to this union five 
children have been born, two of whom are living: Alice V., now the 
wife of Dr. A. F. Hustead, of Morgantown, W. Va., now of Wheeling; 
and Wilson I. Kelley, of Wheeling.  Those deceased were: Kate, died 
three weeks old; Cora, died thirteen months old, and an infant not 
named.  Mr. Kelley and family are members of the First Presbyterian 
church. 


(Linda Fluharty)