A Richard Kelly was a grantee and one of the first settlers of Contoocook, now Boscawen, in 1748. As Boscawen’s first settlers were from Newbury, Mass., it is reasonable to think he was also a descendant of John Kelly. A Richard Kelly was at Winter Hill, near Boston, Mass., in 1775, in the company of Capt. Jacob Webster, which was one of the companies raised at the request of General Sullivan to take the place of Connecticut troops, during the siege of Boston, who had refused to serve after their term had expired.
This interesting episode of New Hampshire history cannot be repeated too often. On Dec. 1, 1775, Sullivan sent up word by express of the defection of the Connecticut men, and made an urgent request for volunteers to take their places. In response to this, 31 companies, numbering 2,058 men, were enlisted for six weeks, and marched to Winter Hill. New Hampshire had at this time, in addition, three full regiments in the field, thus making the total number of New Hampshire men at the siege of Boston in 1775 over five thousand. This is evidence of the character of the men of the old Granite State in those stirring times.
Capt. Richard Kelly was authorized by Gov. Benning Wentworth to call the first town meeting in Salem, N. H., in May, 1750.
William Kelly was a taxpayer in Newcastle, N. H., in 1727. Doubtless he was a descendant of Roger or John Kelly mentioned.
A William Kelly appears on a petition in 1737. Another was one of the company commanded by Captain Eastman on scouting duty in Penacook, now Concord, N. H., in 1747.
Still another William Kelly served at Crown Point, in 1755, in Captain Goff’s company, and another was one of the grantees in the town of Salem, N. H., in 1750; a William Kelly was also on the alarm list of the town of Warner, N. H., in 1741. William P. Kelly was in Northwood, and another William Kelly in Salisbury, respectively, in 1735 and 1813.
A William Kelly was enrolled in Captain Page’s company, Senter’s regiment, in 1777. Sergt. William Kelly was in Captain Libby’s company, Col. Stephen Evans’ regiment, at Saratoga in 1777. Corp. William Kelly served in the battle of Rhode Island in the regiment of Colonel Hercules Mooney in 1779. He was from Epping, N. H.
Rev. William Kelly was the first settled minister in Warner, Feb. 6, 1772. He was born in Newbury, Mass., 1744, and was undoubtedly a descendant of John Kelly who landed there a little over a century before. His pastorate closed in 1801. He made the opening prayer at the first town meeting held in Warner.
Hon. John Kelly was his son. He was born in Warner. He was an attorney, editor and author. He was the first Warner man to take a degree from Dartmouth. His permanent home was in Exeter, N. H. He was register of probate for Rockingham County.
Abner B. Kelly was his brother. He was Warner’s town clerk in 1820. He was representative to the state Legislature, postmaster of Warner for six years, state treasurer of New Hampshire for six years, a clerk in one of the departments at Washington, D. C., a director of the Concord Mechanics Bank of Concord, and of the company incorporated for the manufacture of silk. He is credited as being a fine penman. “His handwriting was faultless.”