William Kelly, “an Irish tailor,” was in Barnstead, N. H., in 1814. The historian of that town wrote that he was the first Irishman in Barnstead. Regardless of that statement, however, Thomas, John and Stephen Pendergast were among its first settlers. This name is not quite as Irish as Murphy, but comes very near it. It came from France to Ireland in 1170.
George W. Kelly, a brother of Rev. William Kelly, was deputy sheriff in Warner in 1808. Caleb Kelly came to Warner from Newbury, the nursery of the Kellys. Kelly Hill takes its name from him. His family removed to Wisconsin. J. R. B. Kelly is recorded as a graduate of Francestown Academy, and Frank H. Kelly was one of the directors of the Francestown Soapstone Company.
Dudley Kelly was serving at West Point in 1789. He was from Brentwood.
Zachariah Kelly was also at West Point in 1781, and an entry in the records reads, that he had received a ration of half a pint of rum and a pound of sugar with the other members of his company.
Israel W. Kelly of Boscawen was a lieutenant in Captain Green’s company in 1797, when there seemed to be a prospect of a war with France.
In December, 1776, James Kelly was paid for services in apprehending Daniel Meserve and others for counterfeiting Provincial bills.
Another James Kelly appeared on a petition in 1732 for the laying out of a new town along Lake Winnepesaukee. The names of John and James Kelly appear on the roll of ratepayers in the parish of Cocheco in 1753. Another James Kelly appears on a petition from Northwood in connection with some town dispute. James Kelly served in Captain Drew’s company in the expedition to Canada in 1776 and 1777, and a man of the same name from Exeter enlisted for three years in the Fourth regiment of militia.
A James Kelly was one of the proprietors of Wakefield in 1749, and another James Kelly was one of the grantees of Peterborough in 1750. Still another of the same name was engaged in the defence of Piscataqua Harbor in 1791. James Kelly was a British prisoner of war in 1781, who, with others, was consigned for safe keeping to New Hampshire.
James Kelly was one of the soldiers who were indebted to the sutler for supplies in 1761. This kind of a creditor was not infrequent in 1861, a hundred years later. He served in Captain Gerrish’s company.
James Kelly was one of the grantees of Holderness, N. H., in 1751. Among those who were with him were John Cavanaugh, John McElroy, William Curry, Hercules Mooney, Bryan McSweeney and Michael Dwyer.