My Genealogy Hound

ROBERT HAMERTON KELLEY, SR., retired, post office Hulton, was born in Franklin, Venango county, Pa., Feb. 13, 1822, a son of John and Frances (Hamerton) Kelley, natives of County Deny, Ireland, born in 1783 and 1793, and died at the ages of eighty-three and ninety years, respectively. They came to America in 1816, settling in Erie county, Pa., and two years later moved to Waterford, Crawford county, and later on, down the French creek in an Indian canoe. Here John Kelley became professor of the Franklin schools. Before the commencement of public schools he had taught private schools. In 1828, at the solicitation of Rev. Joseph Stockton, he moved to Allegheny City, and began teaching in the academy, boarding at the same time with Esquire Hannon, who was warden of the penitentiary. In 1855 he withdrew from the public schools. He was an advanced professor of his age, and after teaching thirty years in the Allegheny schools he moved to Mississippi, and later to St. Louis, where he died March 27, 1867. The subject of these lines received his education from his father in Allegheny City, and in 1835 he embarked for himself as clerk on the steamer Ontario, running from Pittsburgh to St. Louis, and also on the steamer Oswego, serving three years on each boat. In 1841 he began teaching in Upper St. Clair township, this county, and taught school continuously until 1888, except during the time he served in the Mexican and civil wars. In the spring of 1846 he was elected assistant principal in the Third Ward school, Allegheny City, where he taught until the breaking out of the Mexican war. In January, 1847, he enlisted in Company I, 2d regiment P. I., served all through the war, and was discharged in July, 1848. On returning home he was at once appointed teacher in what is now the Thirty-sixth ward of Pittsburgh, continuing in the same until 1852. He was then elected principal of the Eighth Ward school, Pittsburgh, filling the incumbency five years. In 1857 he moved to Temperanceville, where he taught until 1861, when he again enlisted, July 1, 1861, in Company G, Twenty-eighth regiment P. I. In October the regiment was transferred to Knapp’s Pennsylvania battery, and served at the battles of Cedar Mountain, Chancellorsville, Fredericksburg, Gettysburg and many others. In September, 1863, he was transferred from the Army of the Potomac to the Army of the Southwest. Afterward he participated in the battles of Lookout Mountain and Ringgold. Mr. Kelley than veteranized in the same company, and, after a month’s leave of absence, he rejoined his regiment, and was with Sherman in the remainder of his campaign, and in the march to the sea. Our subject was never wounded. He was discharged at Goldsboro April 5, 1865, and returning home was again appointed principal of the Washington school. After tilling this position three years he moved to Woodville, where he built a normal school, which he conducted ten years. In 1878 he was appointed principal of the Twenty-third Ward school of Pittsburgh, and two months later a committee of the schools requested him to take charge of the Bayard school, which he accepted. Here he labored for nine years, and then resigned, his health not permitting of his taking charge of three large schools.

Mr. Kelley was married May 22, 1845, to Elizabeth Gamble, a native of Pittsburgh, and a daughter of William and Mary (McPherson) Gamble, and two children have been born to them: Edward and Robert H. (see sketch following). Edward enlisted in Company K, Sixty-third regiment P. V. I., and was killed at the battle of Yorktown, May 7, 1862. The mother died March 11, 1884. They were members of the M. E. Church. Mr. Kelley is a republican; a member of the teachers’ institute, the academy of teachers of Pittsburgh, and the Academic guild. He received from the state of Pennsylvania a permanent certificate for teaching, and was also a member of the committee for granting such certificates. He was the best bugler in the army, and was highly recommended by Gen. John W. Geary, with whom he had been through both wars. In June, 1877, Mr. Kelley went to Harrisburg with Francis Murphy, and labored nearly a year and a half at that and other places in the temperance work.