Welcome! I really enjoy exchanging information with people and love that this blog helps with that. I consider much of my research as a work in progress, so please let me know if you have conflicting information. Some of the surnames I'm researching:

Many old Cape families including Kelley, Eldredge/idge, Howes, Baker, Mayo, Bangs, Snow, Chase, Ryder/Rider, Freeman, Cole, Sears, Wixon, Nickerson.
Many old Plymouth County families including Washburn, Bumpus, Lucas, Cobb, Benson.
Johnson (England to MA)
Corey (Correia?) (Azores to MA)
Booth, Jones, Taylor, Heatherington (N. Ireland to Quebec)
O'Connor (Ireland to MA)
My male Mayflower ancestors (only first two have been submitted/approved by the Mayflower Society):
Francis Cooke, William Brewster, George Soule, Isaac Allerton, John Billington, Richard Warren, Peter Browne, Francis Eaton, Samuel Fuller, James Chilton, John Tilley, Stephen Hopkins, and John Howland.
Female Mayflower ancestors: Mary Norris Allerton, Eleanor Billington, Mary Brewster, Mrs. James Chilton, Sarah Eaton, and Joan Hurst Tilley.
Child Mayflower ancestors: Giles Hopkins, (possibly) Constance Hopkins, Mary Allerton, Francis Billington, Love Brewster, Mary Chilton, Samuel Eaton, and Elizabeth Tilley.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Patrick Kelley (b. 1723) and Bethiah Baker (b. 1723) of Yarmouth and Harwich, Mass.

Patrick Kelley was born 20 February 1722/23 in Yarmouth (now Dennis), Mass., the son of Eleazer and Sarah (Browning) Kelley. His last name was spelled in a variety of ways including O’Killey and Killey and his first name is also seen as Patrach.

On 1 September 1748 Patrick married Bethiah Baker at Yarmouth (now Dennis). Their intentions were published 6 Aug 1748. Bethiah was born 23 October 1723 at Yarmouth (now Dennis), one of the 15 children of John and Hannah (Jones) Baker.

Patrick and Bethiah had six sons: Benjamin, Isaiah, Samuel, Patrick, Oliver, and Ebenezer. Eunice Kelley Randall wrote that Patrick and Bethiah probably had more children. I descend from their son Patrick who married Dorcas Chase.

Could this be the mill originally owned by Patrick?
Patrick was the first in his family to leave Yarmouth, moving to Harwich on the east side of Herring River. He built a water mill shortly after 1762, known as Kelley’s Mill and Lower Mill, below his house which he operated for many years. The mill is believed to have been just north of the Main Street Bridge.

Bethiah died before 30 April 1782 when Patrick married, second, Elizabeth (Betsey) (Ellis) Nickerson.

I have not found his death date, but it was obviously after his 1782 marriage. A stone does not survive, but he is likely buried at the Kelley Cemetery in North Harwich, on or close to his estate.
landscape
Kelley Cemetery, N. Harwich    source:capecodgravestones.com

Sources Not Listed Above:
Eunice Kelley Randall, David O'Killia and His Descendants, 1962

R. Dudley Kelley, David Okillea of Yarmouth, Massachusetts and some of his Descendants NEHGR, April 1997

Simeon L. Deyo, editor, History of Barnstable County, Massachusetts, 1890

4 comments:

  1. I also descend from Patrick Kelley m. Dorcas Chase. Their daughter Dorcas m. Daniel Baker Small who is my 2nd great grandfather.
    Nancy Downing

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    1. Nancy, Nice to hear from another Kelley ancestor. Have you ever found the location of Patrick and Dorcas' home in Harwich? I'd imagine it was near the cemetery in W. Harwich. I have an old photo of my gg grandparents standing in front of the "old homestead" and I've wondered if it was Patrick's home. Chris

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  2. That mill was known as Hall's Mill and Ryder's Mill. My wife and I live on that property. The oldest deed I've seen (so far) is the sale of half the property by Ebenezer Kelley in 1844.

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    1. Hi Don, Thanks so much for this information. That deed makes sense as Patrick had a son Ebenezer. Is your property near the old Kelley cemetery in North Harwich? My email is tessiecami(at)gmail(dot)com if you'd rather tell me privately. Thanks again! Chris

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I'm now moderating comments on this blog. My apologies for any ensuing delays, but the large number of "spam" comments have made this necessary. ~Chris