Hiram Kelley 1800-1868 of West Dennis, Massachusetts

 

Hiram Kelley was born 5 Mar 1800 in West Dennis on Cape Cod to Elihu Kelley and his wife Thankfull. Some give Thankfull’s maiden name as Baxter, but I have not found proof of that yet. Hiram is my great-great-great grandfather on my grandmother Milly (Booth) Rollins’ side of the family. It just occurred to me I haven’t written about him yet! I did write about his wife Abagail Howes Kelley, which can be read here. Their last name is sometimes spelled Kelly.

Hiram married Abagail Howes in South Dennis on 10 Feb 1820 (Dennis Vital Records, book 2, p 574). She was born 27 August 1799 in Dennis Port to David and Rebecah (Howes) Kelley. Her nicknames included Abby and Nabby.

In 1829 Hiram built a Cape Cod-style house that is still standing at 50 Ferry Street in West Dennis. My great-great grandfather David Howes Kelley was born there and raised his own family there, including my great-grandmother Ethel. My grandmother Mildred “Milly" Booth Rollins was born in the house as well. Milly told me about the house and what it was like when she lived there at several points in her childhood, so I have long had an affinity for the house and, in turn, Hiram Kelley. It originally included land that went to the shores of the Bass River, with a fishing shack. Over the years parts of the land were sold off so there are now houses between Hiram’s house and the river. Hiram’s father Elihu also lived on Ferry Street and that is likely how Hiram came to own land there.

50 Ferry Street West Dennis

Ferry Street is now a residential street, but in the past it was the home of Judah Baker’s mill (which was later moved across the river to Yarmouth), a shipbuilding enterprise, and Hiram’s father Elihu “the Ferryman,” with a brother and cousin, operated a ferry across the river before the bridges were built. 

Vintage postcard of Bass River Bridge

Hiram was a mariner and at times is listed as a mechanic, blacksmith and farmer. From my understanding, a mechanic at this time was someone who repaired metal parts of windmills and saltworks. 

Hiram and Abagail had at least eight children, all born in West Dennis:

1. Hiram born 19 Jan 1822; he was a mariner; died 8 Jun 1843 of yellow fever in the West Indies at just 21 years old, according to Eunice Kelley Randall’s book on the Kelley family
2. Rebecca born 24 Aug 1824; m. David Kelley 23 Feb 1843; died 5 Feb 1908 in Dennis
3. Ezra born 7 Oct 1827; m. Althina Nickerson 26 Jun 1855 in Dennis; died 13 Nov 1902 in West Dennis
4. Benjamin born 30 Jun 1830; he was a mariner; m. Mercy Lewis 12 Feb 1852 at Duchess County, New York; when he was just 24 he died of consumption 12 Mar 1855 at Dennis, leaving behind a wife and one surviving son (they had lost an infant in 1853)
5. Hope D. born 20 Jun 1833; m. Richard Nickerson, a master mariner, on 24 Oct 1852 at Dennis; died 24 Nov 1865 at West Dennis of consumption; at 32 she was already a widow so she left four children orphaned 
6. Abba/Abby born 17 Jun 1836; m. Robert Studley, a mariner, at South Yarmouth 3 Jan 1856; died 28 Feb 1882 at West Dennis at age 45 of “mesenterica” which I’ve read is an inflammation of the lymph nodes and a form of consumption; she was the mother of seven children one of whom pre-deceased her
7. Isaac Dunham born 07 Apr 1839; m. Gabrelia Chase in Dennis on 21 Apr 1859; died at sea when his ship disappeared off the coast of Rhode Island on 4 Apr 1863; he was just 23 years of age and had two young daughters
8. David Howes Kelley born 02 Mar 1842; m. 1st Lucina Doane Ellis 7 Dec 1874 at West Dennis, 2nd Mary E. Chase 04 May 1876 at Harwich, 3rd Mary Ann Kelley 27 Dec 1881 at Boston; early on he was a mariner but later did other jobs including house painting; he died at West Dennis in 1925 

David Howes and Mary Ann Kelley are my great-great grandparents. I wrote about them here. Abagail’s 1888 obituary states she had ten children, with seven pre-deceasing her, but I’ve never found any information on two additional children. Perhaps these were children who died so young that their births weren’t recorded. At the time of her death Rebecca, Ezra and David were still living. 

Hiram received a half-acre of land in his father's 30 June 1835 will, and was to split the rest of the land with his brother's and nephew after their mother's death. It appears all of the  Kelley brothers lived very close to their parents and owned several schooners together.

Hiram  Kelly of Dennis wrote his will on 24 November1863. He left his wife Abigail the use, improvement and income of his estate which she had power to sell as needed to be comfortable during her life time. This is one of the reasons I think so much of Hiram — instead of treating his widow as someone to just hold onto his estate before it would be passed to their children, he was primarily concerned about her quality of life. He also did not even add a clause that she would forfeit his estate if she remarried. 

Son David H. Kelley would receive his homestead with outbuildings and land after Abigail’s death if she did not sell it during her lifetime. He also received one feather bed. His daughters Rebecca Kelly wife of David Kelly, Hope D. Nickerson widow of Richard Nickerson Jr., and Abba Studley wife of Robert Studley, to receive equal shares of all household furniture and indoor moveables that remain at the decease of wife Abigail. He mentions that his son Ezra and heirs of his late sons Benjamin and Isaac “have not been forgotten,” so it seems he had already gifted or deeded them something. Hiram signed his will.

Hiram Kelley died in West Dennis on 8 Apr 1868. He was 68 years old and died of lung fever. 

On 11 August 1868 Abagail Kelly, widow of Hiram Kelly, requested the court allow her to have access to some part of his personal estate valued at $230.40. John Larkin was executor. On 21 April 1868 heirs at law are listed as Ezra Kelly, David H. Kelly, Abby Studley wife of Robert C. Studley of Dennis, Rebecca Kelly wife of David Kelly of Harwich children of said deceased, Amelia, Bradley C, Richard, Ella M. Nickerson children of Hope D. Nickerson and grandchildren of said deceased residing in said Dennis.

On 24 August 1868 the heirs include children of the late sons Isaac and Benjamin, David H. Kelley, Ezra Kelley, Rebecca Kelley wife of David Kelley, Abby Studley wife of Robert Studley,  children of Hope D. Nickerson deceased.

On 3 June 1868, Nehemiah Crowell, James Chase & William White made oath to Hiram’s inventory which included two boats, 1/64 of the schooner Samuel Gilman, blacksmith tools, and various household items. Total of personal estate was $551.15 which included $326.55 in cash on hand. 

Real estate totaled $485 and included homestead with land and a building on the sea valued at $475 and one-fifth of shore landing work $10. 

Hiram and later his son David's fishing shanty on the Bass River

Abagail lived for another 20 years, dying in West Dennis 17 Oct 1888. She kept the Ferry Street house and her son David and his family lived there and did inherit the house. She must have been a great help to David when he lost two young wives and three young children.

Hiram and Abagail share a headstone at West Dennis Cemetery which reads "Dear parents, tho we miss you much we know you rest with God.”

Sources Not Listed Above:

Eunice Kelley Randall, David O’Killia and His Descendants, 1962

Dennis Historical Society  Newsletter, November, 1978

Probate records of Hiram Kelley/Kelly, Barnstable County Courthouse, Case 5377