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Thomas Elzie KELLY (b 1867)

Thomas Elzie Kelly is my maternal grandfather.

Thomas Elzie Kelly's birth was recorded in the family Bible as "T Elzy Kelly son of T N Kelly and Mary L was Born 26th of August 1867." He was almost certainly born at home on his parent's farm in Pinckney (Union) SC. His birth followed the death of an older sister, Karan, by only a month.

Thomas Elzie appeared as Elsy, age 2, in his father's household in the 1870 US Census of Pinckney Township in Union County, SC. His father, Thomas N Kelly, was reported to be a farmer, age 41. His mother was age 23. Both his father and his mother were reported to be able to read and write. The household included a younger sister, Nancy, age 1, and an older male child, Walker Kelly, age 14, who could neither read nor write but was in school.

In 1880, Thomas Elzie was living with his parents on a farm in Pinckney Township in Union County. His father was listed as Thomas N Kelly, age 51, a farmer, his mother as Mary L Kelly, wife, age 33. T Elzy Kelly, the eldest child, was 12 and at school. There were five siblings recorded, Nancy M Kelly, a daughter, age 11, William R Kelly, a son, age 9, Sallie Kelly, a daughter, age 6, Mary E Kelly, a daughter, age 5, and Lena Kelly, a daughter, age 1. The household also included Caroline Kelly, age 30 and Charles Kelly, age 17, both registered as black servants. The three eldest children, including T Elzy, were reported to be in school.

Although I have found no record reporting this, Thomas Elzie married Sallie Jane Brown around the year 1888. She would have been 18. A first child, a daughter, Mary (always known as May) was born in November 1889. The 1900 US Census of Pinckney Township (Union) SC showed Thomas Elzie, age 32, married for 12 years, a farmer, and his wife Sallie, age 30. Sallie reported that she was the mother of five children, all living. Five children were in the household, May, a daughter age 10, Josie, a daughter age 8, Jackson, a son age 6, Pearl, a daughter age 4 and Florence [Floride], a daughter age 1.

By April 1910, the family had moved into the town of Union, to a home on East Main Street. The 1910 Census reported that Thomas Elzie was working as a clerk in a clothing store. Sallie reported that she was the mother of 13 children, only nine of whom were still living. The household included Joseph [Josie], a daughter age 18, Jack, a son age 16, Pearl, a daughter age 13, Flora [Floride], a daughter age 12, Tom, a son age 8, Sarah, a daughter age 5, Manning, a son age 2, and Wilham [Wilma], a daughter age 1/2 [six months]. By daughter Sara's account, the household was a troubled one due to her father's alcoholism. Only a few months after the 1910 Census, in the early hours of 09 Jul 1910, Thomas Elsie's wife Sallie died after being hit by a passenger train on tracks adjacent to their home.

I do not know how the children were cared for after Sallie's death. The couple's eldest daughter, May, was married and living with her husband in Union, in the home of her uncle, James A Brown. Her first child would be born in December of 1910. Daughters May, age 21, and Josie, age 18, probably bore the greatest responsibility for looking after their siblings after their mother's death. Thomas Elzie's youngest child, Wilma, was only nine months old when her mother died.

Two and a half years later, Thomas Elzie married Effie Hazzard. The couple appear to have been married first on 04 Jan 1913 in Hendersonville, NC and again at the First Baptist Chruch in Union, SC on 23 Feb 1913. Their first child, a daughter named Hazel, was born in October 1913. A son, Butler Garlon, was born in August 1915, and a daughter, Marilyn, was born in October 1917.

The 1920 US Census found the family living on Sardis Road in Union Township, SC. Thomas Elzie, age 52 was reported to be a well borer. Effie G, his wife, was 38. The first child in the household was Durett H [Durant Hazaard], Effie's son age 12. Then Thomas' children, Manning E, a son age 12, Wilma, a daughter age 10, Hazel, a daughter age 6, Butler G, a son age 4, and Meryl D [Marilyn], a daughter age 2. The four oldest children were in school that year. Thomas Elzie's older children were no longer living with their father. May (b 1889) was married and had moved away from Union. I cannot find Josie (b 1891) in 1920. Josie never married and she would have been in her late 20s by this time. She, too, may have left Union. Jack (b 1893) was married and farming in Union County. His younger brother Thomas (b c1902) was living with him and working as a farmer. Pearl (b 1894) would have been in her early 20s. I cannot find her in the 1920 Census either. Floride (b 1898) had married about 1916 and was living with her husband on South Street in Union. Sara (b 1905) was living with her grandmother Mary Comer in Union County.

The 1920s were a difficult decade for Thomas Elzie. In 1924, he was diagnosed as diabetic. By the time of the 1930 US Census, he was living alone, one of seven boarders in the home of Luther Leopard on 22 South Pinckney Street in Union, SC. His occupation was given as salesman in a grocery store. He identified himself as a widower, but, in fact, his wife, Effie did not die until 1965. She was institutionalized and resident at the State Hospital in Columbia, SC. The children who had been in the household in 1920 were scattered.

Thomas Elzie died on 04 May 1932. He was 64 years old and his occupation was listed as retired farmer. The cause of his death was diabetes mellitus and diabetic coma. He was buried in Rosemont Cemtery in Union (Union) SC on 05 May 1932.

Sources:

Thomas Elzie's birth: The Kelly Family Bible (page 3) recorded T Elzy's birth (perhaps even contemporaneously) as 26 Aug 1867 and noted that T Elzy Kelly was baptized by the Rev Darby in 1867. His death certificate and the tombstone marking his grave state that he was born on 26 Aug 1867. The death certificate also reported that he was born in Union County, SC. I have been curious about the source of the name Elzy but have never found an explanation.

Sister Karan's birth and death: The Kelly family Bible recorded Karan's birth as 18 Jan 1866 and her death as 07 Jul 1867. The dates on Karan's tombstone in the Kelly Cemetery in Union County, SC are consistent.

1870 US Census, Household of Thomas N. Kelly (b 1828): Citation: Ancestry.com, 1870 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Pinckney Township, Union County, South Carolina; Roll: M593_1510; Page: 481; Image: 315. Content: The enumeration of Pinkney Township (Union) SC on 02 Aug 1870 lists dwelling 17, family 20 comprised of (1) Thomas N Kelly, age 41, male, white, farmer, real estate $1700, personal estate $700, born SC, can read/write, citizen, (2) Melissa Kelly, age 60, female, white, born SC, can read/write, (3) Mary Kelly, age 23, female, white, born SC, can read/write, (4) Elsy Kelly, age 2, male, white, born SC, (5) Nancy Kelly, age 1, female, white, born SC, and (6) Walker Kelly, age 14, male, white, born SC, attending school, cannot read/write, and family 21, (7) Sarah Ann Bently, age 25, female, white, born SC, (8) William Comer, age 19, male, white, born SC, cannot read/write.

1880 US Census, Household of Thomas N. Kelly (b 1828): Citation: Ancestry.com, 1880 United States Federal Census; Census Place: Pinckney Township, Union County, South Carolina; Roll: T9_1242; Family History Film: 1255242; Page: 585.4000; Enumeration District: 158. Content: The enumeration of Pinkney Township (Union) SC on 04 Jun 1880 lists household 66 including (1) Thomas N Kelly, age 51, male, married, farmer (8 mos), maimed, crippled, bedridden or otherwise disabled, can read/write, born SC/NC/SC, (2) Mary L Kelly, age 33, female, wife, married, keeping house, born SC/SC/SC, (3) T Elzy Kelly, age 12 male, son, single, at school, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (4) Nancy M Kelly, age 11, female, daughter, at school, born SC/SC/SC, (5) William R Kelly, age 9, male, son, at school, born SC/SC/SC, (6) Sallie Kelly, age 6, female, daughter, born SC/SC/SC, (7) Mary E Kelly, age 5, female, daughter, born SC/SC/SC, (8) Lena Kelly, age 1, female, daughter, born SC/SC/SC , (9) Carolina Kelly, age 30, female, black, servant, single, cook (12 mos), cannot read/write, born SC/SC/SC, and (10) Charles Kelly, age 17, male, black, servant, single, works in field (8 mos), cannot read/write, born SC/SC/SC.

1900 US Census, Household of Thomas Elzie Kelly (b 1867): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1900 US Population Census, Census Place: Pinckney (Union) SC: Roll: T623 1544; Page: 21B. Content: The household includes (1) Elzie Kelly, head, male, born Aug 1867, age 32, married, 12 yrs, born SC/SC/SC, farmer, can read/write, rents farm, farm schedule #106, (2) Sallie Kelly, wife, female, born Jan 1889, age 30, married, 12 yrs, 5 children, 5 living, born SC/SC/SC, can read/write, (3) May Kelly, daughter, female, born Nov 1889, age 10, single, born SC/SC/SC, at school, can read/write, (4) Josie Kelly, daughter, female, born Aug 1891, age 8, single, born SC/SC/SC, at school, (5) Jackson Kelly, son, male, born Aug 1893, age 6, single, born SC/SC/SC, at school, (6) Pearl Kelly, daughter, female, born Apr 1896, age 4, single, born SC/SC/SC, and (7) Florence Kelly, daughter, female, born Sept 1898, age 1, single, born SC/SC/SC.

Thomas Elzie's alcoholism: I was able to record several interviews with Thomas Elzie's daughter, my Aunt Sara Kelly, in the 1990s. In an undated interview transcribed contemporaneously, Sara reported that her father was an alcoholic and her memories of him were not good. She also reported that he did eventually "dry out" but became a diabetic. Sara was a registered nurse who spent her career working in an institution providing rehabilitation services for (prosperous) alcoholics, so she was not unqualified to make such an assessment. Although it was never a topic of casual conversation in my youth, Thomas Elzie's children Wilma and Garlon both spoke to me of the problem and its effect on their home life. Garlon's recollections of his father were balanced by his expressions of admiration for his father's skill as a farmer and as a teacher.

1913 North Carolina Marriage of T E Kelly and Effie Hazzard: Citation: Ancestry.com, North Carolina Marriage Records 1741-2011. 1913 Index of Marriages, Henderson County, NC, p 58. Content: The record shows that Effie Hazzard (age 30) of Gafney (sic), SC was married to T E Kelley (age 45) of Kelton, SC in Hendersonville on 04 Jan 1913 by A L Stanford, Min. [Note: I transcribed a marriage license and certificate of marriage for T E Kelly and Effie Hazzard found in the Union County courthouse. The certificate was dated 23 Feb 1913. T E was reported to be 45, Effie to be 33. He was from Kellys, SC, she from Gaffney, SC. The ceremony was performed by the pastor of First Baptist Church in Union, W D Wakefield.]

1910 US Census, Household of Thomas Elzie Kelly (b 1867): Citation: Ancestry.com. 1910 US Population Census, Union (Union) SC: Roll: T624_1474; Page: 10B; Enumeration District: 124; Image: 1110. Content: The household on East Main Street includes (1) T E Kelley (head, male, age 42, married, 22 yrs, born SC/SC/SC, salesman in clothing store, wage earner, can read/write, owns home free of mortgage), (2) Sallie Kelley (wife, female, age 40, married, 22 yrs, 13 children, 9 living, born SC/SC/SC, can read/write), (3) Joseph (sic) [Josie] Kelley (daughter, age 18, single, born SC/SC/SC, can read/write, in school), (4) Jack Kelley (son, male, age 16, single, born SC/SC/SC, laborer in cotton mill, wage earner, can read/write), (5) Pearl Kelley (daughter, female, age 13, single, born SC/SC/SC, spinner in cotton mill, wage earner, can read/write), (6) Flora Kelley (daughter, female, age 12, single, born SC/SC/SC, can read/write, in school), (7) Tom Kelley (son, male, age 8, single, born SC/SC/SC, in school), (8) Sarah Kelley (daughter, female, age 5, single, born SC/SC/SC), (8) Manning Kelley (son, male, age 2, single, born SC/SC/SC), (9) Wilbam (sic) [Wilma] Kelley (daughter, female, age 1/2, single, born SC/SC/SC).

1920 US Census, Household of Thomas E Kelly (b 1867): Citation: Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census, Year: 1920; Census Place: Union, Union, South Carolina; Roll: T625_1713; Page: 2B; Enumeration District: 144. Content: The enumeration of Union Township (Union) SC on 06 Jan 1920 shows household 33 on Sardis Road including (1) Thomas E Kelly, head, rents home, male, age 52, married, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, well borer, (2) Effie G Kelly, wife, female, age 38, married, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (3) Durett H Kelly(sic) [Durant Hazzard], son [stepson], male, age 12, single, in school, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (4) Manning E Kelly, son, male, age 12, single, in school, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (5) Wilma Kelly, daughter, female, age 10, single, in school, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (6) Hazel Kelly, daughter, female, age 6, single, in school, can read/write, born SC/SC/SC, (7) Butler G Kelly, son, male, age 4, single, born SC/SC/SC, and (8) Meryl D Kelly, daughter, female, age 2, single, born SC/SC/SC.

1930 US Census, Household of Luther L Leopard (including Thomas Elzie Kelly b 1876): Citation: Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census, Year: 1930; Census Place: South Carolina, Union County, Union Township; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0018. Content: The enumeration of Union (Union) SC on 03 Apr 1930 lists household 14/17 on South Pinkney Street, with head Luther L Leopard, an insurance salesman. The household includes seven boarders. At line 65 there is an entry for Thomas E Kelly, boarder, male, white, age 62, widower, can read/write, born SC, parents born SC, salesman in grocery store, wage earner, not a veteran.

1932 South Carolina Death Certificate for Thomas Elzie Kelly (b 1867): Citation: Ancestry.com, South Carolina Death Records, 1821-1965. Standard Certificate of Death, State of SC, Bureau of Vital Statistics; County: Union; Township: Union; Registration District No. 42-A; File No. 9701. Content: The record shows the following: Thomas Elzie Kelley (sic) died in Union (Union) SC at 3 am on 04 May 1932. He was married. He was born on 26 Aug 1867 in Union County, SC. He was a retired farmer. His mother was Polly Comer, born Union County, SC. His father was Thomas E (sic) Kelley, born Union County, SC. He was buried in Rosemont [Cemetery] on 05 May 1932. The undertaker was Bailey Undertaking Co, Union, SC. The cause of death was diabetes mellitus (onset in 1924) and diabetic coma (1932), certified by F P Salley, MD. The informant was Jack Kelley, Rte 4, Union, SC.