The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 884 

DAVID J. KELLY.

The ranch property of David J. Kelly is pleasantly and conveniently situated a
mile and a half east of Sunnyside and comprises a tract of eighty acres of land
now highly cultivated. He has been a resident of Washington since 1879 and comes
to the northwest from Kentucky, his birth having occurred in McLean county, that
state, on the 14th of September, 1856, his parents being Benjamin and Mary
(Baker) Kelly, both of whom were natives of Kentucky. the former of Irish
descent. Benjamin Kelly took his family to Moultrie county, Illinois, in 1862
and there carried on farming until his death. On his removal to the north he had
liberated his slaves and at the time of the Civil war was a stanch supporter of
the Union cause, but did not go to the front for active military duty. His wife,
however. had three brothers who were soldiers in the Union army.

David J. Kelly obtained a public school education and in 1877, when twenty-one
years of age, went to Kansas, where he lived until 1879 and then, attracted by
the opportunities of the northwest, made his way to Washington. He first settled
near Walla Walla, where he purchased a wheat ranch and there engaged in farming
until 1906, when he sold out and for a year thereafter was a resident of
Seattle. In 1907 he came to Sunnyside and in connection with T. C. Williams
purchased eighty acres of land a mile and a half east of the town. He has since
conducted an extensive dairy business, which he carries on along the most
modern, progressive and scientific lines. Everything about his dairy is
thoroughly sanitary and his products find a ready and profitable sale on the
market. He has fifty head of registered Holstein cattle and he sells some of his
stock for breeding purposes. His place is called the Roselawn Stock Farm and in
addition to his cattle he raises registered Hampshire hogs. His principal crops
are potatoes. corn and hay.

On the 20th of March, 1885, Mr. Kelly was married to Miss Mary Demaris. who was
born in Walla Walla, Washington, a daughter of James and Elizabeth (White)
Demaris, the former a native of Ohio and the latter of Iowa. They crossed the
plains to Walla Walla in 1863, casting in their lot among the earliest of the
pioneer settlers of that district, where the father engaged in ranching until
his death. He was a well known, prominent and highly honored citizen. By trade
he was a stone mason and his life was ever a busy, active and useful one. He
passed away at the venerable age of eighty-six years. To Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have
been born three children: Blanche, the wife of Vasco Y. McCorkel, living in
Seattle; Ray, who was in the United States Reclamation Service for several years
and now resides in Olympia, Washington; and Grace, who died at the age of
eighteen years.

Mr. Kelly is a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, having
filled all of the chairs in the local lodge, while in 1900 he served as a
representative to the grand lodge held in Seattle. His wife is identified with
the Daughters of Rebekah and was representative of that order at Spokane in
1901. In his political views Mr. Kelly is a republican but has never been an
office seeker. He is interested in the success of his party, however, because
of his firm belief in its principles as factors in good government. He has
always preferred that his public service should be done as a private citizen and
he supports all measures for the general good. His time and attention, however,
are mostly given to his ranching interests and by reason of his close
application and indefatigable energy he has gained a substantial measure of
success.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.