Hattie Gertrude Kelsey

1869 - 1955  (86 years)

• Name	Hattie Gertrude Kelsey
  Born	10 Nov 1869	Castana - Turin, Monona Co., IA
  Gender	Female
  Died	13 Dec 1955	Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT
  Notes	Was orphaned at age 3 1/2 and moved to Suffield CT where her uncle Hiram L. Kelsey raised her. History of Monona County, Iowa (1890, Chicago) states father committed suicide in Iowa 3 months after the death of his wife (Emma Jean Dorward) in Vermont. She came to live with her uncle, Rev. Hiram L. Kelsey, later pastor of the Congregational Church in Hollis, NH, from 1875 to 1878.  (Allegedly, he embezzled most of her assets but who knows.) MAG's Dad remembered taking the train to Iowa in the 1910s to sell the family farm that she had inherited. 1870 census lists Hiram L. Kelsey and first wife Sarah living in Claremont, New Hampshire. 1880 census lists Hiram L Kelsey & second wife Nellie S. Moore Kelsey living in Brockton, MA,  A widow, she came from Claremont, NH and undoubtedly knew each other there.  They married on 3 June, 1879 in Brockton, MA. Graduate of Connecticut Literary Institute (Suffield Academy), Class of 1888.  Academy records indicate that she entered from Suffield in 1883, implying her uncle, Rev Hiram L. Kelsey was a clergyman there in 1883. Newspaper obituary lists DOB as 10 November 1869 rather than 1864. I (MAG) remember her from childhood as somewhat demented, living alone in her house behind the school on School Street.  She never remembered who I was. She carried her keys on an elastic band worn as a garter.  My father told me that this mental condition dated from his birth.  She lived alone in the house she came to as a bride.  Nothing in the house had been changed from the the 1930s.  During the war (1941-45) the garage contained a huge Packard limousine stored on blocks which was sold after the war.  The walls of the houise had been covered with grass-cloth that had turned black from moisture. Marriage invitatition is from Nellie M. Kelsey, described herself as the mother of the bride.  Must be the wife of the Uncle who cared for her in Suffield. The marriage took place in West Roxbury, MA, 2 October, 1895 Burial: New Cemetery, Hazardville, Enfield, Connecticut Father: 10 Nov 1830, James Marshall Kelsey (b. 10 Nov 1830, Wheelock, Vermont), (d. 18 Dec 1873, Castana-Turin, Iowa), From Henry Stevens' notes Also, History of Monona County, Iowa, published in 1890 by National Publishing Company in Chicago picks up James Marshall Kelsey in Iowa, page 285: "James M. Kelsey made his settlement here [Kennebec Township, Iowa] in the same winter [1858], although he spent much of the time until spring at Smithland, Woodbury County [IA].  He located on section 2, 84, 44, where he became quite an extensive farmer.  In 1865, he married Emma J. Dorward, of Belvidere.  He spent a few years in California previous to coming here, where he made considerable money.  Shortly after the death of his wife [Sep 1873] he comitted suicide [Dec 1873], being of unsound mind.  His daughter Hattie still owns the farm, some 500 acres just south of Castana." In 1996, Castana residents referred to the farm as the "Kelsey Farm", then owned by a Simpson living in Omaha. Grave of James Kelsey is Block 1, lot 2 of Belvidere Cemetery near Castana-Turin, Iowa. Stone says wife is buried in West Derby, Vermont. 1850 Census lists him as 19, leaving with family in Wheelock, Caledonia County, Vermont. Mother: 27 Feb 1837, Emma Jean Dorward (b. 27 Feb 1837, England), (d. 6 Sep 1873, Newport, Vermont), Info from History of Monona County, published by National Publishing Company, Chicago, 1890, p 476 & 285. Also, husband's grave stone in Belvidere Cemetery, near Turin, Iowa states that wife Emma was buried in West Derby, VT. Iowa gravestone appears to mention unnamed infant children but it's hard to read. She died while she, husband, and daughter were visitng the Hiram Kelsey's in Newport, VT. Death certificate gives the cause as "Inflamation of the brain". The newspaper account [Express and Standard of Newport, Tuesday, September 9, 1873] states "A sudden and unexpected death occurred in our village last Saturday afternoon that of Emma Jane, wife of James M. Kelsey. They hve been stopping here this summer with his father, Hiram James Kelsey. On Tuesday of last week Mrs. Kelsey was taken ill but not sufficiently to alarm any of her friends. She did not consider and medication necessary for a day or two but continued to grow worse and died suddenly Saturday afternoon.  The event was wholly unexpected, her husband having rode out to call upon some friends in Derby and being away at the time of her death.  A post mortem examination showed the cause of her death to be congestion of the brain.  The suddeness and circumstances of her dcease render it a sad case. Her relatives mostly reside in Iowa. She leaves one child about four years of age, while her husband is in poor health.  The funeral will be attended this afternoon at 2 o'clock." Marriage: 2 Oct 1895, Howard David Gordon, m. 2 Oct 1895, Congegational C, West Roxbury, Massachusetts Son: 29 Mar 1901, John Stuart Gordon Son: 19 Feb 1904, Alexander Dorward Gordon
  Person ID	I56483	Stedman/Steadman/Steedman Families of the New World
  Last Modified	7 Jan 2006

  
  

  Family	Howard David Gordon,   b. 28 Sep 1870, Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT ,   d. 20 Mar 1938, Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT  (Age 67 years)
  Married	2 Oct 1895	Congregational Church - West Roxbury, Suffolk Co., MA
  Children	1. John Stuart Gordon,   b. 29 Mar 1901, Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT ,   d. 27 Jul 1979, Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT  (Age 78 years)   2. Alexander Dorward Gordon,   b. 19 Feb 1904, Hazardville, Hartford Co., CT ,   d. 28 Dec 1996, Tucson, Pima Co., AZ  (Age 92 years)
  Last Modified	7 Jan 2006
  Family ID	F20842	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart