Littleton Kelly

© Kathy Duncan, 2015

Littleton Kelly, son of John Kelly of Fairfield District, South Carolina died between 6 May 1849 and 30 June 1849 in Hinds County, Mississippi.

He married first, Jane Robinson, daughter of Alexander Robinson of Fairfield Dist., South Carolina before 1827.

Jane Kelly, wife of Littleton Kelly, is named as sister in the estate settlement of William Robinson, who died intestate prior to 19 April 1824.
[Source: North of the Broad River: The Land and The People, vol 2 by Buford S. Chappell p. 111]

Jane Kelly, wife of Littleton Kelly, is named as a daughter in the probate of Alexander Robinson of Fairfield Distict, SC in 1827.

Children of Littleton and Jane (Robinson) Kelly, birth order unknown:

1. Sara Ann Kelley,  died by 1849,  married  Thomas J. Davis on 11 Aug 1842 in Hinds County, MS with Hiram Kelly as bondsman. Their only known childe was Sarah Jane Davis born before 1849.

2. William Kelly

3. Henry Kelly

4. James Kelly b. c. 1836

5. Lafayette b.c. 1838

6. John Kelly b.c. 1840

1830, Fairfield Co., SC:

Littleton Kelly 21011 - 10001

two males under 5 =

one male 5 - 10 =

one male 15 - 20 =

one male 20-30: Littleton Kelly, Sr.

one female under five = Sarah Ann Kelly

one female 20-30: Jane (Robinson) Kelly 

Littleton Kelly married second, Sophronia C. Hutson Presswood abt. 7 May 1839 in Hinds County, Mississippi, with bondsman William Hutson. There was no marriage return, but they apparently did live together as man and wife since they had at least two children. 

Sophronia had been married previously to  Robert Presswood abt. 4 Aug 1834 in Hinds County, Mississippi. No return on this marriage license. Bondsman Wm. Broom.

Sophronia and Robert Pressman’s children:

1. Mary Pressman b. c. 1835 in MS

Littleton and Sophronia  Kelley’s known children:

7. Franklin Kelly b.c. 1840

8. Littleton Kelly b.c. 1845

1840, Hinds Co., MS:

Littleton Kelly 2211001 - 01101

[Living next to Hiram Kelly]

two males under 5 = Lafayette Kelly, John Kelly

two males 5 - 10 = James Kelly

one male 10 - 15 =

one male 15 - 20 =

one male 40 - 50 = Littleton Kelly Sr.

one female 5 - 10 = Mary Pressman

one female 10 - 15 = Sarah Ann Kelly

one female = Sophronia (Hutson) Pressman Kelly

Will of Littleton Kelly, page 241, dated 6 May 1849, probated 14 July 1849.  Wife:  Sophronia Kelly, dwelling, lot and blacksmith shop in Utica.  Children:  William Henry, James Lafayette, John Franklin and Littleton (youngest child).  Granddaughter: Sarah Jane Davis, daughter of Sarah Ann Davis dec’d.  Step-daughter:  Mary Presswood.

Ex.: Brother:  Hiram Kelly.  Wit:  Robert White, W.H. Taylor, G.W. Harrison. 

[Notation: Given the other records generated in Hinds County, regarding the children of Littleton Kelley, is it uncertain where the commas separating them should be placed. Certainly William and Henry are two people and not one. James Lafayette is clearly two people and not one. ]

Littleton’s naming of his brother Hiram as his executor indicates that Hiram is also living nearby and is most likely to be the same Hiram found on the census. Of the witnesses of Littleton Kelly’s will, Wm. Taylor had married Mary Fair and G.W. Harrison had married Tennessee C. Kelly. The 1850 mortality schedule included only those individuals who died between 1 July 1849 and 30 June 1850. Since Littleton is not included on the mortality schedule, he must have died between the writing of his will on 6 May 1849 and 30 June 1849.

By November of 1849, sons William and Henry Kelly, along with granddaughterSarah Jane Davis's guardian (her father) brought suit against Hiram Kelly, Sophronia Kelly, and Mary Presswood, alleging that Littleton's will was not valid. The case was not settled until the April 1859 term of the State Supreme Court. That suit reveals that Littleton Kelly died in May 1849 and that his estate was worth $40,000. Not all of his children are named in the suit. 

Littleton Kelley's widow Sophronia (Hutson) Presswood Kelley married  13 Jun 1850 in Hinds County, MS to  John Witham . 

In 1850, the younger chidren of Littleton Kelly were divided between two households:

27 Oct 1850 Hinds Co., MS, p. 167:

772-772

John Witham 25 M MD $1,000 b. ME

Sophronia  30 F b. LA

Mary Pressman  15 F b. MS

Franklin Kelly 10 M b. MS

Littleton b. 5 M  b. MS

Henry Baskin 21 M b. MS

In 27 Oct 1850 Hinds Co., MS census page 167:

766-766 

Nathan G. Martin 33 M Overseer b. TN

Nancy 28 b. SC

Infant Martin 1 (male) b. MS

James Kelley 14 M b. MS

Lafayette 12 M b. MS

John 10 M b. MS

It seems likely that Nancy Robinson was related to Littleton Kelly's first wife Jane because Nathan G. Martin married Nancy Robinson on 9 Feb 1843 in Hinds County, MS with J.S. Baird as bondsmand.

Based on the 1849 lawsuit and the 1850 census, one guess is that the children are split between two households because Franklin and Littleton are Sophronia's children while James, Lafayette, and John are the children of Littleton's first wife Jane. That would mean that Jane may have died in childbirth or shortly after John's birth. Littleton, having a newborn and other young children in the house would have remarried quickly. That means that Franklin was born during the first year of Littleton and Sophronia's marriage. This would also account for John G. Kelly choosing his uncle Thomas J. Davis as his guardian. 

Nancy Y. Robinson, wife of N.G. b. 9 Jan 1812, d. 9 Feb 1867 is buried in the James V. Robinson Cemetery located behind the old Broome house near Cessan in Utica, Hinds Co., MS. Also in this cemetery are James V. Robinson b. 1787, d. 6 June 1861 and his wife Mary b. 1780, d. 26 Aug 1859. A notation on findagrave says that family records place Nancy Y. Robinson's birth in 1822.

Nathan Green MARTIN is buried in the Utica Town Cemetery in Hinds Co., MS. His stone indicates that he was born in Winchester, TN on 20 July 1821 and died on 6 May 1886. Also in the Utica Town Cemetery is another stone for his wife Nancy Jane (Robison) MARTIN.  It seems probable that a child of theirs erected a memorial stone for Nancy in the Utica Town Cemetery since it would be less expensive to do that than to more her body and her tombstone.

5 April 1853, fourteen years old John G. Kelly, minor heir of Littleton Kelly, asked the court to appoint "his friend & relative Thomas J. Davis his legal guardian."

Filed in Hinds Co., MS.

John Wickham was named guardian of Franklin L. and Littleton J. Kelley on 3 Aug 1854 in Hinds Co., MS. 

3 Aug. 1854 in Hinds Co., MS, John Wickham paid guardian bond for Franklin L. and Littleton J. Kelly.

6 Jan 1855 in Hinds Co., MS, N.G. Martin paid guardian bond for John G. Kelley, son of Littleton Kelley dec’d .  

6 Jan 1855, Thomas J. Davis, guardian of John G Kelly reported that "said Ward is now about sixteen years of age and desires petitioner to resign his said Guardianship." Davis also reported that Kelly had chosen Nathan G. Martin as his new guardian. He asked for a final settlement of Kelly's estate so that he could be discharged.

[Source: Hinds Co., MS Probate Court]

By 1860 Sophronia and John Witham had moved to Copiah County, Mississippi.

25 Oct 1860, Copiah Co., MS:

1240-1250

John Witham 35 M MD $600-$1,100 b. ME

Sophronia 40 F b. LA

Edgar 6 M b. MS

Edith 2 F b. MS

Littleton Kelly 14 M b. MS

7 Feb 1866. Thomas J. Davis, the former guardian of Sarah Jane Davis, wished to file a final settlement on his daughter's accounts without the appointment of commissioners. Davis stated that "the property of his said late ward consisted of slaves, and money derived from the Estate of her maternal grandfather, Littleton Kelly deceased, and from the hire of said slaves," of which "the former have become free and passed beyond his control, and the latter has been expended in the maintenance and education of his said late ward."

[Source: Hinds Co., MS Probate Court]