Mansel Pinkney Kelley

© Kathy Duncan, 2016

Mansel Pinkney Kelley, son of John and Nancy Missouri (Owens) Kelley, was born on 1 Sept 1843 in Kershaw Co., SC and died 19 June 1912 in Tupalo, Coal Co., OK. His name is variously spelled as Mansel or Mancel and Kelly or Kelley. He is buried in the Byrd's Prairie Cemetery in Tupalo, Coal County, Oklahoma. While on special furlough from the CSA, he married Eliza Ann Rebecca Thompson, daughter of Solomon and Asenia Thompson, on 30 July 1863 in Kershaw County, South Carolina. Whether he obtained a furlough in order to return home to marry her or whether he married her while he happened to be home on furlough is unknown.

Initially, Pink Kelley enlisted with the Flat Rock Guards Co. G., which was an infantry unit. He seems to have relisted into Hampton's Legion Co. D, another infantry unit. At one point he was transferred to a cavalry unit, serving under Capt. Clark, but this seems to have been short-lived since he reappears in Co. D a short time later.

During the first few months of his war experience, M. P. Kelley wrote several letters to his friend James R. Smyrl who had not enlisted yet. One of the letters describes his experience at the battle of First Manassas [Bull Run] while another reveals that his sweetheart in 1861 was S.A. Baskins. Near the end of the war, Pink had another furlough that allowed him to return home in early 1865. This put him directly in the path of Sherman's troops as they were ending their march to the sea.

In 1868, three years after the war ended, M. P. Kelley wrote another series of surviving letters to his wife Eliza while he was in the Charleston jail or prison. These letters were a mystery for decades until the internet provided information about the murder of Solomon G. W. Dill, for which Pink and several other men were arrested and later released. 

Children of Mansel Pinkney and Elizabeth Ann Rebecca (Thompson) Kelley:

1. John Gary Kelley
2. William Haskell Kelley
3. Mansel Pinkney Kelley Jr.
4. Nannie J. Kelley
5. Richard Singleton Kelley
6. Henrietta Elizabeth Kelley
7. Ross Tildon Kelley
8. Lewis H. Kelley aka Lonnie Cecil Clyburn
9. Eugene Frank Kelley
10. Edna Virginia Kelley
11. Joseph Haile Kelley
12. Mary Ann Rebecca Kelley
13. Carrie Iredell Kelley

Census Records for Mansel Pinkney and Eliza Ann Rebecca (Thompson) Kelley:

18 August 1870, Wateree Twp., Camden, Kershaw Co., SC,

517 - 574

Kelly, Mansell P. 26 M W Farmer 0 - $300 b. SC

----, Elisa A. 25 F W Keeping House b. SC

----, John G. 5 M W At home b. SC

----, William H. 3 M W At home b. SC

----, Mansell P. 1 M W At home b. SC

In 1878, M.P. Kelley and his brother-in-law, Capt. L.L. Clyburn became active in the Cavalry Company and the Democratic Club at Granny's Quarters.

11 & 12 June 1880, Flat Rock Twp, Kershaw Co., SC:

211-220

Kelly, Pinkney W M 38 Farmer b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Eliza W F 35 Wife b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, John W M 15 Son Laborer on farm b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, William W M 13 Son Laborer on farm b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Mancele W M 11 Son b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Nannie W F 9 Dau b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Richard W M 7 Son b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Henrietta W F 5 Dau b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Ross W M 3 Son b. SC fb. SC mb.SC

----, Lewis W M 3 Sonb. SC fb. SC mb.SC

In 1892, M.P. Kelley and family headed west to Texas. The family story is that they went west to claim Eliza's Indian land although there is no indication that Eliza ever applied for tribal enrollment. The Kellys traveled with several families in a small wagon train. According to my great-aunt Erma Brown, there were seventeen families in that train. I suspect that Eliza's sister Henrietta Southerland (Thompson) Floyd and her family were among this group. However, they only traveled as far as the nearest railhead, where they loaded the wagons onto boxcars for the trip west. One of the boxcars was used as a kitchen. The train moved so slowly that during the day, the men took the horses and went hunting, returning to the train with the meat they were able to obtain. In the mid-1970s, I had the honor of meeting English Brown. He was a boy of about eight when the Kelley's left South Carolina and was gathered with others to see them off on the day they left. 

M.P. Kelley and wife Eliza A.R. Thompson
and children
Click image to enlarge

This family photograph was probably taken at about the time the family moved west in 1892. The teenage girl on the far right is daughter Henrietta Elizabeth Kelley. The boy in front of her is Joseph Hale Kelley. The youngest girl, who is standing between Pink's legs, is Carrie Iredell Kelley. The girl to her left is Mary Ann Rebecca Kelley. The girl standing to the left of Eliza is daughter Edna Virginia Kelley. The boy to the left of Henrietta and behind  Pink is Lewis H. Kelley aka Lonnie Cecil Clyburn. The other two boys' identities are in question. They would probably be Richard Singleton Kelley and Ross Tildon Kelley.

Notice that Edna, Mary Ann "Annie," and Carrie are wearing dresses made from the same fabric. This was the norm for a family trying to economize. All of these dresses would have been made by their mother, Eliza. Note that my great-grandmother, Henrietta Elizabeth "Bessie" has graduated to adult clothing. She is wearing a form-fitting dress with corset. 

26 June 1900, Pct #3, Titus Co., TX, p. 220:

103 - 106      

            

KELLEY, Mansell P. Head W M b. Sept 1843 56 M 36  b. SC  fb.SC mb. SC

--,Eliza A. Wife W F b. June 1845 54 M 36  b. SC fb. SC mb. SC

--,Edna V. Dau W F b. Aug 1883 16 S b. SC fb. SC mb. SC

--,Joseph H. Son W M b. Feb 1884 15 S b. SC fb. SC mb. SC

--,Mary A. Dau W F  b. Sept 1887 12 S  b. SC fb. SC  mb. SC

--,Carrie I. Dau W F b. July 1890 9 S  b. SC  fb. SC  mb. SC

Mansel Pinkney Kelley with a grandchild
Click image to enlarge.

Death of Mr. Kelly:

“Mr. M.P. Kelly, formerly of this county but who left here about twenty-five years ago, died in Oklahoma on the 19th of June. Mr. Kelly was a brother of Mr. S.F. Kelly and Miss Edna Kelly, of our county, and was about seventy years of age at the time of his death. When the civil war broke out he enlisted and saw service with the Hampton Legions. He was in many battles, and used to refer to the thirty-two skirmishes he was in. He made a brave soldier, and his old comrades in this county will be pained to learn of his death. He is survived by his wife and eleven children, for whom sincere sympathy is felt and for his surviving brother and sister.”

[Source: Loose newspaper clipping found in Eliza's Civil War Widow's Pension file, obviously from a Camden, SC newspaper]

6 Jan 1920, Justice Prect. #1, Mt. Pleasant town, Titus Co., TX:

119 - 171

Gunn, Marvin Head M W 34 M b. TX fb. NC mb. MS

---- Carrie, Wife F W 29 M b. SC b. SC fb. SC mb. SC

---- Haile Son M W 11 S b. OK fb. TX mb. SC

---- Fred Son M W 9 S b. OK fb. TX mb. SC

---- Irie Son M W 5 S b. OK fb. TX mb. SC

---- Wade Brother M W 27 S b. TX fb. SC mb MS

Kelly, Eliza M-i-l F W 74 W b. SC fb. SC mb. SC

Obituary of Eliza Ana Rebecca (Thompson) KELLEY, widow of Mansel P. Kelley:

January 10, 1935 issue of the Mount Pleasant DailyTimes:

“Mrs. Eliza Kelley died Wednesday [January 9, 1935] at the home of her son Richard S. Kelley at Ripley following a stroke at age 90. She would have been 91 in June. She was a native of South Carolina and moved to Texas 40 years ago. She had been living with Richard for the past 15 years. Survivors include, three sons, three daughters; Pink Kelley of Quincy, Florida; Will Kelley of Cass County, Texas; Frank Kelley; Mrs. Edna Foster of Wichita Falls, Texas; Mrs. Bessie Brown of Clarksville, Texas; and Mrs. Annie Price of Fort Worth, Texas. Funeral services and burial was at Bridges Chapel Methodist Church north of Mount Pleasant, Texas.”