Lewis Kelley was born in McMinn County, Tennessee, November 30, 1831, being a descendant of those sturdy pioneers who in an early day came across the mountains to the new land of promise in Tennessee, and who, braving the dangers of wild beasts and wilder men, created a big commonwealth out of the wilderness. In youth he lived for a time in Georgia and Alabama, and in 1870 came to Lawrence County [TN], where he lived until his death on last Saturday at the home of his daughter, Mrs. W. W. Wall, on Waterloo Street. Prof. J. E. Thornberry preached the funeral sermon at the Church of Christ, Sunday at 2:30 o'clock, being assisted in the service by Elders T. C. King and J. T. Harris. The pallbearers were as follows: Honorary: Robert McNeal, W. S. Chadwick, Dr. J. R. Morris, Geo H. Depew, James Davis and D. W. Starnes. Active: G. I. Freemon, Simon Copeland, Polk Comer, P. P. Cocke, J. W. Thompson, Clyde Cooper. The burial was at Mimosa, Freemon and Company, Undertakers.

Mr. Kelley's wife died about 12 years ago and he is survived by the following children: Messrs. W. W., C. C., T. J., Sherman, Manuel, James, Jonah, Kelley; Mesdames M. J. Smith and W. Frank Wall. Besides these are a number of grand-children and great-granchildren.

Except during the Civil War when he was a Federal soldier Mr. Kelley's active life was spent in farming. He was a man of strick integrity, kindly impulses, strong convictions and a loyal member of the Christian church. His life was a long one. He had lived beyond man's allotted three score years and ten, but all the years that God gave him to stay on earth, he had made worthy ones and ever sought to benefit his fellow man. His example will be felt in its uplifting influence on relatives and friends many years after his body has returned to dust, and his soul gone to God who gave it. And after all, the record of a life well lived is the richest heritage any man can leave to those who come after him.

Mr. Kelley was a man of remarkable qualities of mind and heart, a gentleman of the old school; courteous, and kind. He stood always for what he believed right and good. With abiding trust in the Saviour he had served well, he met without alarm the boatman who came to carry him over the river of death. Conscious of the Lord's presence, death to him was only a shadow, and the gateway to immortality.

Database created and maintained by Ryan Dupree.

Service records compiled by Glenda Todd and used with her permission. This and other information about the history of the First and the men who fought with the unit can be found in her book, First Alabama Cavalry, USA: Homage to Patriotism.

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