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| Caher, Kenmare, Co Kerry |
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| Ellen Healy Baptism Record, 12 April 1850, townland Caher, parish Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland |
Ellen Healy was the third child and second daughter born to of Maytor Healy and Nellie Donovan. Her family was living in Caher, a small village south of Kilgarvan in the county of Kerry. Ellen's oldest sister, Mary was 7-years-old and Patrick was 4-years of age. Ellen was born during the final years of Ireland's great potato famine. We know from later records that three children born to Ellen's parents died in Ireland and it is probable that two of them died shortly before or after Ellen's birth. During your young life in Ireland Ellen experienced great hunger and poverty.
In 1858, when she was 8-years-old, her father, Maytor Healy immigrated to America in search of a better life and opportunity for his family. Ellen remained behind with her mother, Nellie and siblings, Mary age 15, Patrick age 12 years, Julia age 6, Belinda age 4, and Maytor age 2 and Daniel age 1 year.
After four years, Maytor had been able to save enough money for the passage of his family. Sadly, during this time, Maytor Healy who was born in 1856, Ellen's younger brother had died and was buried in Co. Kerry Ireland with his two other young siblings.
Ellen left Ireland to emigrate with her mother and siblings in August of 1862. She was 11 years old when they left county Kerry, traveled overland to a sea port in County Cork then they boarded a small sailing vessel and departed their beloved Ireland for Liverpool, England. Upon their arrival in Liverpool they purchased passage in steerage aboard the steamship "City of Washington".
She traveled with her mother Nellie and siblings, Mary, Patrick, Julia, Belinda and Daniel for about 5 weeks. Upon reaching New York City on the 8th of October 1862 they immediately began their journey overland to Hancock, Houghton, Michigan located in the upper peninsula known as Copper Country.
She traveled with her mother Nellie and siblings, Mary, Patrick, Julia, Belinda and Daniel for about 5 weeks. Upon reaching New York City on the 9th of June 1862, they immediately began their journey overland to Hancock, Houghton, Michigan located in the upper peninsula known as Copper Country or the Keneewaw Peninsula.
Ellen's father was a miner, for the Quincy Mining Company. He was working below ground in the copper mines at their Quincy location, on the hill above Hancock.
In 1870 the US Federal Census for Hancock, Michigan does not show Ellen living with her family. Neither are her older brother Patrick Healy, age 22 years or Julia Healy age 21. In 1870 Ellen was 19 years old.
The next record I have for Ellen is when she is 27 years of age. She is married to Patrick A. Kelly, and living in the booming, gold-rush town of Leadville Colorado. It is the year 1878.
When Ellen Healy arrived in the booming gold mining town of Leadville Colorado in 1878, it boasted a population near 15,000. At Leadville's founding one year earlier, it had some 300 residents, mostly miners. People were living in everything from elegant homes to packing boxes. (1)
The years that Ellen and her husband, Patrick Kelly arrived in Leadville the following events occurred:
" Originally, in 1877 T. H. Harrison was appointed as the town's first Marshal, to quell the violent crime rate. Harrison, although thought to have a fearsome reputation, was beaten and run out of town a mere two days after his appointment. George O'Connor was then appointed as Marshal, and for one months time O'Connor did a commendable job. However, he was shot and killed less than five weeks after his appointment by one of his own deputies. Mayor Horace Tabor then appointed Mart Duggan to replace O'Connor. Duggan, known as a man in the famous tradition of the old west, posing as absolutely fearless and carrying a notched gun promenantly displayed. He was a bully and a killer and did his job by terrorizing the town, yet he held his job for many years. (1)
Mart Dugan left the Marshal's positon for Leadville in April 1879 when his term expired, stating he wished to move to Flint Michigan with his wife. He was replaced by Patrick Albert Kelly, another Irishman, but Kelly lacked the abilities and raw aggression that Dugan possessed, and within months the town of Leadville had reverted to its former rowdy state. Gangs of hoodlums began taking over businesses and city property at gun point, led by Edward Frodsham. On December 29, 1879, Frodsham shot and killed Peter Thams, a miner from Laramie Wyoming. Marshall Patrick Kelly, perhaps out of fear, refused to arrest Frodsham for the murder. Sheriff Edmund H Watson, however stepped in and did arrest Frodsham. Two days later Vigilantes stormed the jail and took Frodsham and lynched them. With the town totally out of control, the council fired Patrick Kelly, and sent for Mart Duggan once again." (3)
In 1858, when she was 8-years-old, her father, Maytor Healy immigrated to America in search of a better life and opportunity for his family. Ellen remained behind with her mother, Nellie and siblings, Mary age 15, Patrick age 12 years, Julia age 6, Belinda age 4, and Maytor age 2 and Daniel age 1 year.
After four years, Maytor had been able to save enough money for the passage of his family. Sadly, during this time, Maytor Healy who was born in 1856, Ellen's younger brother had died and was buried in Co. Kerry Ireland with his two other young siblings.
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| The dock in Cork, Co. Cork, Ireland |
Ellen left Ireland to emigrate with her mother and siblings in August of 1862. She was 11 years old when they left county Kerry, traveled overland to a sea port in County Cork then they boarded a small sailing vessel and departed their beloved Ireland for Liverpool, England. Upon their arrival in Liverpool they purchased passage in steerage aboard the steamship "City of Washington".
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| Ellen Healy, Immigration Record from Ireland to the US - arrived in New York, United States on October 8, 1862 |
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| Steamship City of Washington |
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| Immigrants on board deck of a steamship as they arrive in New York Harbor. |
Ellen's father was a miner, for the Quincy Mining Company. He was working below ground in the copper mines at their Quincy location, on the hill above Hancock.
In 1870 the US Federal Census for Hancock, Michigan does not show Ellen living with her family. Neither are her older brother Patrick Healy, age 22 years or Julia Healy age 21. In 1870 Ellen was 19 years old.
The next record I have for Ellen is when she is 27 years of age. She is married to Patrick A. Kelly, and living in the booming, gold-rush town of Leadville Colorado. It is the year 1878.
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| Leadville Colorado - during the gold mining boom 1880 |
When Ellen Healy arrived in the booming gold mining town of Leadville Colorado in 1878, it boasted a population near 15,000. At Leadville's founding one year earlier, it had some 300 residents, mostly miners. People were living in everything from elegant homes to packing boxes. (1)
The years that Ellen and her husband, Patrick Kelly arrived in Leadville the following events occurred:
" Originally, in 1877 T. H. Harrison was appointed as the town's first Marshal, to quell the violent crime rate. Harrison, although thought to have a fearsome reputation, was beaten and run out of town a mere two days after his appointment. George O'Connor was then appointed as Marshal, and for one months time O'Connor did a commendable job. However, he was shot and killed less than five weeks after his appointment by one of his own deputies. Mayor Horace Tabor then appointed Mart Duggan to replace O'Connor. Duggan, known as a man in the famous tradition of the old west, posing as absolutely fearless and carrying a notched gun promenantly displayed. He was a bully and a killer and did his job by terrorizing the town, yet he held his job for many years. (1)
Mart Dugan left the Marshal's positon for Leadville in April 1879 when his term expired, stating he wished to move to Flint Michigan with his wife. He was replaced by Patrick Albert Kelly, another Irishman, but Kelly lacked the abilities and raw aggression that Dugan possessed, and within months the town of Leadville had reverted to its former rowdy state. Gangs of hoodlums began taking over businesses and city property at gun point, led by Edward Frodsham. On December 29, 1879, Frodsham shot and killed Peter Thams, a miner from Laramie Wyoming. Marshall Patrick Kelly, perhaps out of fear, refused to arrest Frodsham for the murder. Sheriff Edmund H Watson, however stepped in and did arrest Frodsham. Two days later Vigilantes stormed the jail and took Frodsham and lynched them. With the town totally out of control, the council fired Patrick Kelly, and sent for Mart Duggan once again." (3)
An 1879 Leadville Chronicle newpaper article described the atmosphere of Leadville at that time:
"Leadville never sleeps. The theatres close at three in the morning. The dance houses and liquor shops are never shut. The highwayman patrols the street in quest of drunken prey. The policeman treads his best to and fro. The music at the beer halls is grinding low. A party of carousers is reeling through the streets. A mail coach has just arrived. There is a merry party opposite the public school. A sick man is groaning in the agonies of death. Carbonate Hill with her scores of brightly blazing fires is Argus-eyed. Three shots heard down below the old court house. A woman screams. There is a fight in a State Street casino. The sky is cloudless. A man stand dreaming in front of the Windsor looking at the stars... he is away from home. A barouche holding two men and two women comes rushing up Chestnut Street. Another shot is heard down near the city jail. A big forest fire lights up the mountains at the head of Iowa gulch." (2) . To put a perspective on the Leadville environment at this time - in October of 1880 the homicide rate of Leadville was ten times greater than that of Chicago in 1929.
In about October 1879 Ellen became pregnant with her first child. According to the DeArment account [3] during the beginning months of her pregnancy, her husband Patrick Kelly was serving as Leadville's city Marshal until December when he quit and opened a saloon in Leadville called the "Kelly and Tully" located at 10 W 2d [9] According to the City Directory that year, Patrick and Ellen were also living at the location of their saloon.
On May 12, 1880 Ellen gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Ellen Claire Kelly. She would be known as Claire through out her life.
Claire Kelly, at age 21 would marry Frank Smith in Texas where she will have four children and remain for the rest of her life.
On August 5, 1881 Belle Helen Kelly arrived just sixteen months after her sister Claire. Belle Kelly would become a school teacher and loved dancing and music. She would marry Fred Harrison McGinnis at age 35, but not have any children.
The years of 1885 to 1887 were eventful years for Ellen, Patrick and their family. Leadville's growth had continued and the population was about 40,000 people. Patrick was appointed for a second time as Leadville's city marshal in 1885, providing them with enough money to purchase a two-story, greek revival home, located on Harrison Avenue.
The home was seven years old, having been built in 1878 by August R. Meyer for his new bride Emma. August Meyer was a prominent mining engineer that came to Leadville, and with Horace Tabor founded Leadville in 1877. Together August Meyer and Horace Tabor invested and became rich in the Leadville mines.
In 1881, August and Emma Meyer sold their home on Harrison Ave. to the Methodist Church to be used as a parsonage [4] until 1885 when Ellen and Patrick Kelly purchased it for their family. Claire was 5 years old and Belle was 3 when they moved into their new home.
"Leadville never sleeps. The theatres close at three in the morning. The dance houses and liquor shops are never shut. The highwayman patrols the street in quest of drunken prey. The policeman treads his best to and fro. The music at the beer halls is grinding low. A party of carousers is reeling through the streets. A mail coach has just arrived. There is a merry party opposite the public school. A sick man is groaning in the agonies of death. Carbonate Hill with her scores of brightly blazing fires is Argus-eyed. Three shots heard down below the old court house. A woman screams. There is a fight in a State Street casino. The sky is cloudless. A man stand dreaming in front of the Windsor looking at the stars... he is away from home. A barouche holding two men and two women comes rushing up Chestnut Street. Another shot is heard down near the city jail. A big forest fire lights up the mountains at the head of Iowa gulch." (2) . To put a perspective on the Leadville environment at this time - in October of 1880 the homicide rate of Leadville was ten times greater than that of Chicago in 1929.
In about October 1879 Ellen became pregnant with her first child. According to the DeArment account [3] during the beginning months of her pregnancy, her husband Patrick Kelly was serving as Leadville's city Marshal until December when he quit and opened a saloon in Leadville called the "Kelly and Tully" located at 10 W 2d [9] According to the City Directory that year, Patrick and Ellen were also living at the location of their saloon.
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| In the spring of 1880 the above event occurred between the newly released marshal and the new law officers that replaced him. [13] |
On May 12, 1880 Ellen gave birth to her first child, a daughter named Ellen Claire Kelly. She would be known as Claire through out her life.
Claire Kelly, at age 21 would marry Frank Smith in Texas where she will have four children and remain for the rest of her life.
On August 5, 1881 Belle Helen Kelly arrived just sixteen months after her sister Claire. Belle Kelly would become a school teacher and loved dancing and music. She would marry Fred Harrison McGinnis at age 35, but not have any children.
The years of 1885 to 1887 were eventful years for Ellen, Patrick and their family. Leadville's growth had continued and the population was about 40,000 people. Patrick was appointed for a second time as Leadville's city marshal in 1885, providing them with enough money to purchase a two-story, greek revival home, located on Harrison Avenue.
The home was seven years old, having been built in 1878 by August R. Meyer for his new bride Emma. August Meyer was a prominent mining engineer that came to Leadville, and with Horace Tabor founded Leadville in 1877. Together August Meyer and Horace Tabor invested and became rich in the Leadville mines.
In 1881, August and Emma Meyer sold their home on Harrison Ave. to the Methodist Church to be used as a parsonage [4] until 1885 when Ellen and Patrick Kelly purchased it for their family. Claire was 5 years old and Belle was 3 when they moved into their new home.
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| Leadville City Directory, 1885 - Patrick become's Leadville's City Marshal for a second time. [10] |
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| Patrick Kelly again appears as Leadville's city marshal in 1885 then as the Foreman of Leadville's Fire Departments at the Hook and Ladder Company, station #1 in 1886-87. In 1886, Patrick left law enforcement and began working as the foreman for Leadville's fire department, the Hook and Ladder Company, Station #1. About this time Patrick and Ellen began taking in boarders in their two-story home, and soon it became known as the "Kelly Place" on the hill. [5]
Early in the year of 1895, Ellen was pregnant, expecting their third child. She was living in their boardinghouse with her family, Patrick, two daughters Mary and Belle, her brother Daniel and cousin, Nellie. About May 25th she went into labor. It was a hard birth and during the process she delivered a son who they named Patrick Kelly after his father and grandfather, sadly he died at birth. Ellen Healy Kelly died the same day as her son, on May 25, 1895. Ellen's services were held at the Roman Catholic Church of Annunciation chapel in Leadville, Colorado.
Ellen Healy's young son, Patrick Kelly was buried in Leadville's Evergreen cemetery on May, 25, 1895. [6] Ellen Healy Kelly was buried in the St. Joseph Catholic cemetery on May, 25, 1895 [7]
Four days after Ellen's death, this article written by Ellen's husband, Patrick A. Kelly appeared in Leadville's Herald Democrat newspaper, " The Late Mrs. Kelly, A Card of Thanks From the Husband of the Deceased Lady, To the Editors: "Permit me, through the columns of your paper, to return thanks to Mrs. Peter Jennings, Mrs. William Dougherty, Mrs. Peter Dempsey, Mrs. Al McCurdy, Mrs. W.S. Parker, Mrs. Jos Doyle, Mrs. Chambers, Mrs. M.E. Brady, Mrs. Cotter, Mrs. Shannon, Mrs. Frank Mullen and all of those kind friends and neighbors who during the illness of my wife, did all that was in their power to ame--rate her sufferings and soothe her dying moments, and who have aided me in bearing up under the terrible affliction that has fallen upon my household. It is also my desire to return thanks to the member of the choir of the Church of the Annunciation. P.A. Kelly, Leadville, May 28, 1895" [5] |
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Sources
(1) Eugene F. Irey, A Social History of Leadville, Colorado During the Boom Days 1877- 1881
(2) Diane Dufva, Fact vs. Fiction: Leadville Colorado
(2) Diane Dufva, Fact vs. Fiction: Leadville Colorado
(3) Mart Duggan, Wikipedia.org
The wikipedia article about Mart Duggan where the history of Patrick A Kelly's service as Leadville's town marshal is taken from the book, Deadly Dozen: Forgotten Gunfighters of the Old West, vol. 1, by Robert K DeArment. DeArment states that Patrick A Kelly served as marshal for only two terms from April to December of 1879.
* DeArment's account of Patrick Kelly conflicts with Leadville Colorado's 1885 census and the Leadville City Directories in 1885 and 1886 where Patrick Kelly is listed as Leadville's city Marshal.
The wikipedia article about Mart Duggan where the history of Patrick A Kelly's service as Leadville's town marshal is taken from the book, Deadly Dozen: Forgotten Gunfighters of the Old West, vol. 1, by Robert K DeArment. DeArment states that Patrick A Kelly served as marshal for only two terms from April to December of 1879.
* DeArment's account of Patrick Kelly conflicts with Leadville Colorado's 1885 census and the Leadville City Directories in 1885 and 1886 where Patrick Kelly is listed as Leadville's city Marshal.
[4] The Healy House brochure, 1945 - In possession of Alyce Armstrong and found on Nellie Healy's biography page.
[5] Obituary of Patrick A. Kelly, The Herald Democrat, Friday Dec. 24, 1915
[6] Who's Where in Leadville's Evergreen Cemetery, 1981, Lake County Public Library, Leadville Colorado, page 193;
There is only "Kelly" surname buried in Leadville's Evergreen cemetery in 1895 the listing shows: "Infant Kelley, death May 25, 1895 listed as stillborn, block 14, lot 5, grave 7, section CF, no marker; Because this infant died on the same day as Ellen Healy Kelly it is likely he is her baby.
There is only "Kelly" surname buried in Leadville's Evergreen cemetery in 1895 the listing shows: "Infant Kelley, death May 25, 1895 listed as stillborn, block 14, lot 5, grave 7, section CF, no marker; Because this infant died on the same day as Ellen Healy Kelly it is likely he is her baby.
[7] Who's Where in Leadville's Catholic Cemeteries, 1881-1981, Covers Mount Holy Cross, St. Joseph's, Granite, Twin Lakes, Lake County Public Library, Leadville Colorado, page 111;
May 25, 1895, Ellen Kelly, age 44, block F, lot 1, there is a marker, Saint Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.
May 25, 1895, Ellen Kelly, age 44, block F, lot 1, there is a marker, Saint Joseph's Catholic Cemetery.
[8] Colorado Mansions and Castles, by Linda Wommack
[9] Corbett, Hoye and Co's Leadville City Directory, 1880,
PA Kelly residing at residence 110 W 2d; Kelly and Tully Saloon
located at 110 W 2d, owners P.A. Kelly and P.A. Tully. The Saloon Kelly and Tully Saloon is not recorded in the 1881 directory.
PA Kelly residing at residence 110 W 2d; Kelly and Tully Saloon
located at 110 W 2d, owners P.A. Kelly and P.A. Tully. The Saloon Kelly and Tully Saloon is not recorded in the 1881 directory.
[10] Corbett and Ballenger's Leadville City Directory, 1885
Patrick A. Kelly is listed as city Marshal, located at the County Court House, west side Harrison Ave. between fifth and sixth streets.
Patrick A. Kelly is listed as city Marshal, located at the County Court House, west side Harrison Ave. between fifth and sixth streets.
Jailer - George Lechmere, located in the rear- County Court house.
The 1886 directory lists JA Lamping- Sheriff; Donald S. Cameron- Jailer
[11] Corbett and Ballenger's Leadville City Directory, 1886 ,1887
Patrick Kelly, Foreman at Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, 704 Harrison Ave
Patrick Kelly, Foreman at Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1, 704 Harrison Ave
Also mining.
[12] Corbett and Ballenger's Leadville City Directory 1887
Daniel Healy working as a letter carrier for the Post Office, Patrick Kelly is the foreman for the Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1; both living at 704 Harrison Ave.
[13] . Leadville Weekly Democrat, Vol. 1, February 21, 1880; Ex Marshal "P.A. Kelly to the Front"
Daniel Healy working as a letter carrier for the Post Office, Patrick Kelly is the foreman for the Hook and Ladder Co. No. 1; both living at 704 Harrison Ave.
[13] . Leadville Weekly Democrat, Vol. 1, February 21, 1880; Ex Marshal "P.A. Kelly to the Front"
