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- 1930 ROANE COUNTY CENSUS, DISTRICT 2, CEMETERY ROAD
KELLY, Dan. C.headmw40Salesman; General Store
Annie B.wifefw42
Elizabethdaufw10
Dan C., Jr.sonmw8
James G.sonmw6
Joseph R.sonmw3-4/12[Dan C. Kelly owned a radio]
Newsweek, Wed. June 4, 1975
DAN C. KELLY, SR., THE MAN BEHIND KELLYTOWN by Jimmie Turner
Dan C. Kelly, Sr., whose 86th birthday is June 14, came into theOliver Springs area about sixty years ago. Since his arrival here, acommunity has grown up around where he operated a grocery and generalstore, and that community is named "Kellytown" after him. In 1965,Kellytown was annexed into the town of Oliver Springs. The life ofDan Kelly is an integral part of the history and growth of OliverSprings.
Dan Kelly was born near Petros in 1889. He went to work for the BigBrushy Coke and Coal Company, at Petros, when he was 15 years old. Heworked both as a coal miner and also in the company store for H. Wood,owner of the mine. He says that ththe coal company was a big one. Themine was modern for its time, equipped with a powerhouse, aircompressor to pump air into the mine, and air driven drills. It had ahuge incline there to carry the coal. But he adds that coal minersdid not make much money back then.
Gaining some experience in coal mining, he came to Oliver Springs andwent into the coal business himself at Big Mountain. He was inpartnership with his wife's uncle, John Walls and nephew, CharlesWalls. They worked land that was leased from John Walls' brother, BobWalls.
Dan said that the partnership was profitable and within a matter ofmonths he saved several hundred dollars -- a good sum of money inthose days -- and sold his interest in the partnership. He went toRockwood to work with his brother, James Kelly, who operated a storethere. About the time he moved to Rockwood, he bought a seven acretract of land across from where he lives on Hannah Highway. This hebought from Bob Walls. Those days houses were less expensive. Herecalls he gave $900 for the place. It had fruit vines and trees, andhad a lovely house.
Dan Kelly says he never saw as much lumber and logs as he remembers onthe land. Harve Scandlyn later went in with ray Gaskin in this lumbercompany. About a year after the lumber company commenced business,the Harvey Hannah Highway was built through the valley.
When the new highway came through, Dan Kelly decided to build a store.Ray Gaskin sold him some lumber to build it, as he recalls $13.00 athousand, very reasonable, he adds. Ray Gaskin and Harve Scandlyn hadinterests in the store, too, and wanted to buy Dan out, but Dandecided to buy them out instead, and it was Albert Stubbs, who is nowdeceased, who loaned Dan Kelly the money to buy out the interests ofRay Gaskin and Harve Scandlyn. Roger Stubbs, son of Albert Stubbs,lives in Kellytown now, and Dan Kelly was appreciative of the helpthat his friend and neighbor, Albert Stubbs gave him. Dan says thatwhen he first started in the grocery business, he had good helpers inpeople like Mrs. Silvey Wilson, who still lives in Kellytown. Alsohis wife, Anna Byrd Kelly, who died in 1965. These two persons wereespecially industrious.
A few years later, around 1942,his business began spreading out. Hebought a new truck and delivered goods to Fork Mountain at New River,Coalfield, Petros, Harriman, and the Cove.
The weren't 50 houses when he came into the area. He finally got someoil lamp street lamps put in. Finally, he got some power lamps put in-- which as he recalled required seven or eight persons to sign arequest for them. he divided his farmland into lots and began sellinglots, and the community of Kellytown started to grow into what it istoday.
He recalls that in the early 1940's, two preachers named Luther Wilsonand Luke Wilson set up a revival tent on one of his corner lots. Heattended the tent services. The members of the congregation inquiredabout acquiring some land for a churchh. Dan Kelly told them to stepoff what land they needed for a church, to take what they needed, andhe would give it to hem. They did. That was how the church gotstarted. The members of the church named the church the FriendlyKellytown Baptist Church, which of course, is still an active churchin Kellytown. This says Dan Kelly, is one of the things I like best.It was, he says, my way of serving in a little way the Lord, thepeople, and the community. he often has visitors from the church whokiss him and he feels that the people love him as much as he lovesthem.
Although Dan Kelly has retired from his grocery business for severalyears, his son, James Kelly, and daughter in law, Carolyn Kelly,operate Kelly's store right behind where Dan Kelly lives. Dan'sdaughter in law, wife of Dan Kelly, Jr., has operated Kelly'sCommunity Market since her husband passed away in 1972. Another son,Joe Kelly, who lives in Kellytown is a Justice of the Peace in RoaneCounty.
The name Kellytown was a name given to the the community not becauseof any official action, but because the people who lived thereassociated the community with the store of and the man Dan C. Kelly,Sr. It was from him that an overwhelming numbeer of early residentsbought merchandise and groceries. It was from him that they boughttheir land, and he sold to the lots at a very fair price to them. Itwas also from the Kelly Store that the people picked up their mail.It was a natural thing for the people to choose him as the name fortheir town.
Obituary:
KELLY, DANIEL C. - - - age 86, Rt. 3, Oliver Springs, died Tuesdaymorning at his home. Member of the First Baptist Church of OliverSprings and a lifetime deacon. Retired merchant. Survivors: sons,James and Joe, both of Oliver Springs; sisters, Mrs. Maggie Edmonds ofPetros, Mrs. Bertie Francis of Chattanooga; brother Robert L. Kelly ofKnoxville; 9 grandchildren; 4 great grandchildren. Funeral services5 PM Thursday at First Baptist Church of Oliver Springs. The bodywill lie in state 1 hour before services. Rev. James Clark willofficiate. Interment in O.S. Family Cemetery. Family will receivefriends 7 to 9 PM Wednesday at Sharp Funeral Home, Oliver Springs.
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1889 - 1976 (87 years)
Siblings