Irish Rebel Songs from the Diary of John F. Kelly
John Felix Kelly was born on August 31, 1845 in Borrisokane, Ireland. He came to New York in 1865 because of the Irish Potato famine and he was in Galveston, Texas by 1867,. John F. Kelly then moved to Cincinnati, Texas and married Mary Catherine “Kate” Smith in 1892. John and Kate had four children. John was a Catholic and Catherine came from a Protestant family. After the town of Cincinnati dissolved, John F. Kelly and his family moved to south Walker County. Kelly built a sawmill several miles North of New Waverly, Texas. John F. Kelly later died as results of injuries he sustained when a boiler exploded at the mill.
The John F. Kelly Collection (1866-2007; one box) contains the original diary of John Felix Kelly, an early Walker County settler. His personal diary includes perspectives on events, weather, east Texas terrain, and people. The diary includes songs, scientific problems, surveying procedures, and medical treatments. The John F. Kelly Collection also contains photographs, correspondence, and additional documents that relate to John F. Kelly and his family.
View a detailed finding aid of his collection at Sam Houston State University’s Archon page and see just what materials are in the collection.
John F. Kelly Papers, 1866-2007
View digitized material from his collection at Sam Houston State University’s Digital Collections page
Out of the Box! 