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Henry Kelly
Mitchell County
Born in Dublin, Ireland, October 5, 1831. When he was seven years old his parents moved, to America. His father engaged in the manufacture of cloth in Philadelphia and New York. Henry resided with his parents until he was 23, having succeeded to the superintendency of his father's factory when but 14 years old. He followed the tide of immigration westward and located at Decorah. Here in 1861, he was married to Miss Celestina Butler. While at Decorah he was engaged in steel manufacturing on a large scale. In 1868 the family removed to Osage where he began the manufacture of plows and other machinery on a larger scale. In 1887 he removed to Waterloo and established the flourishing business which he was connected with at be time of his death, the Kelly & Taneyhill Well Drilling Company. In 1874 he was elected to represent Mitchell County in the General Assembly of Iowa. He early espoused the temperance cause and aided greatly in banishing saloons from Osage. When in the legislature he fathered a bill which provided that no brewery or manufactory of intoxicating liquors should he located within two miles of any town where saloons were prohibited. This was a direct blow at a brewery located about a mile from Osage which gave the citizens considerable trouble after they had banished the saloons. The bill was enacted. He was always an energetic worker and member of the M.E. church and has been trustee of that denomination for years. He was a member of the city council of Waterloo for two terms.
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