Second Generation

The name "Francis" originates from Latin and it means "from France". A great many Land Gentry Irish moved to France after their defeat in 1691 in the Williamette War so it may be his grandparents or great grandparents moved to France in 1691 where they were converted and became Huguenots and then came to Virginia to settle with other Huguenots.  Because his father, William Kelley, appears in the 1752 Lunenburg  Co Tithes list, it is likely Francis was born in the portion of Lunenburg that became Mecklenburg Co in 1765. He is only known to make a mark as his signature but what we must understand is at the time his father and mother came from western Ireland, English was rarely spoken, most native Irish spoke Gaelic and read and wrote in Latin a language that most all nations used for common communication. 

He served in the military American Revolution in 1776–1782. DAR Ancestor #: A085954 He owned property in 1805 in Oglethorpe Co, GA that he received in the Land Lottery.  Francis appeared in the census in 1830.  He died on 16 April 1838 in Oglethorpe Co, GA. Soldier ~ Georgia
DAR Patriot Index:
Born 31 Aug 1761 in VA
Died 16 Apr 1838 in GA
Married Delilah Crowder
source http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gaogleth/patriots.htm

Delilah Crowder²² was born on 6 July 1765²⁰ . She died in 1824. Francis and Delilah were married in Mecklenburg VA May 25, 1785.  Francis is listed as Francis Kelley.  The Crowder name is of English origins meaning one who plays the fiddle but it is very unlikely an English Crowder would have permitted his daughters to marry the lowly Irish so it is far more likely that Delilah's family were of the Crowders who settled in eastern Ireland sometime after the 1600s then came to America with the Scots Irish many generations later.

Some researchers think that the Kelly and Kelley spellings are just mistakes, that our first generation of ancestors were dumb ignorant hayseeds who didn't know how to read, write, or spell but I have great doubts that could be true. As far back as the 1500s there was a push in Ireland to teach the Irish upper and middle class English and encourage them to spell their names in English.  I believe Kelley is how our first generation spelled their names but we do know that Benjamin was still using the name Kelly seventy five years after our Revolutionary War so it does appear that not all of this first generation was in agreement on how our last name was to be spelled.

Book Authors J Fred O'Kelly and Alethea Jane Macon both mention in their books that some believe James was the name of our ancestor who came from Ireland and settled in Virginia.  My investigation of this has caused me to believe this originated in this family and it is likely because Francis and Delilah named their first born son James.  I don't think James was named after Francis's father, Francis was the last son to be born and the tradition is the first grandson is named after the grandfather and the first grandson was born seven years before James and his name was William.

A John Kelly, Frances, Delilah and George Crowder are mentioned in Folder 8. Marriage Records. 1967 of the Rev James O'Kelly collection at Elon University but based upon the above marriage record dated Dec 6, 1804 I believe this to be a later generation of Crowders who may or not be related to this Delilah Crowder.  So why are they in the Rev James Collection?  Just a guess but he may have been the minister that married them. The Crowder's have an early history in America.  Francis O'Kelly and Delilah Crowder had the following children:

+42	i.	James O'Kelly22.   Probably named after Rev James O'Kelley who was living in Mecklenburg and was rather famous at the time.
43	ii.	Martha O'Kelly22  "Patsy"  is a nickname for Martha
44	iii.	Delilah O'Kelly22 was born in 1801. She died in 1870.
45	iv.	Francis Dean O'Kelly.  Probably named after his father.
+46	v.	George O'Kelly22 was born in 1797. He died in 1806. Probably named after his maternal grandfather, George Crowder.
47	vi.	Thomas O'Kelly22.  he may be named after Thomas Deane of Galway Ireland.
+48	vii.	Richard O'Kelly22   he may be named after Richard Crowder or after Richard Deane a comptroller for Galway Ireland.
49	viii.	Polly C. O'Kelly22 was born in 1804.  Polly is a nickname for Mary.
50	ix.	Benjamin O'Kelly22 was born in Aug 14, 1806 in GA.  He died in 1878 in Gwinnett Co. GA.. He is believed to have owned a large estate.