Second Generation

Alethea Jane Macon in her book gives Charles birth order as born after Benjamin but she gives his year of birth before Benjamin and I believe that after writing her book but before it was published that Alethea Jane Macon likely believed Charles was younger and she had good reason to believe such as George Welborn O'Kelley's family bible gives his grandfather's year of birth as about 1760, but I believe something occurred to cause Ms Macon to believe he was born in 1756 and having her book already typed it would be a great labor to reorder Charles and Benjamin and their descendants so it is likely she just added the 1756 date of birth and left the order in her book as she originated created it.  Alethea Jane Macon was experienced at writing books about families so I find it unacceptable to think that she just made a mistake.

Charles like his brothers was 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 reading and writing were the past time of the more affluent as the common Irish were too busy with survival to devote any time towards an expense leisure.   Many learned Irish read and wrote in Latin a language that most all nations used for common communication.  What is know is the next generation, Charles's sons appear to be educated which I think would not be possible if Charles and his brothers came from a poor Irish family.  Education wasn't valued with the poor, it was a past time of the wealthy lords who oppressed the poor.

In Gaelic Irish the name Charles is spelled Searlas but was sometimes used for Cormac and Cathal and the name is rare in Irish Kelley families, only four appear in Dr O'Donovan's book written about the line of O'Kelleys that DNA indicates is ours.  The grandson of Colla O'Kelley the 7th Lord of Screen was named Charles and he died in 1695 or 61 years before my grandfather Charles O'Kelley was born leaving a son named Denis, a name that also appears in our first American born family.  It is certainly possible that Col Charles O'Kelley was the great, great uncle of my grandfather Charles's, a great many descendants of the Screen family do not appear in the well published Pedigree of Screen, mostly only those who inherited or did something notable appear.  And while DNA seems to indicate the Screen family can not be my line, it may also be that DNA is confirming that the established Pedigree connects the family line of Screen to the wrong ancestor but because the name Charles most often appears in our early family as Charles Dean I suspect this name may not have originated from our Irish O'Kelley  ancestors but from Elizabeth Deane's family as living in Halifax County before my grandfather's birth was a Charles Deane likely the brotehr of Elizabeth and he was a large land owner, the kind of person relations desire to name their children after.  Charles appeared to be a young man with considerable resources for he was 22 when he married, owned land very near that time, and at the age of 23 he had the finances to hire a substitute to serve in the Mecklenburg Militia in his stead. 

 Charles died young in Nov 1810 and he and his wife are buried just south of Comer Ga and just inside Oglethorpe Co in the O'Kelley Whitehead Cemetery ⁶.  Because his father, William Kelley, appears in the 1752 Lunenburg  Co Tithes list, it is likely Charles was born in the portion of Lunenburg that became Mecklenburg Co in 1765.  Charles Dean O'Kelley was my 5th great grandfather.

34.006711 -83.119172
Photos by Joyce Lambert, 4th Great-granddaughter of Charles and Mary

Revolutionary War Records for a Charles Kelly, 8th Virginia
Charles gravestone was set by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1982 and it states he served in the 8th Virginia Regiment in 1776–1777.5 A  It seems certain that he never used the O'Kelley spelling that appears on his gravestone and DAR record and it is likely that if he learned to read and write he used Kelly before our revolution and O'Kelly sometime after.  Our national archives does have the below records of a Charles Kelly who served from September 1776 to April 1777 in the 8th Virginia, 10 Company commanded by Captain William Crogrhan a man born in Dublin Ireland and the nephew to a rather famous George Croghan also an Irishman.  The Daughters of the American Revolution Ancestor #A085952 gives its source for Charles's service in the 8th Virginia as Author John H Gwathmey and from his book titled  HIST REG OF VA IN THE REV, Vol 1 P. 437.  I have  seen the brief entry in this book and it lists Charles Kelly 8 Vir CL.  The DAR also has a note affixed of a substitution and we find at the bottom of this page a copy of a Virginia Militia 1779 roster formed in Mecklenburg Co VA and it records that a John Farrar substituted for Charles Kelley.
			Charles Kelly severed in the 8th Virginia Regiment 10th Company and he was listed as a deserter on May 18, 1777 (see records to the left).  He is the only Charles Kelly that appears on the muster rolls of the 8th Virginia Reg.  Also appearing on the rolls with him is Benjamin Kelly and according to Alethea Jane Macon this is Charles and his brother Benjamin born in 1758.  I have found nothing that disputes her claim.  The company commander was Captain William Croghan'sB born 1752 in Dublin Ireland and immigrated to America when only 16 being sponsored by his rather famous uncle, George Croghan. Reportedly Croghan first served as a British officer but later formed his 8th Virginia 10th company in April 1776 near Ft Pitt which is at the far extreme edge of West Virginia and is Pittsburg PA today.  The 10th company was also known as the Germany company because most of its recruits came from the German immigrates living in that area.  Charles join many months after the 10th was formed so he was likely a replacement to fill the ranks.  During his service many of the 8th contracted malaria and smallpox and this could be a reason that Charles is listed as a deserter, he may have been so ill that once they returned to Virginia in April 1777 he had to go home to try to get well. Charles Kelley appears on a Virginia State Militia roll that was formed at Mecklenburg in 1779  and I feel confident that this was indeed my 5th great grandfather.  It is interesting because a substitute named John Farrar is listed as serving in the place of Charles.  It appears Charles had the resources to hire someone to serve his duty for him.  The Militia was commanded by Captain Reuban Vaughn.  You can see the full roster including my grandfather's name on that roster and he is listed as a double "e" Kelley.  Also on the Roster are two Crowders who in 1779 were likely related to Mary Crowder the wife of Charles.
~ Charles O'Kelley ~ Private ~ Virginia DAR Patriot Index: Born c1756 in VA Died before November 1810 in GA Married Mary Crowder Marker at O'Kelly/Whitehead Cemetery: GPS 34.006711 -83.119172 Charles O'Kelley 8 Va Regt Rev. War 1756 - 1810 source http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~gaogleth/patriots.htm

Georgia Archives lists Charles O'Kelley as receiving land in the Headright system.