Cornelia A. (Messler) Kelsey
Cornelia A. (Messler) Kelsey, farmer, P.O. Waynesville, Warren Co.; born in New Jersey Nov. 24, 1813, and came to Ohio in 1832. She married Mr. John S. Kelsey, November 2, 1837. From this union were seven children, six of whom are living. Names and births of the children as follows: Hester E., born August 17, 1838; George Washington, born August 14, 1840; Wilhelmina, born February 19, 1842; Eliza Melissa, born December 14, 1843; John Albert, born January 10, 1846; Jonathan Meeker, born January 14, 1848; Charles Edward, born November 5, 1851; George Washington, died September 18, 1846; John S., died October 22, 1875. John S., son of Jessey and Hettie (Marsh) Kelsey, was born January 13, 1816. His mother was a native of new Jersey, and his father of Pennsylvania. Emigrated to Kentucky, thence to Ohio, in an early day. He married at the early age of twenty-eight; his wife at twenty. Previous to this marriage, he followed school teaching in a log house on his own land. After that his principal occupation was farming, and a very successful one, owning at one time in Washington Township 760 acres of land. He commenced lifer here with about $100. He was the father of twelve children, nine sons and three daughters, three sons and one daughter now living (July, 1881). Mrs. Cornelia Kelsey, with two daughters and the assistance of the youngest son, continues to farm the homestead. Mr. and Mrs. Kelsey were both members of the Sugar Creek Old School Baptist Church. Mr. Kelsey united with the church January 26, 1858, Mrs. Kelsey about one year afterward. Their daughter, Eliza Melissa, is also a member of the same church. A request of Mr. John S. Kelsey on his death bed was that his widow purchase and give to each one of the children (except Charles), a family Bible as near like the present one as she can procure, and after her death Charles to have the present one.
From History of Montgomery County, Ohio, W. H. Beers & Co., Chicago, 1882