The Charles R. Kelley Family

Facts by Anna Kelley Sory

Charles R. Kelley, born September 3, 1856, was told by his doctor in the winter of 1905, that he would have to leave the North and go to a warmer climate for his health. In February of that year, he left Jackson, Michigan, and traveled to Dallas, where he set up a cement stone plant. After the family furniture arrived, his wife, Jennie Cary Kelley, and two daughters, Metha M., just 10 years old, and Anna, 8, joined him on May 1, 1906.

A good neighbor, who was roadmaster for the T. & N. O. railroad, had heard that a new college was to be built in Jacksonville, so he brought some of C. R. Kelley's stones here to show the trustees. They liked what they saw and in April, 1906, C. R. Kelley set up his plant on school property and began making the stone for the "Twin Towers" of Alexander Collegiate Institute, later to be known as Lon Morris College. The main building was demolished in recent years and a new building stands on the site.

After the school was finished, the First Methodist Church was built, and the laying of sidewalks started, one of the first being around City Park. C. R. Kelley was known throughout this area of East Texas as a concrete artisan. He was active in all causes for the betterment of Jacksonville, belonging to the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, Masonic Lodge, and was promoter of Southside Heights, one of the first residential developments of the city.

Mrs. Kelley and the girls joined him here in May, 1906, and made their home first at 510 South Jackson, the present site of a supermarket.

The Kelley home at 1201 South Jackson Street was one of the first to be built in "the Heights." The family moved into the new residence on March 10, 1910. The barn was built in the Fall of 1909, and C. R. Kelley got a chuckle out of a remark made by a passing farmer who said, "That man who built his barn first is either a German or a damn Yankee."

The first Sunday the Central Baptist Church opened for services in a little wooden church at Main and Larissa streets, the family was there, later becoming members, and C. R. Kelley served on the Board of Deacons.

Metha Kelley, who died in 1949, was an accomplished pianist, finishing first under the tutelage of Miss Ella Musgrove, an early teacher here, and continuing her study of piano and violin in Chicago and Detroit. She taught music for many years in Jacksonville and led an orchestra at her church and at Jacksonville High School. She belonged to the City Orchestra and the City Band.

C. R. Kelley died June 22, 1944, having left his mark in Jacksonville's history. Mrs. Kelley died in 1932.

They had one granddaughter, Kellene Sory, who married Morris W. Jarratt. He died May 23, 1970. She and two children reside in Houston.

Anna K. Sory has retired and resides in the home at 1201 South Jackson Street.

Early family portrait, l. to r., Mrs. Jennie Kelley, Anna, Metha and C. R. Kelley.

Concrete Artisan C. R. Kelley, in 1910, shown with stack of his now-famous concrete blocks at one of his first plants, 308 East Wilson Street.

C. R. Kelley in buggy drawn by his horse, Nell, pauses in front of the dwelling he built at 1201 South Jackson Street in 1910.