Robert S. Kelley facts for kids

Robert S. Kelley was an important figure in American history during the 1800s. He supported the idea of slavery during a tough time called the Kansas-Missouri border war. He also became a state senator in Kansas and later served as a U.S. marshal in the Montana Territory.

Early Life and Work

Robert S. Kelley was born in Fredericksburg, Virginia, on January 11, 1831. When he was ten years old, he was sent to a special school in Newport, New Hampshire. But he didn't like the strict rules there and ran away.

He had no money or friends in New Hampshire. Still, he managed to travel to Lowell, Massachusetts. There, he found a job working for a newspaper called the Advertiser. He knew his parents would make him go back to school if they found him. So, he didn't contact them for five years. During this time, he learned everything about the printing business.

In 1848, he found out his family had moved to Missouri. He joined them there. For four years, he worked as a salesman in a store.

Newspaper Editor

In 1852, Kelley started his own newspaper in Liberty, Missouri. It was called the Democratic Platform. He published this paper until the Kansas–Nebraska Act was passed. This act allowed people in new territories to decide if they wanted slavery or not.

After this, Kelley stopped publishing the Democratic Platform. He then started a new newspaper in Atchison, Kansas, in 1855. This paper was called the Squatter Sovereign. It strongly supported slavery. Dr. J. H. Stringfellow joined Kelley as a partner and editor.

This was a very exciting and tense time in Kansas and Nebraska. People were arguing a lot about slavery. Kelley's paper was a main voice for the Democratic party in Kansas. It strongly supported the Southern states and slavery. Kelley said that everyone at that time was very extreme in their views. He was always arguing with people who had different political ideas.

Service During the Civil War

Robert Kelley was chosen to be a member of the State Senate. This was under a proposed government plan called the Lecompton Constitution. He represented Atchison and Doniphan counties.

However, the Congress did not approve the Lecompton Constitution. After this, Kelley sold his share of the Squatter Sovereign newspaper. He moved to Doniphan County, Kansas. There, he married Mary L. Foreman. Their first child, Mrs. Kate Napton, was born there.

Next, he worked in a store in Kansas City. He was doing this when the Civil War began. The first group of Union soldiers who came into the city took over his store. They carried away all his goods.

Soon after, Kelley joined the Missouri State Guards as a private soldier. He served under General Sterling Price. After a battle called the Battle of Pea Ridge, he was promoted to a captain. The higher-ranking officers in his regiment were killed in battle. Because of this, Kelley commanded the regiment for a long time. Later, he was assigned to help recruit new soldiers. After that, his time with the Confederate army ended.

Life in Montana

During the war, the government took away Kelley's property. He never tried to get it back. After leaving the Confederate army, he and his family moved to Montana. They arrived in Alder Gulch in 1863.

From Alder Gulch, he went to Helena. For a while, he mined for gold in Grizzly Gulch. In 1866, he moved to Bear Gulch for a short time. After that, he moved to Deer Lodge. This is where he and his family finally settled down.

For several years in Deer Lodge, he worked in business with Mr. J. S. Pemberton. He did this for about five years. Then, he became very involved in mining. Around 1872, he started working on gold mining sites in Pioneer City and Squaw Gulch. He continued working these sites for most of his life. Later, he sold most of his shares in these mines. He was also one of the first people to start the Rock Creek Ditch Co., a company that was still active when he died. At the time of his death, he also owned many other mining claims near Cable, Montana.

U.S. Marshal Role

In 1885, President Grover Cleveland appointed Kelley as the fifth United States Marshal for Montana. A U.S. Marshal is a law enforcement officer who works for the federal government. Kelley served in this job with honesty. He stayed in the position until the day President Benjamin Harrison was sworn into office. He then resigned. He believed that the new president's political party should be in charge of all federal jobs and be responsible for them.

Family and Death

When Robert Kelley passed away, he left behind his wife and seven children. Four of his children were married:

• Mrs. Kate Napton, who was married to a District Court Clerk.
• Mrs. Nannie Joslyn, who was married to Hon. C.D. Joslyn, a store manager.
• Robert Lee Kelley.
• Mrs. Georgia Hoss, who was married to Lon R. Hoss.

His three other children were still young: Florence, Howard, and Lamar.

Robert S. Kelley died in Deer Lodge, Montana, on September 19, 1890. He passed away from heart disease.