Death
of David Kelly
David Kelly, a highly
respected farmer of the Township of Woodhouse, died quite suddenly
at his farm on Thursday last, in the latter part of the afternoon.
He had gone out with a
bottle of milk to feed a sick lamb in the field. Not returning in
due time in the evening, a search party of neighbors found him
dead in the field near the flock of sheep. The sick lamb had been
fed and Mr. Kelly was on his back, apparently when death over took
him.
Deceased was 84 years of
age. In the last 10 years, although quite active, he only did odd
jobs about the farm as he may have [unreadable].
In the last year, however,
the late Mr. Kelly could not exert himself very much without
becoming exhausted.
His grandson Lawrence has
been in charge of the farming operations for some years and lived
with his grandfather and grandmother.
The coroner, Dr.
McGilvery, was called but he did not consider it necessary to call
an inquest, as the cause of death was evident. Where Mr. Kelly
fell the sharp edge of a stone embedded in the ground protruded
slightly and he received a severe injury at the bridge of the
nose. The shock from this injury, in his physical condition and
advanced age was sufficient to cause death.
The ram of the flock was
about 20 feet away from the spot where the body was found and
although this ram is quite tame and playful at times, some are of
the opinion that the animal may have butted him, but there is no
certainty.
His medical advisor had
told Mrs. Kelly that he would go suddenly, and that he could not
expect to live much longer. The first reports of his death and the
condition in which he was found were considerably exaggerated.
The late Mr. Kelly was a
fine type of gentleman, fond of his neighbors, patient and kind at
all times, and always ready to assist. He was kind to the animals
and stock upon the farm, enjoyed the work of feeding and looking
after them.
He was a Liberal in
politics and supported the farmers' cause in the recent provincial
election. He was a native of Ireland, a loyal Canadian, and was 60
years in married life on 1 Oct 1920, and have lived in Doan's
Hollow, upon the farm where he died nearly all that time.
The late Mr. Kelly was
originally a farmer by trade and for some years managed Doan's
Tannery at the Hollow.
There were six children in
the family, three sons and three daughters. He left surviving him
his widow (who is 87 years of age), two sons, David L. Kelly of
Norfolk, Virginia and W. E. Kelly, K.C., of Simcoe; and two
daughters, Mrs. Anna Kelly-Tyrrell, principal of the LaSalette
Separate School, and Madame Kelly of the Sacred Heart Convent,
Halifax; and several grandchildren and some great-grandchildren.
He had three grandsons in
military service in the late world war, one in the American Army
and two in the Canadian Army.
The funeral, which was
attended by a large number of friends and sympathizers, was held
on Saturday last, and the procession of motor cars reached the
Catholic Church in Simcoe at 10 a.m. Rev. Father Nagle celebrated
requiem high mass. Two small grandsons acted
as acolytes during the mass and another grandson,
William E. Kelly
from Peter's Seminary in London, assisted in the choir. Mrs. W. E.
Kelly (daughter-in-law) was the organist.
Several prominent Simcoe
citizens were in attendance at the church, among whom may be
mentioned:
Senator Alexander McCall,
County Treasurer Jonathan Porter,
Mayor A. A. Winter, Dr. McGilvery,
ex-Mayor Chas. A. Austin,
E.. D. Holliday,
Charles A. Terhune, and many others.
The following citizens
acted as bearers at the funeral: Hubert O'Mahony, John R. Smith, John Maxwell,
Charles Thompson, Ernest Cantelon, and
Albert Schoff.
Lawrence D. Kelly
(grandson) will continue the working of the farm. David E. Kelly,
barrister-at-law, of the firm Kelly & Porter in Simcoe, and
Leo J. Kelly of Assumption College at Sandwich, are also grandsons.
