David Marsh Kelly (February 11, 1841 – disappeared January 21, 1916) was an American lawyer and Republican politician. He was the 29th speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly and also served in the Wisconsin State Senate, representing Brown County. He disappeared mysteriously in 1916 and was never heard from again.

David M. Kelly
29th Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office
January 1879 – January 1880
Preceded byAugustus Barrows
Succeeded byAlexander A. Arnold
Member of the Wisconsin Senate
from the 2nd district
In office
January 5, 1880 – January 2, 1882
Preceded byThomas R. Hudd
Succeeded byThomas R. Hudd
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
from the Brown 1st district
In office
January 1, 1877 – January 5, 1880
Preceded byMitchell Resch
Succeeded byBenjamin Fontaine
Personal details
Born(1841-02-11)February 11, 1841
Hamilton, Massachusetts, U.S.
Diedafter January 21, 1916(1916-01-21) (aged 74)
Political partyRepublican
Spouse
Catherine H. "Kate" Herbert
(m. 1882)
ProfessionLawyer
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Volunteers
Union Army
RankQuartermaster
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War

Early years edit

Kelly was born on February 11, 1841, in Hamilton, Massachusetts. After serving with the Union Army during the American Civil War, he moved to Appleton, Wisconsin, in 1867 before settling in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the following year.[1]

Legislative career edit

After having been a member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1877 and 1878, Kelly was Speaker of the Assembly in 1879. From 1880 to 1881, he represented the 2nd District in the Senate. He was a Republican.[1]

Disappearance edit

Kelly returned to Massachusetts in 1884. In February 1916, he was reported to have disappeared, having last been seen on January 21 in his office in Boston, from which he was thought to be taking a train to his home in Sharon, Massachusetts.[2] He was not found despite an intensive search, including hired detectives, and in September of that year members of his Civil War regiment discussed his disappearance at their annual reunion.[3] Linwood Cemetery in Haverhill, Massachusetts, has a cenotaph memorial to Kelly.[citation needed]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin. David Atwood. 1880. p. 484. Retrieved 2015-09-27.
  2. ^ "Where is Mr. Kelly?". Oshkosh Northwestern. Oshkosh, Wisconsin. February 29, 1916. p. 11. Retrieved November 20, 2023 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Veterans Weep Over Missing Comrade". The Boston Globe. September 20, 1916. p. 3. Retrieved January 22, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
Wisconsin State Assembly
Preceded by
Mitchell Resch
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly from the Brown 1st district
January 1, 1877 – January 5, 1880
Succeeded by
Preceded by Speaker of the Wisconsin State Assembly
January 1879 – January 1880
Succeeded by
Wisconsin Senate
Preceded by Member of the Wisconsin Senate from the 2nd district
January 5, 1880 – January 2, 1882
Succeeded by
Thomas R. Hudd