Four Families Through Georgia:Information about Thomas O'Kelley
Thomas O'Kelley (b. Abt. 1750, d. September 1818)
 | NC Rev. War pay voucher. |
Thomas O'Kelley (son of Thomas O'Kelley and Elizabeth Dean) was born Abt. 1750 in King & Queen County, VA, USA, and died September 1818 in Madison County, Georgia, USA.He married Elizabeth Wyers on May 05, 1785 in Granville County, NC, USA, daughter of William Wyers.
Notes for Thomas O'Kelley:Source: National Archives.
Thomas, Jr., served in the North Carolina Militia during the Revolutionary War.His Revolutionary pay records are in the North Carolina Archives.
After the war he married Elizabeth Wyers in Granville County. Their marriage bond in the amount of 500 pounds was made on May 4, 1785. John Wadkin was bond for Thomas (O')Kelley. Even though Thomas' surname is given as Kelley, there is little doubt that this is Thomas O'Kelley, Jr.Thomas and Elizabeth's son, William, named a daughter Mary Wyers O'Kelley.My great-grandfather, John Pendleton O'Kelley, named a son William Wires O'Kelley (sounds like Wyers).
Thomas, Jr. and Elizabeth moved to Warren County, North Carolina, located to the east of Granville County: it is a county that also has a border common with Virginia.He was living near his brothers who resided in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, close to his brother Benjamin in Warren County and not far from Elizabeth's family in Granville County. Thomas and Elizabeth O'Kelley may have moved from Granville County to Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and lived there for a short time.If this is correct, it would have been between the sojourn in Granville and their moving to Warren.
Tax rolls of Mecklenburg show a Thomas O'Calley in that county in 1789.In later years, two of his children, Thomas Dean born about 1788, and James born March 19, 1791 reported to census enumerators that they were born in Virginia.So it is likely that this Thomas O'Calley was Thomas O'Kelley, Jr.But it could have been Thomas O'Kelley, Sr.!
Thomas O'Kelley was not on the tax rolls of Granville or Warren Counties in 1787.In 1788 Thomas [O]Kelley was listed on the tax rolls of Granville County as were his friend, Thomas Collins, and John Penn "The Signer."All three men were from Caroline County, VA. and lived in Island Creek District in Granville, Co.He was listed in Warren County in 1789 but the duplicate listing in Mecklenburg and Warren could be due to tax collection timing differences.These facts mean that Thomas [O]Kelly moved his family from Granville Co., NC to Mecklenburg Co., VA sometime in 1788-1789.
Location of Thomas O'Kelley over time is as follows:
1750 - born in King & Queen County, VA.
1775 - as a single man he moved to Granville County, NC.
1776 - Served in the North Carolina Militia.
1785 - Married Elizabeth Wyers in Granville, County, NC.
1786 - Francis D. born.
1788 - Sold land in Granville County, NC.
1788 - Moved his family to Mecklenburg County, VA where two of his sons were born.
(Thomas Dean ca. 1788 & James 1791.)
More About Thomas O'Kelley and Elizabeth Wyers:
Marriage: May 05, 1785, Granville County, NC, USA.
Children of Thomas O'Kelley and Elizabeth Wyers are:
- +Francis D. O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1786, d. Aft. 1840, Walton County, Georgia, USA.
- Polly O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1787, d. date unknown, Y.
- Thomas Dean O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1788, VA, d. Abt. 1863.
- James O'Kelley, b. March 19, 1791, VA1046, d. January 12, 1874, Walton County, Georgia, USA1047.
- Sarah O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1793, d. date unknown, Y.
- +William O'Kelley, b. June 03, 1795, NC, d. October 17, 1871, Hall County Georgia, USA.
- Ann O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1796, d. date unknown.
- Reaney O'Kelley, b. Abt. 1806, d. date unknown, Y.
- +John Pendleton O'Kelley, b. July 18, 1808, Oglethorpe County, Georgia, USA, d. February 14, 1878, White County, Georgia, USA.