Thomas J. Kelly, farmer, is a native of Clark County, Ind., born November 14, 1833, being the eldest of six children, to the marriage of Madison and Elizabeth (Patterson) Kelly, natives of Kentucky; the birth of the former occurred February 14, 1809, and his death April 21, 1857, the latter was born in 1812, and died in 1850. The paternal grandfather of Mr. Kelly was Anthony Kelly, a native of Virginia, born February 26, 1774, and his death took place February 15, 1844. The Kelly family came to Johnson County in 1837. Our subject grew to manhood on the farm, and was a student at the subscription schools. His life has been that of a farmer, and in 1875, settled on his present farm, just outside the corporation limits of Franklin. In 1861, Mr. Kelly was united in marriage to Miss Letta J. Bone, a native of Butler County, Ohio, born June 21, 1836. They have five children: Thomas E., born 1863; Smith, 1865; Harry, 1867; Lillie, 1870, and David B., 1876. He is a republican in politics, and he and wife are members of the Presbyterian Church.