She emigrated from Ireland (County Armagh?) and first came to Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois in 1845, according to one family story; it was in 1847 according to the 1900 census. The passenger list of the Ship Scotia, arriving in New York City in December 1848 from Belfast, Ireland shows an "Anne Jane Robinson," female child of 15 or 5 years of age, arriving by herself, with no other Robinsons, but it is not clear that this is the same person, as the ages don't match up.

Marriage records at the Boone County Courthouse in Belvidere, Illinois show a marriage between Jane Robinson and Alexander Kelly performed by R. N. Wright, minister, on 26 April 1849. Alexander Kelly was also an Irish immigrant. They had 14 children born in Belvidere and in Kansas, where they relocated. She and her husband spent their last years together on their farm near Clare, Johnson County, Kansas.

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DEATH OF MRS. A. KELLY, SR.
Just as The Mirror is going to press Wednesday at 2:30 p.m., word comes from Clare announcing the death of Mrs. Alex Kelly, Sr., aged about 80 years. Deceased is the mother of Mrs. Will Ryan [Sarah Ann Kelly] of Olathe.

[The Olathe Mirror (Olathe, Kansas), Thursday, January 12, 1911, page 4]

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Mrs. Alex Kelly Sr.

Jane Robison [sic] was born in Ireland, May 26, 1829, and came to America at the age of 16 years [c.1845], and lived at Bevidere, Illinois. She was united in marriage to Alexander Kelly, April 26, 1849.

They remained at Belvidere until the spring of 1859 when they moved to Olathe, Kansas, living there until 1861 at which time they located on what is known as the "Alex Kelly homestead" near Clare, Kansas. Here they lived until three years ago, the time of her husband's death, when she moved to the home of her daughter, Mrs. G. B. Dent.

Living to the ripe old age of 81 years, 7 months and 16 days, having died on January 1, 1911. [Sic; her granddaughter, Edith Kelly Johnson, noted: "she died on my birthday - January 11." A January 11 deathdate yields the birthdate given in this clipping's first sentence.]

Of this marriage fourteen children were born, all of which are living except two. The oldest dying September 24, 1873, and the youngest which died at birth.

Her husband, Alex Kelly died December 31, 1907.

Mrs. Kelly joined the Presbyterian church at Olathe, Kansas, in 1871 and was still a member at the time of her death. --Gardner Gazette

[Undated, unidentified newspaper clipping from family files]

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The burial of Mrs. Alex Kelly, Sr. of Clare, who died at the home of her daughter in Gardner, Wednesday of last week, took place on Saturday [January 14, 1911]. The funeral was held at the Presbyterian church in Gardner at 10 o'clock. The body was brought to Olathe for interment in the Olathe cemetery. Mrs. Kelly's age was 81 years, 7 months and 21 days."

[The Olathe Mirror (Olathe, Kansas), Thursday, January 19, 1911]

[The above newspaper item yields a calculated birthdate of 21 May 1829.]

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