Franklin Kelly was the son of Robert Burns Kelly Sr b 1814 Darlington Co SC d 15 MAR 1857 Lavaca Co TX bur 16 MAR 1857 Lavaca Co TX Old Montserrat Cem & Delilah Oldham b ABT 1819 Yazoo Co Ms d JUL 1882 Lavaca Co TX. Delilah's father, Elias Oldham, was the son of James Oldham and his unknown first wife. Mary Ann Greenlee Oldham was the daughter of Peter Greenlee and Deborah Willis. Delilah Oldham Kelly, her first ancestor in that line who came to Northumberland Co VA 1619 was a man named Thomas deGascoigne. Getting back into England the line traces through several of the Norman families to William the Conquerer.
Robert Kelly Sr was the son of James Kelly Jr of SC, War of 1812 Vet.
James Kelly Jr was the son of James 'Blackhead' Kelly Sr of SC and Sarah.
James 'Blackhead' Kelly was the son of James Kelly b 1736 NC m Ms Evans d Wayne Co MS 1790.

Robert Kelly and Delilah Oldham were the first couple married May 25 1834 Carroll Co. They came to Lavaca Co 1851. Robert was killed in a knife fight with Newton Hicks while attending a dance by W A Stubbs. Bird Kelly and Johnny Smothers avenged his death by killing Stubbs and Stubbs' brother-in-law, James A Tucker in a shoot-out on the Hallettsville square. Bird spent 5yo in Huntsville.

Franklin mrd Mary Frances STRIBLING Jan 1859 Goliad Co TX they had 3 children.

1870 US Fed Census about Frank C Kelly Est Birth Year: abt 1835 Age 1870: 35 Birthplace: Miss Home 1870: Lavaca Texas Race: White Gender: Male
Household Members: Name Age
Frank C Kelly 35 Columbus
Mary F Kelly 34 Mollie Frances Stribling
Robert B Kelly 10 Burns
Bird Kelly 6 Charles Franklin
Cora B Kelly 4 Bell

i. Robert Burns KELLY2 b 11 NOV 1860 Lavaca Co TX d 18 JAN 1887 Hallettsville Lavaca Co TX
+ Elizabeth Lizzie Adelaide SMOTHERS 19 FEB 1881 DeWitt Co TX b 11 MAR 1866 Lavaca Co TX d 7 FEB 1933 Lavaca Co TX.
after he was killed, she mrd 2nd to John McElroy

ii. Charles Bird Franklin KELLY b 15 NOV 1863 Lavaca Co TX d 3 APR 1930 Lavaca Co TX
+ Virginia Jennie SMOTHERS 7 MAR 1889 Lavaca Co TX b FEB 1868 Lavaca Co TX d MAR 1927.
[Lizzie & Jennie were sisters & their brother was their husband's sis Cora's lst husband, Johnny W Smothers]

iii.Cora Bell KELLY b 16 NOV 1865 Lavaca Co TX d 15 MAY 1946 Jackson Co TX
+1 Johnny Wesley SMOTHERS 15 DEC 1881 Lavaca Co TX b 13 DEC 1861 Lavaca Co TX killed OCT 28 1894 Lavaca Co TX. [6 children: Stepp Stoner, E.D., Robert Kelly, Johnnie Lilly, Zee and Birdie.]
After Johnny was killed Cora +2Thomas Lacy Upchurch Jun 4 1899 b Sep 1 1857 TX Apr 14 1915 3 sons
he m1 Catherine Peterson Jan 3 1878 Lavaca Co TX b 1860 d Feb 12 1891-4 kids

All the Smothers were siblings, children of John Bate Smothers Jr and Mary Ann Elizabeth Hinch, & Kelly's were siblings.

Frank Kelly mysteriously died in 1871 likely in Kansas, so said when he took some cows up there to be put on the rail cars and he fell between them and was killed. So upset Delilah would not speak of it again.
Franklin's death was so upsetting to the family that none of them could bear to talk about it. Sister Molly said he had started a herd of cattle up the trail to Kansas, waited a while then took a train to meet the herd when it arrived. She didn't know if Frank ever got to Kansas or not, but heard he either fell from the train or was thrown off the train by someone. She told her children that much, then covered her face with her hands and sobbed that it was just too terrible and she couldn't stand to talk about it.
Memorial was made later next to where his wife was buried and that is where he shall be spiritual placed for no one is ever truly going to know where his body is laid to rest. As they were one in spirit in life so shall they be in death, RIP dear Franklin, someday all shall know.