Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly was the daughter of William H. Simpson and an unknown first wife. Mary's father and grandfather were among the first settlers of Crawford County, and family legend says that Mary's grandfather, James Simpson, blazed the first trail across the Boston Mountains along with three other men. Mary's mother died when she was young and her father remarried, to Elizabeth Hayes, and had additional children. Mary always remained close with her older sister Lucy, her only full sibling.
After the death of her father and stepmother, Mary worked as a servant in the household of James Carlile, a shoemaker in Fayetteville.
Mary Simpson was married to William Thomas Kelly on October 23, 1866, in Washington County. The couple lived there for several years before eventually settling in the town of Porter (later called Schaberg) in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Mary and her husband were known for being especially close. Her husband bought her a white mule which she would ride while he walked beside with his cane. This bond continued to their death, with Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly dying just 8 days after her husband William.
Mary is buried next to her husband in Schaberg Cemetery. Her headstone and grave are currently under a large fallen tree.
After the death of her father and stepmother, Mary worked as a servant in the household of James Carlile, a shoemaker in Fayetteville.
Mary Simpson was married to William Thomas Kelly on October 23, 1866, in Washington County. The couple lived there for several years before eventually settling in the town of Porter (later called Schaberg) in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Mary and her husband were known for being especially close. Her husband bought her a white mule which she would ride while he walked beside with his cane. This bond continued to their death, with Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly dying just 8 days after her husband William.
Mary is buried next to her husband in Schaberg Cemetery. Her headstone and grave are currently under a large fallen tree.
Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly was the daughter of William H. Simpson and an unknown first wife. Mary's father and grandfather were among the first settlers of Crawford County, and family legend says that Mary's grandfather, James Simpson, blazed the first trail across the Boston Mountains along with three other men. Mary's mother died when she was young and her father remarried, to Elizabeth Hayes, and had additional children. Mary always remained close with her older sister Lucy, her only full sibling.
After the death of her father and stepmother, Mary worked as a servant in the household of James Carlile, a shoemaker in Fayetteville.
Mary Simpson was married to William Thomas Kelly on October 23, 1866, in Washington County. The couple lived there for several years before eventually settling in the town of Porter (later called Schaberg) in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Mary and her husband were known for being especially close. Her husband bought her a white mule which she would ride while he walked beside with his cane. This bond continued to their death, with Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly dying just 8 days after her husband William.
Mary is buried next to her husband in Schaberg Cemetery. Her headstone and grave are currently under a large fallen tree.
After the death of her father and stepmother, Mary worked as a servant in the household of James Carlile, a shoemaker in Fayetteville.
Mary Simpson was married to William Thomas Kelly on October 23, 1866, in Washington County. The couple lived there for several years before eventually settling in the town of Porter (later called Schaberg) in Crawford County, Arkansas.
Mary and her husband were known for being especially close. Her husband bought her a white mule which she would ride while he walked beside with his cane. This bond continued to their death, with Mary Abbie Simpson Kelly dying just 8 days after her husband William.
Mary is buried next to her husband in Schaberg Cemetery. Her headstone and grave are currently under a large fallen tree.
