Kelly Rose Ingram was born in Russell County, Kentucky to George W. Ingram Jr. and Elizabeth "Lizzie" Birch. Early records show Kelly's name was spelled "Kelley" for which some family members believe is the correct spelling and the extra "e" was dropped over time. The origin of Kelly's middle name is not entirely clear from my direct family knowledge, but from my research, his grandfather was firstly married to Sarah. E. Rose. It is not clear if or why this name would have been carried down as Kelly's middle name, as Sarah E. Rose was not the mother of Kelly's father, George W. Ingram Jr. It is possible the Rose family still had involvement with the family of Kelly's father as his grandfather's marriage to Sarah produced two children.

Kelly had several known relationships over time. He first married to Blanche Hilda Becraft on 11 Nov 1929 in Newport, Kentucky. Blanche cited that Kelly left her for no reason on 15 Jul 1935 with no food, clothing, or shelter, and that he was "associated with other woman." By 1937 Kelly is seen living with a woman named Ruby. In 1939 Kelly married his second wife, Frances P. Hixson and had 8 children be her. During this same year Kelly had a relationship with another woman which produced a child before his last marriage which he may or may not have known (details withheld for privacy reason).

The family picture of Kelly Rose Ingram matches the story told by his second wife, Frances, which I heard as a child, that "he looked like a movie star." This certainly may have attributed to his infidelity over time.

Occupation:

In the 1930s, Kelly worked for Armco Steel as a "Doubler," and in 1935 as a Steelworker, and in 1939 as a "Charger." By 1940 Kelly is listed as several occupations, a "Feeder" and "Leveler" running old coal-fed coke furnaces. By 1950 Kelly changed occupations and was a beer delivery truck driver for the Hudepohl beer company. There is no doubt that Kelly worked very hard by trade and working around furnaces took its toll.

Kelly's fleeting life was cut short due to illness. He spent months in an "Iron Lung," which is a negative pressure respirator. In the 1940s and 1950s, Polio ravaged the country, and Kelly likely suffered from respiratory complications as a result or that of his time working around coal.

Obituary:

Kelly died on the 17 August, 1954 in Middletown, Butler County, Ohio at his home at 326 Oxford State Road after a long illness. He was preceded by his daughter Patricia Ingram, and survived by his wife, Frances P. (Hixson); three daughters, Violet, Stella, and Sarah; three sons, Kelly Jr., David, and James; his father, George W. Ingram Jr. and mother Elizabeth "Lizzie" Birch; a sister Stella (Ingram) Whiteman; and three half-sisters and five half-brothers through his father's second wife, Zora Gibbs. Kelly died a week after his wife Francis lost her father, James I. Hixson. This certainly left the family in a dire financial situation after Kelly died, which changed the entire trajectory of the family and all his descendants.

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Thank you to Tom Hartman gracious support, and for originally creating the basic initial profile.