The Death of Frank Kellet

Frank who? The February 23, 1899 issue of The Albion Journal reported that Frank Kellett,...”a highly respected young farmer”... had died “very unexpectedly”, leaving a young wife and three small children. He travelled a few short miles to Grayville on Wednesday...”apparently in his usual health”... and took sick upon returning home and died...”within a few hours”. Mrs. Kellett was reported to be at the home of her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Green. Another article in the same issue reported that Mr. Kellett was buried on Friday at the Ridge Cemetery.

Joseph Green was a wealthy businessman and farmer and former sheriff of Edwards County. The sheriff of the county also served as the tax collector for the county during those years. The widow, Kate Green Kellett, was my grandfather’s step-mom. My grandfather nor anyone else in the family mentioned this while I was growing up!

Actually, Joe Dixon (Jr.), himself a widower after the death of his wife Mina Kershaw Dixon not long after the birth of their last child, Lucy, didn’t marry Mrs. Kellett for several years. So my grandfather’s sister, “Aunt Alice”, helped her dad raise the remaining kids. “Aunt Lucy”, still a baby, was farmed out to relatives for the first 10 years or so of her life. My grandfather was a young teen when Joe (Jr.) and Kate were married.

The March 2, 1899 issue reported that Mr. Kellett left a life insurance policy of $5,000. It was not unusual for this kind of fact to reported in the newspaper. That same issue reported that Mr. Joseph Green had posters printed advertising a sale of the personal property of Mr. Kellett at the farm of the deceased. The sale was scheduled for March 23rd. A legal notice appeared in the March 9 issue saying...” J. Green will appear at county court of Edwards Co.-in Albion-at the May term-at which all persons having claims against said estate...”

When my mom died, an uncomplicated probate process took 16 months to complete.

So both of my dad’s parents lived for some time with a step-mom. I’m thinking my grandpa got the better end of the step-mom deal. Just saying.