The kids are back in school and it is now September, which means summer will soon draw to a close. History will continue to be made day after day, however.
Ill bet, George Bauer, that the person you would like to inform us about this time around is Charles B. Kelly.
Yes, Charlie Kelly was a 34-year-old enterprising man who came as far as Dolores on a train of the Rio Grande Southern Railroad. The train was finished on into Mancos as the summer ended in 1891. Charlie however came on into Mancos on a beautiful black horse. He checked out the town before staying in the Lemmon Hotel that night.
Charlie came to me the next morning and wanted to know if there were any thriving businesses that he could be a partner in. I ran through a few that included the Hyde Fielding sawmill, my brother Henrys undertaking business, Francis Herman Wagners shoe shop, A. Frank Hallfords barber shop and ended by saying that I could use some help in my mercantile business. Charlie shook his head when I mentioned each one of them and said that he wanted to be outdoors doing something. I smiled as I said that what he must want to be was a cowboy and Charley Frink and Wylie Graybeal were always looking for good men who would help herd and corral their cattle.
Charlie shook his head once again. He said that he had noticed a harness shop run by a Kelly and also a feed store that apparently was also a livery stable and was run by a Jarrett. I suggested he go talk to Lew Jarrett but also told Charlie that Lew had been a loner for quite a number of years.
Charlie was a sharp man who already had a good number of years of experience under his belt so it didnt take Lew and Charlie long to come to an agreeable price for Charlie to become a full-fledged partner.
Charlie enjoyed the tourists and the packing trips into Mesa Verde and constructed the first building for tourists. It looked right down into Spruce Tree House. His next achievement was winning the hand of M. Jennie Miller who had come to Mancos to teach in 1887. They were married in 1892.
Charlie and Jennie were blessed with a child in October 1893 and they named him Charles Miller Kelly. He was two years old when Jennie gave birth to twins Ira and Eileen. The thankful spirit in Charlie and Jennies home was dampened when young Charles died at the age of three.
One of Charlies granddaughters is Jean Kelly Bader. He left her behind when he passed away in 1927 at the age of 70. He was cared for right to the last by his loving son, Ira Emmer Kelly.
