Second Generation

If one follows the traditional naming customs at the time Thomas was born, if he was the first born son of Elizabeth Deane he would be named not for his father but his paternal grandfather.  The third born son is named for his father and in the pedigree given by J Fred O'Kelly, Alethea Jane Macon, and Harold O'Kelley the third born son was named William and we see this supported by a 1752 Lunenburg  Co Tithes census and a later 1782 Mecklenburg Census as they only record William Kelley.  Since the 1752 Tithe only shows a single male, it seems certain that Thomas was born after 1752.  An 1800 Oglethorpe US Census indicates he was born before 1755.  He appears as Thos. OKelly in the census. It seems he may have lived a great many years in Granville Co NC and he could be the Thomas Killey that appears on the 1771 militia roster in that county.  There are other examples of the Killey spelling in early times.  Thomas may have had a previous wife who was the mother of his eldest son, Francis, and may have been the mother of Ann.  Both appear to be not living in the home when the 1800 Census was conducted and Francis appears in several US Census as born in 1779 which is six years before the marriage record for Thomas and Elizabeth Wyers.  It is also possible that Francis was not Thomas's first born, that he had an earlier son who died before Thomas made his will in 1818.   I suspect Thomas may have been THE Thomas and hat he was born in Ireland and immigrated to North Carolina where he remained until after our Revolutionary War then moved to Georgia.  The DNA results of a descendant of Thomas seems to indicate that Thomas may have been a cousin to Charles and Francis.

In the time Thomas lived, the naming of the children were very important and a custom was most often followed.  The best way to remember and honor an ancestor was to name a child after that ancestor.  When as ancestor was famous as was Rev James O'Kelly it wasn't uncommon for sons, grandsons, and nephews to be named after such an ancestor and ministers like Rev James were the Rock Stars of Thomas's generation.  So who did Thomas name his first born son after?  If Thomas was the eldest son as Macon claimed then tradition dictates that Thomas name his first born son after his father yet Francis was the name given to the first son, or is he the first born son?  To my knowledge the sole source for the names of the offspring of Thomas and Elizabeth is an 1818 will.  Wills do not contain the names of deceased person so it is very possible Francis had an older brother who was named after his paternal grandfather.  Because the name of John appears to be very important in this family, i suspect that Thomas may have had an elder son who could have married, had children and died before John P their last son was born.  I have no proof, but the name John appears  only in the family of Thomas and it appears sometimes more than once per generation so it is a name of importance within this family.

Thomas is only known to make a mark as his signature but what we must understand is at the time his father and mother came from western Ireland, English was rarely spoken, most native Irish spoke Gaelic and read and wrote in Latin a language that most all nations used for common communication.  What is know is the next generation appear to be very well educated which I think would not be possible if Thomas and his brothers came from a poor Irish family.  Education wasn't valued with the poor, it was a past time of the wealthy lords, the poor had no money or time to waste on such pursuits.

A Thomas Kelly served in the North Carolina First Reg during our Revolutionary War commanded by Co Thomas Clark.  September 8, 1778 Muster Roll  DAR Ancestor #: A068095

Thomas sold his land iand appears n Granville Co NC Deed book.  Because some of his children give Virginia as their birth place it is believed he may have moved to Mecklenburg Co VA after the below sale:

Elizabeth Wyers mother was a Johnson so it is likely that John Johnson Jr was an uncle or first cousin to Elizabeth Wyers.

Thomas signed a will on 18 July 1818 in Madison Co, GA.^10,11 Thomas.¹²

State of Georgia
County of Madison In the name of God amen I Thomas Okelly of the said state and county being very low in body but of good and sound memory, do make constitute and ordain this to be my last will & testament. Revoking and anulling every other will or wills testament or testaments heretofour by me made. And my will is as follows (viz) first I will my soul to God who gave it & my body to be deceantly buried __. And, for the settling of my temporal Estate I will dispose of the same in the form following (viz) first I will that all my just debts shall be paid, by my Executors & Secondly I will that my dearly beloved wife Elizabeth shall have all my lands houses household and kitchen furnature one black mare two choice cows & calves one saw & seven shoats four barrows and the plantation utensils during her life or widowhood & then the whole if she marries, to be sold & equally divided between her & all the children & if she dies then the whole to be sold & equally divided amongst my dear children named as follows (viz) Francis Okelly . Ann . Polly . Thomas D. James . Sarah. William . Nancy Reaney & John P Okelly to be equally divided mongst them their heirs & assigns forever (thirdly) I will that one black calf one cow & calf one heifer one shot gun two saws half the flock of sheap & one mans saddle all to be sold after my death by my executor hereafter named and the money to be equally divided amongst my wife and the above named children (fourthly I will that my son John P. shall have the colt that the black mare is with fold with at this time if she brings it above his equal share with the rest of the children and lastly I do appoint my two sons Thomas D Okelly & James Okelly to be the two whole & sole executors of this my last will & testament to carry the same into effect In witness where of I have here unto set my hand. & affixed my seal this eighteenth day of July in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred & eighteen

signed sealed published
& delivered in the presents of
us to be his last will & testament

his
Thos x Okelly
mark

/s/ Jas Garneth
/s/ John Murry

his
/s/ Dean / Tucker
mark