Saturday, March 8, 2008

Query: Sword/Kelly of Henry and Marion counties

I am trying to trace my great-aunt, Elizabeth Sword (known as Bess or Bessie) who was born in Lyon County, Kansas on 28 January 1885 and was married 26 September 1914 in New Castle, Henry County, Indiana to Arthur S. Kelly (born 11 February 1873). They were divorced before 1920 and in the 1920 census Bess Kelly was in Indianapolis in the 15th Ward, working as an attendant at the Central Indiana Hospital for the Insane.

One of Bess's sisters was Margaret (Sword) Van Nuys, wife of Dr. Walter C. Van Nuys, director of Indiana's Epileptic Village at Hillsboro, Henry County, Indiana. Their son (Bess's nephew) was Dr. John Ditmars Van Nuys, who was Dean of Indiana University's College of Medicine until his early death in 1964. Another of Bess's sisters was Beatrice (Sword) Rhodes of Tampa, Marion County, Kansas. Beatrice was my grandmother.

I'm told Bess Kelly lived an "unhappy" life. I do not think she ever remarried. There is a Bessie Kelly who was buried July 5, 1960 in Section 11, Lot 43 of Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis--are there records available that might prove if she is the right Bessie Kelly that I seek?

John M. Rhodes
409 Bloor St. E, #602
Toronto, Ontario M4W 3T2
Canada
johnmrhodes@roges.com

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