Biography of Eugene Kelly, pages 580/581/582.   History of 
DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., 
Indianapolis, 1914.



Fealty to facts in the analyzation of the character of a 
citizen of the type of Eugene Kelly is all that is required 
to make a biographical sketch interesting to those who have 
at heart the good name of the community, because it is the 
honorable reputation of the man of standing and affairs, 
more than any other consideration,  that gives character 
and stability to the body politic and makes the true glory 
of a city or state revered at home and respected abroad. In 
the broad light which things of good report ever invite, 
the name and character of Eugene Kelly stand revealed and 
secure, and, though of modest demeanor, with  ambition to 
distinguish himself in public position or as a leader of 
men, his career has been signally honorable and it may be 
studied with profit by the youth entering upon his life 
work. Eugene Kelly was born in Waterloo, Indiana, on July 
17, 1879, and is the son of Alfred and Ada (Locke) Kelly, 
whose sketch appears elsewhere in this work, consequently 
the family genealogy will not be referred to specifically 
at this point. Mr. Kelly was reared under the paternal roof 
and received his education in the public schools of 
Waterloo, where he graduated from high school in 1899. 
After completing his education his first employment was at 
telephone line work for his father, who then owned the 
Waterloo telephone exchange, and he continued in this line 
of effort until his father’s death in 1911, since which 
time Mr. Kelly and his mother have owned the exchange and 
Eugene manages the business. He is up-to-date and 
progressive in his ideas relating to business affairs and 
by his indomitable energy,  courtesy to the patrons of the 
exchange, and his efforts to give good, quick, efficient 
and prompt service, he has earned the appreciation and good 
will of all who have had dealings with him. Politically, 
Mr. Kelly is a Democrat and is active in the local 
organization, as was his father. Fraternally, he is an 
enthusiastic member of the Masonic order, in the workings 
of which he takes a deep interest. In 1892 Mr. Kelly 
married Carrie E. Triplett, of Rome City, Indiana, a 
daughter of George and Addie (Chapin) Triplett. George 
Triplett was born in 1843, near Akron, Ohio, the son of 
Joshua Triplett, while his wife was born near Medina, Ohio. 
They were married at Medina, and soon afterward Mr. 
Triplett became a private soldier in the Seventy-fourth 
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, serving three years. He was 
orderly sergeant, and was a courageous and faithful 
soldier, being severely wounded in battle, from which he 
was so badly disabled that he was unfit for field duty and 
was then detailed for service on a hospital transport. 
After the war he engaged in the grocery business at Toledo, 
and later at Medina, Ohio, and about 1872 went to Elk 
Point, South Dakota, where for a while he ran a restaurant 
and bakery. Subsequently he came to Indiana, again locating 
at Roanoke, near Fort Wayne, where he followed the same 
business until abut 1878, when he went to Rome City, 
Indiana, and has been engaged in the hotel business about 
thirty-five years there. His wife died in March, 1912, 
Religiously, they were members of the Universalist church. 
To Mr. and Mrs. Kelly have been born two sons, Alfred, born 
December 17, 1904, and Grant, born September 6, 1907. 
Personally, Mr. Kelley is a most courteous, companionable 
gentleman, influential in business circles and honorable 
and reliable in all of his dealings. He ranks among the 
enterprising and public-spirited citizens of the city in 
which he resides, manifests an active interest in whatever 
pertains to the progress of DeKalb county and co-operates 
with others in forwarding all measures whereby his fellow 
men may be benefited.

Submitted by: 

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com