J. Will Kelley, of the firm of George M. Noble & Company, Topeka, was born in New Corydon, Jay county, Indiana, Nov. 18, 1873, and is a son of George H. and Nancy A. (Eyanson) Kelley, natives respectively of Muskingum county, Ohio, and Allen county, Indiana, but now reside in Portland, Ind.

Mr. Kelley was reared chiefly at Geneva, Adams county, Indiana, where he received his common school education, which was supplemented by courses at the Tri State Normal, Angola, Ind., and at the Ohio Normal University, Ada, Ohio. At the age of eighteen he began teaching and taught three terms, two of them in the district schools of Adams county, Indiana, and the third term at Geneva, where he was principal of the schools and had five assistant teachers. From 1892 to 1894 he was deputy surveyor of Adams county, Indiana. During his employment as teacher and as deputy surveyor, he had studied law, and in 1894 was admitted to the bar. He began the practice of that profession at Portland, Ind., in 1895, and for thirteen years he continued there very successfully, having been assistant prosecuting attorney one year of that period. In 1908 he came to Topeka, where he became the junior member of the firm of George M. Noble & Company, which is engaged in the real estate, loan and insurance business and is one of the best known firms in that business in the state.

On Feb. 17, 1903, he was united in marriage with Miss Mary A. Hughes, of Titusville, Pa. They have three children living: Robert F., born July 4, 1904; Thomas D., born April 15, 1907; and Margaret Helen, born Feb. 24, 1909. Mr. Kelley is a Democrat in his political adherency, and was that party's successful candidate, in 1910, for the state legislature. He is a member of the Roman Catholic church, and a member of the Topeka Commercial Club, in which he has served successively as vice-president and president, and is now serving as its secretary.