Wallace B. Kelly, M. D., one of the oldest and most highly respected physicians of Independence, Kan., who has practiced there for over a quarter of a century, is descended from fine old English and Irish stock. He was born in Delaware county, New York, on a farm near the headwaters of the Delaware river, March 10, 1845. His great-great-grandfather, David Kelly, was born in Ireland, but came to America before the Revolutionary war and located in the Massachusetts colony, where he became a member of the company of Minute Men and served against England during the war for American freedom and justice, which separated the colonies from the mother country. He established the first American branch of the family in the United States. For some years David Kelly lived in Massachusetts, then removed to Putnam county, New York, and later his son, David Kelly, the great-grandfather of Wallace B., moved to Delaware county, where the family has lived for generations on the homestead hewed from the virgin forest. Hiram Kelly, grandfather of Wallace B., was born while the family were living in Putnam county and after attaining to his majority he married Sarah Borden and their son John O. was born and reared on the farm in Delaware county. He married Lucy A. Hull, of Welsh and English descent, whose people settled in Connecticut soon after coming to America, but later moved to Delaware county, New York. She was born in Connecticut. Dr. Kelly's parents spent their lives in Delaware county, New York, where the father was a farmer and also engaged in business as a miller, owning and operating woolen and flour mills on the Delaware river. They had nine children: Elijah, Wallace B., Hiram, Sarah, David, Norman, Nettie, Juda and George, only five of whom are now living. Wallace B. Kelly was reared on the old homestead and attended the district schools. His father wished the boy to have every advantage and as soon as he finished the country school sent him to Hudson Academy at Claverack, N. Y. For a short time he taught in the district schools and then entered Northwestern University, but broke down in health his first year and was obliged to leave college. Soon after that he determined to devote his life to the study of medicine, and as a preliminary step began to study under Dr. Keator of Roxbury, N. Y. Subsequently he was with Dr. George W. Crosly of Atlantic City, N. J., and spent seven years "riding" with these physicians. He then entered the New York Homeopathic Medical College, New York City, graduating with the class of 1881. In the spring of that year he located at Indianola, Iowa, but practiced there only four years before he located in Independence, where he has since continued to reside. For twenty-five years he has been an active physician in Kansas and enjoys a large and lucrative practice. He gained the confidence of the people soon after locating in the city and is one of the most highly respected and loved physicians in Montgomery county. In politics he is a Republican and he has been a Master Mason for over thirty-five years. In 1876 he was married at Independence, Iowa, to Elizabeth, daughter of Asa B. and Sarah (Northrup) Worden, both of whom were born in Delaware county, New York. Mrs. Kelly's paternal and maternal grandfathers, Amariah Worden and Joshua Northrup, were born of English parents. Mrs. Kelly was born in Delaware county, New York, and accompanied her family, soon after the close of the Civil war, to Iowa, where she lived until her marriage. Four children have been born to Dr. Wallace B. and Elizabeth Kelly, and they adopted a foster son, Harry, to whom they have been the kindest and most loving parents. Their children are Lucile, wife of E. E. Woods of Claremore, Okla.; Aletha, a graduate of Baker University, now teacher of German and English in the Caney High School at Caney, Kan; Para, deceased, and Ruby, an undergraduate of Baker University, and now a teacher at Collinsville, Okla. The family are all members of the Methodist church.