History of Leeville, (Wilson County) Tennessee United States of America

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David Campbell Kelley, clergyman, was born at Leeville, Tenn., Dec. 25, 1833; son of John and Margaret Lavinia (Campbell) Kelley; grandson of Dennis and Elizabeth (Thompson) Kelley, and of Col. David and Jane (Montgomery) Campbell. Dennis Kelley served in the war of the Revolution, and Col. David Campbell established the fort called Campbell's Station in East Tennessee in 1786. David Campbell Kelley was graduated from Cumberland university, Tenn., in 1851; was licensed to preach in 1850; and joined the Tennessee conference of the M.E. church, south, at Pulaski, in 1851. He was graduated from the medical department of the University of Nashville in 1852, and was a missionary in China, 1852-56. He enlisted as a private in the cavalry service of the Confederate army and was successively major, lieutenant-colonel, colonel and acting brigadier-general of cavalry under Gen. N. B. Forrest, 1861-65, being second in command under that officer, sharing in most of his campaigns and being present with that leader in many of his general engagements. He conducted seven successful independent campaigns in command of a brigade. He was pastor of Lebanon station, 1867-68; presiding elder of Lebanon district, 1869; pastor of Tulip Street station, 1870; McKendree station, 1871-73; presiding eider of the Nashville district, 1874-75; and again pastor at McKendree, 1878-79. He was associate secretary of the board of missions, 1874-76, during which time he organized the Woman's Foreign Missionary society; was treasurer of the board, 1882-88; and pastor of Gallatin station, Tenn., 1889-90. He was candidate for governor of Tennessee on the Prohibition ticket in 1890, his canvass of the state giving the ticket double its usual vote. After this he filled a number of pastoral charges, was delegate to the general conference of tim M.E. church, south, in 1878, 1882, 1886, 1890, 1894 and 1898 and was projector of the movement which resulted in Vanderbilt university. He was trustee of Vanderbilt university, 1873-88, and first secretary of the board. He secured the funds for the erection of Nashville College for Young Ladies, to be connected with Vanderbilt university. He commanded Forrest's Veteran Corps of Cavalry with the rank of major-general, 1897. He was presiding elder of the Nashville district, 1898-1900. He received the degree of D.D. from Cumberland university in 1868 and that of LL.D. from Nashville university in 1896; was elected president of the Tennessee Society of the Sons of the American Revolution in 1888; and a member of the American Institute of Christian Philosophy and of the American Institute of Civics. He is the author of: A Short Method with Modern Doubt, and contributions to religious periodicals.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Leeville, (Wilson County) Tennessee

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