Profiles of William Kelso, Sr. and Children

Profiles by Fred Kelso

One source says that in 1759, he purchased the right to operate the west end of the Harris Ferry across the Susquehanna from William Augustus Harris (who had succeeded his brother John Harris, Jr. who in turn had succeeded his father John Harris, Sr. as ferry operator). Kelso's portion of the ferry ran from the west shore (now Lemoyne) to Turkey Island in the middle of the river. The deal would have given him use of the stone ferry house on the west shore which Harris had built circa 1736. The ferry house was used to shelter travelers waiting for further transportation west. 

The 1769 Tax Records for Cumberland Co. show William Sr. taxed for 1 negro, livestock, 150 acres warranted, and 40 acres clear. 1770 shows him taxed on 1 ferry, 1 negro, livestock, 200 acres warranted, and 40 acres clear.

In 1770 William Sr.'s Dauphin Co. land was listed as being rented by David Jones - evidently Kelso had given up actively farming this land to take up the ferry trade, but he definitely remained a prominent landowner in Dauphin Co.

On April 6, 1771, William Sr. purchased the Cumberland Co. land belonging to the ferry tract at a Sherriff's sale at the suit of John Cox against owner William Harris. In 1773 William Sr. obtained a license to operate a tavern at the west shore ferry house. In 1776 he advertised that two of his Irish servant boys had run away.

In 1779 his Dauphin County property is shown to be 200 acres, with livestock that he owned. In 1782, the same property includes two servants. Perhaps at this point he had a farm manager for the property. The servants must have been slaves belonging to William Sr., because in his book "Scots Breed and Susquehanna," Hubertis Cummings lists Kelso as one of more than sixty east shore landowners to hold slaves in 1776. Robert Grant Crist, in his monograph "Manor on the Market," indicates that William Sr. was one of four men owning land in the Manor of Lowther (Cumberland County area that included the ferry tract) to be taxed for owning slaves.

William Kelso is recorded as having served in both the American Revolution and the Indian Wars.

On March 21, 1785, William Kelso received a land warrant on 300 acres in Upper Paxtang Township, Dauphin County. This may have been either William Sr. or his son, William Jr. The tract name was "Brannock Hill." As Dauphin County had just been formed out of Lancaster County, this may have been a formalization on property already held by Kelso.

William Kelso Sr. died November 26, 1788, aged 51 years, and was buried in the cemetery of the Paxtang Presbyterian Church. Three of his sons are known to have owned slaves: Dr. Joseph, General John, and William, Jr. [see separate sketches for each].

WILLIAM KELSO, JR. - was born in 1758 to William and Jean (Simpson) Kelso. William Kelso, Sr. appears to have owned land and slaves in both Paxton Twp., Dauphin County, and across the Susquehanna in East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland County.

William Jr. learned the ferry trade from his father, who had purchased the ferry right between the west shore and Turkey Island, the 200 acre ferry tract (in East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co.), and the old stone ferry house (circa 1736), from William Harris, son of the original ferry owner. In 1782 William Jr. used his river-running skills in a memorable journey first by wagon to Fort Pitt on the western frontier, and then by boat to New Orleans, with his Uncle Michael Simpson and Simpson's cousin Nathan Simpson, in a quest to turn a load of flour into hard money. They ended up in the bayous, where they traded the flour for a herd of cattle to drive back to New Orleans. When they couldn't get hard money for the cattle either, they had it salted and barreled and sailed off for Havana, Cuba. Along the way a British man-of-war confiscated the beef and imprisoned the men, only to set them free on the island of St. Thomas. Details from William's journal of the trip can be found in Hubertis Cummings' book "Scots Breed and Susquehanna."

On March 21, 1785, William Kelso received a land warrant on 300 acres in Upper Paxtang Township, Dauphin County. This may have been either William Jr. or his father. The tract name was "Brannock Hill." As Dauphin County had just been formed out of Lancaster County, this may have been a formalization on property already held by Kelso.

When William Sr. died, in 1788, William Jr. took title to the ferry tract, after buying out his siblings. He also received the ferry right and the tavern license.

On November 8, 1792, William married Elizabeth "Betsey" Chambers, daughter of Col. William Chambers of near Carlisle. The ceremony was performed at the Carlisle Presbyterian Church. Their three children were William, Eleanor, and John Joseph.

In October of 1789, William Jr. reported to the authorities in Cumberland County that his slave, "Negro Will," had escaped. In the 1790 Census for the eastern portion of Cumberland County, William Jr. is listed as having two slaves.

It was William Jr. who formalized the right to the ferry tract by paying the Penns for a deed in 1790.

William Jr. continued to operate the ferry and the tavern until his death. He died May 23, 1807, aged 49 years, and was buried in the cemetery of the Paxtang Presbyterian Church. In his will, dated April 7, 1807, he provides that the ferry should be leased. He mentions stock in several companies, including the Harrisburg and Presque Isle Co.; the Downingtown, Ephrata, and Harrisburg Turnpike; and the Harrisburg Bridge Co. His widow took the children back to her hometown of Carlisle, where she died the following year.

William Jrs' son, William, is listed in the 1820 Census for East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co. with one free male colored person, aged 26-45. This may have been an emancipated slave who stayed on to work for the family. William III was born in 1795, and died May 10, 1825 at Kelso's Ferry, of Tuberculosis.

DOCTOR JOSEPH KELSO - was born circa 1773 to William and Jean (Simpson) Kelso. His father owned land and slaves in both East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co. and Paxton Twp., Dauphin Co.; he also owned the west side of the ferry franchise across the Susquehanna at Harrisburg [see sketch of William Kelso, Sr.].

Joseph studied medicine with the elder Dr. Simonton and graduated from the Medical Department of the University of Pennsylvania. He practiced medicine in Harrisburg.

On November 25, 1806, Dr. Kelso married Elizabeth, daughter of Major Andrew Galbraith of East Pennsboro, at the Major's residence. They had several children who died in infancy, as well as a son, Charles W., and a daughter, Mary Elizabeth, who married Isaac Cruse of Baltimore.

Joseph bought land in Harrisburg on April 8, 1812, and land in Middle Paxtang Twp. on April 30, 1814. He died without a will on August 10, 1817, and is buried at Paxtang Presbyterian Church Cemetery. His widow died on April 8, 1818, before his estate was settled.

In Elizabeth's will, dated April 2, 1818, we find the following:
I give and bequeath the colored girl `Hannah,' who served her time and now lives with me all my common wearing apparel, the small bed made of feathers and flocks with the bedding, thereto, and Fifty Dollars in cash to be paid by said executors.

GENERAL JOHN KELSO - was born circa 1764 to William and Jean (Simpson) Kelso. His father owned land and slaves in both East Pennsboro Twp., Cumberland Co. and Paxton Twp., Dauphin Co; he also owned the west side of the ferry franchise across the Susquehanna at Harrisburg [see sketch of William Kelso, Sr.].

John married Sarah Willis Carson of Dauphin County. They had five sons and two daughters: Edwin J., Henry D., Albert J., William C., Melvin M., Caroline (m. Hon. Elijah Barrett of Erie), and Adaline (m. Rev. James H. Whallon).

In 1797 John went to Erie County in the company of many of his Harrisburg area neighbors; he settled in Fairview, twelve miles west of the town of Erie. The Harrisburg & Presque Isle Co. had purchased land there just 11 years earlier - either John's father or his brother William was one of the original ten shareholders of the company. According to historian William Henry Egle, when John left for Erie, he took with him a female slave too old to be emancipated, and who was hence a slave for life. She was the only slave to have ever lived or died in Erie County. She left descendants in the area. (Editor's note: We know that in reality there were many slaves in Erie County. Researcher Karen James has supplied this web site with some good information on one of the slave families associated with the Kelsos, the Logan family. For a synopsis of the Logan family, see the page "Kelso Family Slaves in Erie County, Pennsylvania.")

In 1800 John moved closer to town and purchased land. In 1802 he moved into Erie proper. From 1801 to 1802 he served as prothonotary for the county, resigning to serve as commissioner of land sales and lots in Erie. He was again prothonotary from 1809 to 1819. John served as a Brigadier General in the War of 1812. He defended the city of Erie and the Erie shipyards of Admiral Perry against the British. John's own woodlots provided timber to build Perry's fleet.

General Kelso died and was buried in Erie in 1819.

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The photos of the re-enactment of the operation of the Harris-Kelso ferry are copyrighted 2000-2005, by Fred Kelso and are used here by permission of Mr. Kelso.
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This page was updated on March 20, 2005.