JOHN H. KELLEY, Cleveland, Ohio.
John H. Kelley, one of the young engineers of the Erie located at Cleveland, was born in Youngstown, Ohio, May 3, 1867. He attended school in that city until he had acquired a good common school education, when he went to work for the Standard Oil Company as a water boy. After a year he was advanced to position as pipe-fitter, at which he worked four years, when becoming dissatisfied he left the employ of the oil company and went to Cincinnati, where he secured a situation as fireman on the CO&PP R.R., in which capacity he worked for eighteen months. He then went to Cleveland, where he was employed by the Erie as a brakeman for about eight months, when he was advanced to fireman. Then followed six years' service on freight and three years on passenger, his promotion to engineer coming in September, 1897. Since that time he has been running extra and firing when not engaged in running on freight. Though he has been running but a short time he is well known as a competent and faithful workman, and the fact that he stands high in the estimation of his superiors indicates that he is regarded as an engineer who will one day be as good as the best.

September 21, 1893, he was married to Miss Mary J. Cassidy, daughter of Philip Cassidy, a farmer of Canada, now deceased. Mr. Kelley's father, John Kelley, also deceased, was an old and faithful employe of the Erie, having helped construct the Mahoning Division, and as a spiker worked with the veteran Hugh Larkin; he continued in the employ of the Erie up to his death. Mr. Kelley is a member of Forest City Lodge, No. 10, B. of L. F., and is popular with his fellow employes, as well as being a respected citizen of Cleveland. He owns a very pleasant home at 86 Noyes Street, and both he and Mrs. Kelley are favorites in the social circles of the city.

Excerpted from: "American Locomotive Engineers, Erie Railway Edition," H.R. Romans Editor; Crawford-Adsit Company Publishers, Chicago, IL 1899.

From the March, 1912 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
J.H. Kelly, Engineer, Cleveland, OH, who has been seriously ill since Dec. 11 (1911), is reported as improving very slowly.

From the April, 1912 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
J.H. Kelly, Engineer, Cleveland, OH, who has been off sick for the past four months, is reported recovering very slowly, and it will be several months before he is able to resume work.

From the May, 1912 issue of Erie Railroad Magazine:
J.H. Kelly, Engineer, Cleveland, OH, was along the Mahoning Division during the week of April 14th (1912), calling on friends and relatives on his way to Canada, where he was going to rest up. Mr. Kelly has been off sick since December 11th, 1911, and three months of that time was put in in bed.