Tag: Kelsey

Kelsey is an unincorporated area in Upshur County, Texas, United States that was the longest-lasting settlement founded by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the state. Now a ghost town, it has been called the “mother colony” of Latter-day Saint colonies in Texas.
The origins of Kelsey go back to 1898. John Edgar—who had tried to settle in Mesa, Arizona, but had not succeeded—settled near Hopewell in Upshur County. In 1898, Edgar purchased land in what would become Kelsey.
By 1901, there were nine Latter-day Saint families in Kelsey. On August 4, 1901 a Sunday School of the church was organized at Kelsey. This same year, James G. Duffin, president of the Southwest States Mission of the church, received approval from the First Presidency for the building up of this settlement. In 1902, Abraham O. Woodruff and Duffin laid out the townsite for Kelsey.
A post office was established at Kelsey in 1902. By 1906, Kelsey had about 400 inhabitants.
In 1907, the Kelsey…