Kelly, Michel

Submitted by Josephine and Keith

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According to the 1850 census, Michel (Michael) was born about 1811 in Lafourche Parish; however, I've been unable to find his birth record. His parents are (supposedly) John Kelly, b. 1785 in Ireland, and Marie Rose Nante, b. abt 1790 in Charleston SC. Michel's first wife, Josephine dit Blanc (Weiss) Vice, b. 6 Jun 1813 in Edgard, d. 2 Feb 1835 in Lafourche Parish, was the daughter of Andre Blanc (Weiss) Vice, b. 1789 in SJB Parish, d. 20 Apr 1846 in Lafourche Parish, and Melanie Madeleine Merante Labiche, b. 18 Jul 1793 in Edgard, d. 31 Oct 1853 in Lafourche Parish. Michel and Josephine's daughter Marie Clelie Kelly, b. 10 Jun 1834 in Thibodaux, d. 18 Oct 1905 in Louisiana, is my maternal 3rd Great Grandmother.

Looking for any help in finding out something about Michel's parents. The marriage reference I found for Michel and Josephine in Rev. Hebert's South LA Records, Vol. 1, pg. 325 simply states: "Two entries: on 1 Oct 1831 (Thib.Ct.Hse.: Mar. v.2, #7) & (Thib.Ch.: v.1, #351)." Michel's second marriage, to Marie Arcisse Laseigne on 7 Feb 1837 in Lafourche Parish, does contain Michel's parents' names, but states Michel was born in South Carolina. Specifically, South Louisiana Records, vol. 1, 1794-1840, by Rev. Donald J. Hebert, pg. 325: "Michel KELLY, born in Charleston, S. Carolina, son of deceased John KELLY & Marie Rose NANTE, married 7 Feb 1837 Arcisse LASSEIGN, 19 years old (Thib.Ct.Hse.: Mar. v.2, #8)." This is the only reference to Michel's parents that I have been able to find.

Findagrave.com says John Kelly was born in Ireland in 1785, but provides no references. Have had no luck finding his death date or place. Findagrave states Marie Rose Nante was born in South Carolina abt 1790, but also provides no references. I've also had no luck finding any information on her death date or location. I could not find any South Carolina birth records on a Marie Rose Nante between 1780 and 1795, and no marriage between a John Kelly and Marie Rose Nante (or any other surname) between 1800 and 1810. I also couldn't find any marriage records in Louisiana between a John Kelly and Marie Rose Nante or any other surname. I could not find any birth record for Michel Kelly in either South Carolina or Louisiana; the only birth reference I can find is the Census data. I though that Marie Rose might have actually been from Nantes, thus the "Marie Rose Nante" name, but had no luck finding anything in Hebert's "Acadians in Exile" that could possibly have pointed to a Marie Rose who went to South Carolina. Tree matches on Ancestry, FTDNA, and FamilySearch are non-existent.