A German Lad
His Experience Since Youth in This Country
Bainbridge Republican, June 17, 1915
The experience of J. Kelley of Coventry [Chenango Co., NY], who came from Germany to this country when nine and a half years of age, and what the people of the United States have done for him he related as follows:
He left his home in Wirtenberg, Germany, May 24, 1854, with his mother and two sisters, his father having come to this county two years before. They left Liverpool on May 28 and arrived in New York on the 6th day of July, being out of sight of land 38 days. The father met his family and took them on the Erie railroad to Deposit and then to Coventry.
The lad not knowing a word of English attended the District school for two years and a select school for the same number of years, and at the age of 14 years he entered the employ of G.D. Phillips & Son for a term of five years. He received for the first year $50 with an addition of $25 for each succeeding year, boarding himself. He could just reach the top of the counter but persevered and did what he could in the store. At the death of G.D. Phillips the firm then became Phillips & Hoyt which continued till the death of E.A. Phillips. A.J. Hoyt then carried on the business for a time when Mr. Kelley bought a half interest in the business, continuing for a few years. In 1898, Frank A. Kelley, son of the subject of this sketch, bought out Mr. Hoyt's interest and the business has since been carried on by them.
Mr. J. Kelley says there is no reason why a young man cannot prosper in this country if he only has a mind to do it. He also states that there is no country like the United States for making a good living and laying by something for old age--Oxford Review
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