McNear: Bright, charming Mendocino native Russell Kelley suffered with ill health

WILLIAM AND ELIZA KELLY’S second child and first son, Russell Blair Kelley, was born on June 29, 1863. He was the first Kelley child born in their Albion Street home. Russell was said to be very intelligent. He attended Mendocino’s first public school and regularly made the honor roll. From a young age, however, he struggled with respiratory problems and a weak heart. At 13, during a particularly bad period of ill health, Eliza took him to “some of the southern counties” (presumably Southern California) for a rest cure in a warmer, dryer climate. He also made many trips to hot springs in Ukiah and Bartlett Springs in Lake County for rest cures.

In 1879 while traveling on horseback from the Ukiah springs to Mendocino, Russell fell off his horse and nearly drowned while crossing the Russian River. His foot luckily caught in the stirrup, and the horse dragged him ashore. Only a month later Russell fell from his horse yet again, but the conditions that caused the accident are unknown.