EDMUND KELLEY

Edmund Kelley was born a slave in Columbia, Tennessee. His owner was Ann White, a presumed widow of limited finances. His mother, also in the White household, was named Kittie. His presumed father was an itinerate Irishman named Edmund Kelley, who was also the presumed father of Edmund’s sister, Betty, who later became the wife of Dyer Johnson. Johnson bought his freedom and later purchased Betty.

At some point when Edmund and Betty were young, their mother was sold. Ann White gave Edmund to her daughter, Nancy, in the same household. When Edmund was young, Nancy White hired him out to work at a boy’s school in Columbia. Edmund realized the importance of education and with the help of some of the white students learned to read and write. In exchange for pilfered cookies, he received textbooks As he matured and his education advanced he became interested in church attendance

In 1837 he joined a Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia and was baptized. In 1842 he was licensed to preach as a missionary from the Missionary Baptist Church in Columbia. Later that year he was ordained at the First Baptist Church in Nashville to be an evangelist. His first church was the Mt. Lebanon Baptist Church in Columbia, which had only six members. This position made him the first ordained black preacher in Tennessee. He is credited with founding the first Negro Baptist Church in Tennessee.

In 1843 Kelley married Paralee Walker, a slave belonging to a wealthy Columbia family. They had four children, all born into slavery. In 1847 Edmund escaped to New England, where he was welcomed by the Baptists in New Bedford, Massachusetts. He resumed his ministerial duties and began to try to bring his family to join him. 

Edmund contacted Mr. Walker, who owned Edmund’s family, and asked for their freedom. Mr. Walker replied that he and his family had a close relationship with Paralee and her children and were hesitant to lose them. More correspondence ensued and finally, Mr. Walker agreed to sell Edmund’s family for $2,800. Edmund began a campaign to raise the funds. This was accomplished and in 1851 the money was transferred and the family arrived in New Bedford with a courier.

Freedom was bought for Edmund’s family and his career reached great heights. He became a prominent black Baptist minister organizing more churches and was granted a meeting with President Lincoln. After the end of the Civil War, Edmund returned to Columbia, Tennessee.