The Name Kelsey

It was in 1882 that the name Kelseyville was designated for the current geographical area. There is no legal document, official proclamation, or federal documentation to name the town of Kelseyville. The supposition that the name was specifically named after Andrew Kelsey, who resided in the area from 1847 to 1849, is speculation. William Kelsey arrived in 1861, and from then on, many Kelseys populated the county. Thirty-three years, 1849 to 1882, elapsed between Andrew Kelsey’s death and the naming of Kelseyville. Any direct connection between the name of Kelseyville and Andrew Kelsey is without foundation. Please review the timeline. The research references are cited.

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• 1841 Nancy Kelsey, wife of Ben, was the first white woman to travel across the county over the Sierra Nevada into California

• 1846 Bear Flag Revolt, Nancy helped make the Bear Flag 

• 1847-1849 Andrew Kelsey lived in the area until his death

• 1858 Uncle Sam post office was established in what is now Kelseyville,

the oldest town in Lake County

• 1860 U.S. Census had no Kelseys listed in the Uncle Sam Post office,

and there was no reference to Kelsey, Kelsey Creek, or Kelseyville

• 1861 William Kelsey arrived in the area

• 1866 First recorded land deed to Burton Kelsey 

• 1868 Kelsey Creek appeared on a U.S. map

• 1870 U.S. Census for Lake County listed 9 Kelseys: 4 in the Big Valley area and 5 in the Kelsey Creek division

• 1870 Nathanial Kelsay patented 160 acres

• 1871 First map for the Town of Kelsey was filed with the county recorder

• 1873 William Kelsey patented land

• 1873 John Kelsay and family arrived and patented land

• 1874 Permelia Kelsey patented land

• 1874 Burton Kelsey patented land

• 1882 area designated Kelseyville

• 1909 John Sidney Kelsey served as Lake County District 5 Supervisor for 2 terms

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Please note that historical documentation shows the spelling of Kelsey and Kelsay used interchangeably. Spelling variations of the surname Kelsey include Kelso, Kellsay, Kilsey, Kelcy, and Kelsy, among others.

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References:

Parker, J. (2012). The Kelsey Brothers: A California Disaster. Paper presented at the November 2012 Meeting of the Lake County Historical Society.

Slocum, Bowen & Co. (1881). History of Napa and Lake Counties, California. Slocum, Bowen & Co. Publishers.

Crabtree, A. (n.d.). Lake County, California Genealogy and History. Retrieved from http://cagenweb.com/lake

United States Census Bureau. (1860). Population Schedule, Napa County, California, Clear Lake Township. National Archives and Records Administration.

Lewis Publishing Company. (1891). Lake County History: A Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California. Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co.

Township Surveyor General's Office, San Francisco. (1868, August 25). Estimated Area of Public Land Clear Lake Aggregate. Map.

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