1978
1978
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1978
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J. E. "Jim" Kelley, well known St. Paul Attorney and Sportsman was born December 3, 1895 in Picinning, Michigan. His father Joseph S. Kelly, a lumber man was a top trapshot and competed in several Grand Americans. The family moved to Iron River and it was here 12-year old Jim loaded traps and shot his first clay pigeons. Kelley moved to St. Paul in 1914 and was admitted to the bar in 1927 and has practiced law ever since with the exception of two years when he served in the Chemical Service in World War I. He organized the Capitol City rifle club in 1916 and after his discharge from the Army, shot his first registered targets at the old Ft. Snelling Gun Club in 1920. He won several club championships but won his first state trophy in 1927 when he took second place in the handicap and five years later tied Harry McGinnis for the Minnesota State doubles title. That year he finished with a 96% average.
His highest average was attained in 1941 when he won the season with a .9750 mark. Kelley won countless minor championships but his victory in the 1937 Minnesota State 16-Yard Championship race had to be his greatest. Kelley broke 199 X 200, highest ever attained in this event up to this time. "I broke 99 of my first 100 in a late squad and knew I had to break the last 100 straight because Hall of Famer George Jewett, one of the greatest at that time, John Deroski and George Zweiner were out with 198's," he said. One shoot Kelly will never forget was at the Tri-State at LaCrosse, Wisconsin, in early 30's where in those days the competition was rough with the likes of ATA Hall of Famers Joe Hiestand, Mark Arie, Phil Miller, Ned Lilly and others. all former National Champions. "I had never flown in an airplane and Ray Miller of St. Paul invited me to fly with him to the shoot. To tell the truth I was frightened when Ray strapped me in his old Martin two-seated bomber. But I knew Ray was a good pilot and we had a good flight. Instead of being edgy when we arrived, I felt fine and shot well enough to win the Class A championship with 196 and Ray won Class B with 194."
Jim was Secretary of the Minnesota State Trapshooting Association and the Ft. Snelling and Twin City Hopkins Gun Clubs for many, many years. Kelley might well be in the Sportsmen's Hall of Fame. He was a big game hunter and has been a member of the big game club since 1934. His hobbies are quail, woodcock, and duck hunting. Kelley, a former President of the Ramsey County Sportsmen's Club was a member of the Long Island Duck Club on Lake Winnipegosis for many years. He was also a member of a club on Lake Christine and has always hunted on his farm on the Minnesota river bottoms.
He now owns a private club with three blinds which borders the famous Meadow Duck Club which is located on Kelley's 1,250 acre estate on the river. Long Meadow, oldest club in the state was organized in 1875. Kelley owned and trained champion setters, pointers and Labradors and raises Hereford cattle. He raised quail and pheasants and liberated thousands of mallards on the Kelley farms, north of Stillwater, where the 40-member Maple Island Hunt Club is located. Kelley, a member of the Minneapolis Gun Club, still shoots practice targets several times a year with his grandson Pete, 16, a goal minder for the St. Paul Academy Junior Club.
