Captain Wilbur Kelly

Wilbur Kelly owned the land and a small mill just up the canal, and this house exists because of him. In his younger years, he worked as a ship captain in a fleet owned by Brown and Ives. Later, he ran his family mill on the canal and won the trust of his neighbors. After a few years, he quietly began buying more land on both sides of the Blackstone River, then transferred ownership to what became Brown and Ives' Lonsdale Company. The company developed Ashton Mill across the river and other large mills on the land Kelly had bought. As a ship captain, Kelly traded all over the world and learned the business skills that later helped him succeed as a mill manager and real estate mogul.

Lincoln, Rhode Island · United States