Dear Madam:

I am afraid I cannot give you much information regarding the Kerleys - just repeat what I told your sister. When I was a boy I dropped into the Milwaukee Public Library and looked up the name Kerley in McGeoghegan's (I'm not sure of the spelling) genealogy. It stated that the name was the same as Kerby, Kirby, and Kirk, and many other names of similar spelling, and many more of different spelling but similar pronunciation, such as Curley. It is not a dyed in the wool Irish name according to this genealogy, but came from Denmark about 1000 or 1100 A.D. when the Norsemen invaded the British Isles. It also gave a list of the family that came to America before the Revolution. It is over 30 years since I read this so I may not be quoting exactly.

My brothers, John and Bernard, and I came over in 1896. We spell the name Kerley, but an uncle of ours who left Ireland in 1865 and died some years ago in California spelled the name Kirley. I have relatives in Ireland who spell the name as we do, but in 1918 I was back there and my cousin who lives in my father's house told me that while repairing a wall they found a stone in the old house inscribed "Anthony Kirley 1640". While rummaging around among some papers upstairs I found a receipt issued to Patrick Kerley in 1797. My brother Bernard has them in his house in El Paso, Texas.

I think the Kerleys are in no way related to the Curleys. In Ireland, we pronounce the name Kerr-ley but Americans call us "Curley". All my relatives are Catholic, both here and in Ireland. Myself and my oldest brother have reverted back to the belief of our Danish ancestors. It was hard to escape Catholicism in Ireland. My mother's name was Neacy. I met a dentist, Adolphus Kerley in Los Angeles. Then there is a name I see quite often--Asakerley. There is a small town in Ireland "Kilkerley" and a town near London, Asakerley, I believe but am not sure. I often thought I would trace up the name and may do so yet now
that you have received the thought.

Our people were at one time comfortably fixed in Ireland but our immediate ancestors 'blew the joint' and that is why I am an American citizen at the present writing. My father lived fast and furious and died young; so also did a few of my uncles--but I think that any who had a half-way sane mode of living reached a ripe old age. There were two of my fathers' sisters alive when I visited in 1918, both over 80, happy, smiling and the sweetest aunts you ever laid your eyes on. My father was a "ganger" same profession as Bobby Burns and with the same love of
the material he ganged.

Well, bye-bye and here's hoping we shall all live long and happily and die smiling,

Mr Philip Kerley
5 Hill Street
Dundalk
County South
Ireland