CLOVER LICK, W.Va. — Along the quiet bends of River Road where the Greenbrier River cuts through the Edray District, a modest 2.1-acre tract known historically to generations as the Kelly family homeplace has quietly turned its final page in the public deed books.
For decades, the property—platted as Lots B and C near the historic Clover Lick community—stood as a living anchor for the descendants of James and Elbert Kelley. Situated between the riverbank and the old rail corridor that now carries the Greenbrier River Trail, the land provided both a home and a point of return for a family whose members eventually scattered across the industrial centers of Ohio and western Pennsylvania.
The chain of ownership reflects a common Appalachian story of mid-century out-migration and intra-family consolidation. When the older generation passed, the acreage fell to heirs that included Walter Kelley, who remained at Clover Lick, and his out-of-state siblings, including Eddie “Newt” Kelley of Kirtland, Ohio, along with Robert, Loren, Teddie Lee, Rhoda, and Ruth.
Rather than fragment the homestead through a courtroom partition, the non-resident siblings executed quitclaim deeds, relinquishing their undivided fractional shares to Walter. The transactions kept the parcel intact under a single name, allowing Walter to reside on the property while effectively consolidating the family title. For many local residents, however, the land continued to be remembered informally by the names of the siblings who had grown up there, including Eddie.
The longstanding family tenure came to an end in late 2024. Following a period of tax delinquency and subsequent certification to the West Virginia State Auditor’s office, the real estate was conveyed out of family hands. On November 22, 2024, a deed from the State Auditor and Walter Kelley was formally recorded in the Pocahontas County Clerk’s Office in Marlinton, transferring Lots B and C to local buyer Tim Elliott.
The sale closes out more than a half-century of continuous Kelly family ownership along County Route 1, marking the transition of another historic river-bottom homestead into new hands.
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In the context of the Elbert, Walter, and Eddie Kelly/Kelley line at Clover Lick (Edray District), James Kelly (often James Kelley) is the pivotal generational patriarch who anchored the family's landholdings along the Greenbrier River corridor.
Genealogical & Title Context in Clover Lick
- The Paternal Link: In Pocahontas County vital and census records, James Kelley (married to Cora/Martha in local records) appears as the father/predecessor generation to Elbert Kelley, making him the grandfather of the subsequent Clover Lick Kelly generation (including Walter and his siblings/contemporaries).
- Early 20th-Century Homestead: The family's settlement along River Road (County Route 1) near Clover Lick and Stony Creek was anchored by James Kelley's acquisitions during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, as the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway expanded up the Greenbrier River valley.
Property Footprint & Chain of Title
- Original Acreage & Partitions:
- James Kelly acquired farm and river-bottom tracts along the Greenbrier River in the Edray District.
- Over the decades, this larger holding was subdivided into smaller homestead parcels, river lots, and residential plots (such as the ~2.1-acre Lots B & C later held by Walter Kelley, as well as adjacent family parcels).
- Key Boundary Callouts:
- C&O Railway / Greenbrier River Trail: Historical deeds for James Kelly's land run along the railroad right-of-way that parallel River Road.
- River Road (CR 1) & River Frontage: Boundaries frequently call for markers along the eastern bank of the Greenbrier River and the county road right-of-way.
- Historic Neighbors: Surrounding calls in older deeds reference tracts owned by early Clover Lick settlement families—notably the Cassell, Sharp, McKenney, and Gibson lines.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------In Pocahontas County family lines tied to Clover Lick and Green Bank, the heirs and sibling group connecting Walter Kelley (of Clover Lick) and Eddie (Newt) Kelley descend through the family of Eugene (Elbert/Eugene) and Anna (Clark) Kelley:Brothers
- Walter Kelley (Clover Lick, WV)
- Eddie "Newt" Kelley (later residing in Kirtland, OH)
- Loren Kelley (Wesley Chapel / Green Bank, WV)
- Robert Kelley (Eastlake, OH)
- Teddie Lee Kelley (deceased; daughter Tammy [Kelley] Hudak)
Sisters- Rhoda (Kelley) Fertig (Greenville, PA)
- Ruth (Kelley) Saunders (Euclid, OH)
- Additional surviving sisters of that generation included sisters residing out of state in Ohio and Pennsylvania.
Verifying the Legal Estate Record in MarlintonTo see the exact distribution of the Clover Lick acreage and any formal conveyances among the heirs:- Fiduciary & Settlement Records: Check the Fiduciary Books in the Pocahontas County Clerk’s Office under the estate of Kelley (Elbert / Eugene). The administrator's or executor's report lists the formal inventory, real estate tracts, and the statutory distribution to surviving heirs.
- Deed Partitions / Quitclaims: Family partitions in the Edray District often took the form of quitclaim deeds where the out-of-state siblings (Eddie, Robert, Ruth, Rhoda, etc.) conveyed their undivided interests in the River Road / Clover Lick parcels to Walter Kelley, leaving the ~2.1-acre tract in his name prior to the subsequent state auditor transfer.
Tracing the Chain at the Pocahontas County Courthouse
To connect James directly down through Elbert to Walter and Eddie:
- Grantor Index (Kelley / Kelly, James): Look for deeds of partition, gifts, or conveyances from James to his children (including Elbert) in the Edray District between roughly 1910 and 1950.
- Fiduciary & Appraisement Records: If James died intestate (without a will), look in the Pocahontas County Clerk’s Settlement and Fiduciary Books. The administrator’s account and list of heirs will detail the real estate distributed among his heirs, which established the separate parcel boundaries carried down to Elbert, Walter, and Eddie.
In Pocahontas County deed, vital, and tax records,
Family & Property Connection in Clover Lick
- Parentage & Lineage: Elbert Kelley (born ca. 1890s/1900s) was a resident of the Edray District around Clover Lick and the Greenbrier River bottomlands. He was closely linked to Walter G. Kelley and the broader Kelly/Kelley family cluster residing along River Road (County Route 1) between Clover Lick and Indian Draft.
- The Clover Lick Acreage: In local conveyances, parcels tied to Walter and Eddie Kelly descend from or partition off earlier tracts acquired by Elbert Kelley and his generation during the mid-20th century. When mid-century land was divided among children, several smaller residential and agricultural lots (such as the 2.1-acre Lots B & C at Clover Lick) were carved out from larger family tracts.
- Name Variations in County Records: In the Marlinton Record Room, Elbert appears alternately as Elbert Kelly and Elbert Kelley. On deeds from the 1930s through the 1960s, legal scriveners in Pocahontas County often used both spellings interchangeably within a single deed of conveyance or deed of trust.
Real Estate & Adjoining Land Context
- Location: Edray District (District 02), primarily situated along the eastern side of the Greenbrier River along River Road / Clover Lick.
- Adjoining Neighbors on Historical Calls: Mid-20th-century deed descriptions for Elbert Kelley's land call for boundaries adjoining the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway (now the Greenbrier River Trail corridor), the edge of River Road, and neighboring tracts belonging to established Clover Lick settlement families—specifically the Cassell, Sharp, McKenney, and Gibson lines.
- Chain of Title Reference: If you pull the 2024 deed (WV State Auditor & Walter Kelley to Tim Elliott) or trace Walter Kelley's title backward through the Grantee Index at the Pocahontas County Courthouse, the recitals ("being the same property conveyed to...") will trace the derivation directly back to Elbert Kelley (or Elbert and his heirs/estate).
Locating the Records in Marlinton
- Pocahontas County Deed Books: Check the Grantee Index (K) between 1920 and 1970 under Kelley, Elbert and Kelly, Elbert to find his original acquisition deeds, which will give the full metes-and-bounds survey and state the original grantor.
- Probate / Will Books: If Elbert passed away owning real estate in Pocahontas County without a formal prior conveyance, the Fiduciary & Settlement Books in the County Clerk's office will list the appraisement of the Clover Lick land and name the specific heirs (including Walter/Eddie) who inherited shares or undivided interests in the estate.
A search of accessible public records, deed notices, and local reporting does not show a specific real estate parcel or deed recorded under the name Eddie Kelly (or Edward Kelly) in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
How to Locate the Deed or Property Record
- Pocahontas County Clerk’s Office (Record Room): Located at the courthouse in Marlinton (900 10th Ave), the County Clerk maintains grantor/grantee deed books, wills, and estate records. Because nicknames are rarely indexed formally, checking the Grantee and Grantor indexes under formal legal names (such as Edward, Edwin, or alternative spellings like Kelley) is recommended.
- Pocahontas County Assessor & Online GIS: The West Virginia Property Assessment / Land Book portal allows searches by magisterial district (Edray, Huntersville, Green Bank, Little Levels) to verify active tax tickets, historical parcel maps, or map/parcel numbers.
- Estate & Will Books: If the property passed down through an inheritance or unrecorded family transfer, the probate and appraisal records in the Clerk's office will reference the tract descriptions and adjoining landowners.
If you have additional details—such as an approximate time period, magisterial district, nearest town (e.g., Marlinton, Huntersville, Cass), or adjoining property owners—sharing them can help narrow the search.
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In Pocahontas County land and court records, the property associated with Walter Kelly (recorded formally in county deed and tax records as Walter G. Kelley / Walter Kelly) is situated along River Road (County Route 1) in the Clover Lick area, within the Edray Tax District.
Parcel Identification & Recent Chain of Title
- Legal Description: The primary residential and landholding is recorded as Lots B & C (consisting of approximately 2.1 acres), located at Clover Lick.
- Auditor's Conveyance (November 2024): After going through delinquent tax / state auditor certification, the property was conveyed by WV State Auditor and Walter Kelley to Tim Elliott (filed in the Pocahontas County Clerk’s Office on November 22, 2024).
Adjoining Real Estate & Boundary Features
Because Clover Lick is positioned along the Greenbrier River valley between Marlinton and Cass, properties along River Road are bounded by the natural river corridor, historic railroad right-of-way, and local homestead tracts:
- The Greenbrier River & State Rail-Trail Corridor:
- Parcels along River Road at Clover Lick typically front or back onto the Greenbrier River and the adjoining corridor of the Greenbrier River Trail (the former Chesapeake & Ohio Greenbrier Division railway line, now owned by the State of West Virginia / Division of Natural Resources).
- Adjoining Private Landowners (Edray District Tax Map at Clover Lick):
- Parcels immediately flanking the Kelly property along River Road and the Clover Lick bridge/creek junction include residential tracts and acreage historically held by local families in the Clover Lick settlement, including parcels held by the Elliott, Cassell, Sharp, and McKenney families.
- A short distance down River Road toward Indian Draft, neighboring acreage includes larger tracts transferred among long-time district landholders (such as the adjoining Roberta L. McKenney tract).
- Public Rights-of-Way:
- Bounded directly on one boundary line by the right-of-way of County Route 1 (River Road), with access easements leading to adjacent river bottom lots.
How to Inspect the Metes & Bounds and Tax Map
To pull the exact adjoining parcel numbers and boundary callouts:
- Deed Record: Look up the deed recorded on November 22, 2024 (WV State Auditor & Walter Kelley to Tim Elliott) in Deed Book at the County Clerk's office in Marlinton. The deed recites the exact calls ("thence with the line of...") detailing who owned the abutting land on the north, east, south, and west at the time the parcel survey was drafted.
- Pocahontas County Assessor GIS: Search District 02 (Edray) on the West Virginia Property Viewer / Map using either Tim Elliott as the current owner or Walter Kelley as the prior assessed name along River Road / Clover Lick. This will display the interactive boundary lines showing every adjacent parcel ID and current owner.
That type of intra-family consolidation explains why a property historically known as "Eddie Kelly’s" or the "Kelly home place" frequently leaves no direct tax parcel in Eddie's name.
How That Consolidation Operates Under West Virginia Law
1. Tenants-in-Common and the Undivided Share
When real property passes by intestate succession (without a will specifying parcel splits), the heirs take title as tenants-in-common. Each sibling owns a fractional undivided share of the whole boundary—not a distinct physical corner of the land.
2. The Out-of-State Quitclaim Pattern
When family members migrated out of Pocahontas County to industrial hubs in Ohio (Eastlake, Euclid, Kirtland) or western Pennsylvania, administering local property from afar became impractical. The out-of-state heirs commonly executed Quitclaim Deeds or Deeds of Bargain and Sale releasing their rights, title, and interest to the resident sibling (Walter) for nominal consideration ("ten dollars and other valuable consideration" or "love and affection").
3. Title Consolidation vs. Boundary Partitions
- If the siblings executed quitclaims to Walter, no new physical boundary was surveyed. Walter simply absorbed the remaining fractional interests, becoming the sole owner of the original acreage (Lots B & C, totaling ~2.1 acres).
- If any sibling did retain a carved-out section, it required a formal Deed of Partition accompanied by an actual metes-and-bounds survey showing the dividing lines between the newly established tracts.
4. The Chain of Title Path to the 2024 Auditor Sale
Because the siblings’ interests merged into Walter, the Pocahontas County Assessor’s Land Books carried the property solely under Walter’s name. When real estate taxes became delinquent, the statutory notice and subsequent conveyance by the West Virginia State Auditor operated against Walter Kelley as the sole assessed owner of record, terminating the family line’s title when the auditor's deed was delivered to Tim Elliott in November 2024.
Verifying the Conveyances in the County Records
To locate the exact instrument where Eddie and his siblings released or partitioned their interests, check the following records in the Pocahontas County Record Room:
- Grantor Index (K): Search for Kelley, Eddie (or Edward / Edwin / Newt) as Grantor and Kelley, Walter as Grantee. The entry will list the Deed Book and page number where the instrument is recorded.
- Grantee Index (K): Search Kelley, Walter across the decades following Elbert/Eugene’s death to view all incoming conveyances for the Clover Lick / River Road parcels.
- Recital Clause in the 2024 Deed: Pull the November 22, 2024 deed to Tim Elliott. The derivation clause ("Being the same property conveyed to...") will cite the exact prior Deed Book and page where Walter acquired full title—either from his parents directly or through the deeds executed by his siblings.-------------------------------------------------------------------Room In The Inn is not a commercial hotel or traditional lodging facility, but rather one of Tennessee’s most prominent non-profit homeless services organizations and transitional shelter networks.
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