Son of Bernard "Bernie" Benjamin Kelley and Lucinda Alice Comeau. His military record has his birth date as 27 Jan 1895, which differs from the 1894 birth year engraved on his marker.

In 1900 he lived in Richford, Vermont with parents, 4 siblings and a boarder. In 1910 he lived in Ludlow, Vermont with parents and 6 siblings. His father worked at odd jobs and his mother was a washer woman.

Many from his family moved to the area of Keene, New Hampshire about 1915.

He served one year in the New Hampshire National Guard Reserve before enlisting for service during World War I. He was a Private in the US Army. His military record credits his service from Jun 1916 to Aug 1917.

Just prior to his marriage, he worked as a screen maker in Keene, New Hampshire.

He married Elizabeth "Bessie" Estella Olmstead (Fletcher), as her second husband, on 1 Oct 1917 in Keene, Cheshire, New Hampshire. Their marriage record calls him a moulder and her a worker in a brush handle factory. They had children:

. Pauline Mildred Kelley (1918 - 1966)
+ sp: David J. Bailey
. Carl Clair Kelley, Jr. (1920 - 1990)
. Raymond Walter Kelley (1926 - 1999)
+ sp: Esther Pearl Coburn
. Lorraine C. Kelley (1928 -

In 1920 he lived in Keene, New Hampshire with wife, their daughter Pauline, his stepdaughter Stella, and 3 lodgers. He and his wife both worked in a chair factory.

In 1930 he lived in Swanzey, New Hampshire with wife, 4 of their children, his stepchildren Richard and Rachel Fletcher, and stepdaughter Stella Rice, her husband and child. He was a surveyor for a lumber company; Stella and her husband worked in a shoe factory.

In 1940 he lived in Swanzey with wife and 3 children. He and his son Carl, Jr. both worked in a plate glass factory.

In 1950 he lived in Swanzey with wife and their sons Raymond and Carl. He was a maintenance worker for a brush handle factory.