Unidentified Rear Admiral O'Kelly - Help needed

[gth94]

Hello,

I have got a French sword engraved " Presented to rear admiral O'Kelly"

This navy sword is dated betwin 1852 and 1870.

I don't find anything on this Admiral.

He is not French.

Does anyone have an idea to identify.

Thanks

Gerry

[Odulf]

I have tried several of my RN Listst for the period given, but no result...

[gth94]

Thank you for trying.

If he wasn't British, do you think American ?

[Odulf]

O'Kelly? Doesn't seem very familiar to me. Are you sure this is genuine?

I have a book of Irish family names, but O'Kelly is not in it.....

[renmore]

kelly (O'kelly) is a common irish surname, can you post up a pic of the sword and the engraving.

Edited August 19, 2013 by renmore

[Guest Rick Research]

There are quite a few "British" O'Kellys listed in that 1935 "Who's Who?" Might be worth examining the line of a "Count" (Holy Roman Empire title 1767 so of course not recognized in the British peerage) Gerald Edward "O'Kelly de Gallagh et Tycooly"... diplomat for the Free State and Republic (!) born 1890, "3rd son of Count John O'Kelly an Mary d. of the late "Count" O'Byrne of Corville and g.d. of Baron von Hübner, Austrian Ambassador to Paris 1849-58....."

which seems to fit in with time epriod and a (but not THE!!!) "French connection." Seems a likley family to start at.

Mid Victorian era most Irish family names still used O' but that was mostly supressed by the English. My Irish ancestors all lost their O's in that time period, going from O'Meara to Mara, for instance. Some names were totally Anglicized. Names we don't think of as "ever" having been preceded by O' actually were, until mid/late 19th century.

[Guest Rick Research]

I've just checked the late (?) William B. Cogar's "Dictionary of Admirals of the U.S. Navy 1862-1900" and there was no American Admiral by that name in the period covered. There were NO admirals in the U.S. navy before 1862.

(Confederate admirals?...no idea)