Background
J. Frederick Kelly was born in 1888 at Lowville, New York, United States.
J. Frederick Kelly was born in 1888 at Lowville, New York, United States.
He received an academic education at Yale University, later won a scholarship which afforded him the opportunity to study architecture in Europe
Beginning practice in New Haven after the close of the first World War he collaborated with the firm of Day & Klauder in designing the Sterling Hall of Medicine and other buildings at Yale University, but was better known for his restorations of historic structures. Amonq his outstanding achievements in that field of planning was the 17th century Swain- Harrison house at Brantford, Conn., later bequeathed to the Society for the Preservation of New England Antiquities, the Whitfield house at Guilford (now a State Museum), and the re-building of the Congregational Church at Lebanon, an historic landmark wrecked in the 1938 hurricane. Mr. Kelly was also widely known as author of numerous publications relating to old houses in New England, such as "Early Domestic Architecture of Connecticut" and "Connecticut Historical Monuments”.
He served during the 1930 s as architectural advisor to the State Centenary Commission. In professional practice he was associated with his brother Henry under the firm of Kelly & Kelly, designers of many of the finest homes, schools and other public buildings in New Haven.