Ezra Kelley of Dartmouth, Massachusetts. Clockmaker, watchmaker, and goldsmith.

Ezra Kelley, clockmaker, watchmaker, and goldsmith, was born a Quaker in Dennis, Massachusetts, on September 26, 1798, and died a Methodist in New Bedford on December 14, 1895. He was expelled from the Society of Friends when he married his wife Nancy Simmons of Hingham in 1823. She was a Methodist. It appears he worked as an apprentice to his cousins, Allen Kelley of South Yarmouth and John Bailey Jr. of Hanover, Massachusetts. Ezra and fellow Bailey apprentice Nathaniel Shepherd were business partners who worked together from 1820 through 1823 and from 1833 through 1835. In 1830, Kelley moved to Venezuela for a few years and set up a shop there until he returned in 1833. From 1839 through 1841, he was in business with Stephen Howland as Kelley & Howland, dry goods merchants. In 1850, Ezra worked with his son George, a watchmaker, as E. Kelley & Son. Soon after, he established a business to refine whale oil for watches, clocks, and light machinery in New Bedford. This became a successful enterprise. Tall clocks, shelf clocks, and timepieces are known. He is listed as a clockmaker, watchmaker, and goldsmith.