Fanny Kelly

She was an actress, known for Love, Honor and Behave! (1920), Down on the Farm (1920) and Movie Fans (1920). She was married to Patrick Kelly.

Fanny Kelly was born in 1875 in New York City, New York, USA as Fannie McGrame.

She was persuaded to go live with the Larimers, who had settled in Wyoming. While there, however, she claimed her manuscript was stolen for the purpose of plagiarism. Sarah Larimer published a book about her own brief experience in 1870 called The Capture and Escape; or, Life among the Sioux. Fanny had to resort to litigation.

Fanny and her husband returned to Geneva, then moved, first to Shawneetown, then to Ellsworth, Kansas. There, an outbreak of cholera claimed Josiah Kelly, who succumbed on July 28, 1867. Their child was born after Josiah's death.

In 1863, Fanny married Josiah S. Kelly, also of Geneva, a farmer and discharged Union soldier at least fifteen years her senior. Josiah hoped that a change of climate would aid his failing health, so he, Fanny, and her seven-year-old niece and adopted daughter, Mary Hurley set out on May 17, 1864 for the region that is now Idaho or Montana. With them were two black servants, Franklin and Andy, and the Kellys' twenty-eight-year-old neighbor, Gardner Wakefield. A fellow traveler, a Methodist clergyman named Mr. Sharp, joined them a few days later. A couple of weeks after that, William and Sarah Larimer and their eight-year-old son Frank, with whom the Kellys were acquainted, left a large wagon train to accompany them. The party was later joined by Noah Daniel Taylor, who drove the Larimers' wagon.

General Sully had been sent to stop the Indian attacks on settlers beginning in 1862. The Sihasapa became weary of the fighting and offered peace. Informed by Captain Fisk of Fanny's plight, Sully insisted she be freed as part of the agreement, even though the Sihasapa protested she was being held by the Oglala. In November, Sihasapa warriors, including the prominent leader Kill Eagle, went to the Oglala camp to negotiate for Fanny's release, but the Oglala resisted the idea of giving her up. The Sihasapa proceeded to take Fanny away without Oglala permission. When the Oglala pursued them to reclaim her, the two groups parleyed. It was eventually agreed that the Sihasapa would be allowed to keep Fanny.

Fanny Kelly (1845–1904) was a North American pioneer woman captured by the Sioux and freed five months later. She later wrote a book about her experiences called Narrative of My Captivity among the Sioux Indians in 1871.