Within the Archives of the Indies in Seville, Spain, Harry Kelsey pored over stacks of historic paperwork detailing the Spanish conquests within the New World. He practically froze within the sixteenth century constructing as he taught himself the best way to decipher historic writing programs and skim Spanish.
“I used to be seated at a desk sporting a shawl, overcoat and gloves with the fingers lower off so I may take notes,” Kelsey instructed the Los Angeles Occasions in 1985.
The Pure Historical past Museum of Los Angeles County deliberate to exhibit a piece of California historical past, spanning from 1540 to 1940, and as chief curator of historical past, Kelsey volunteered to nail down how explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo constructed his sturdy ship. That means the museum may fee a reproduction of the vessel.
The extra he researched, the extra Kelsey grew fascinated with the explorer credited with offering the oldest written document of mankind within the West Coast. And he stumbled upon paperwork pinpointing Cabrillo’s birthplace — some extent lengthy debated by historians.
“Many historians have stated he was Portuguese,” Kelsey stated. “Maybe successive writers have accepted as truth statements made in early chronicles. I found he was born in Spain, most likely round 1498 or 1500.”
Years later, King Juan Carlos of Spain acknowledged the feat and awarded the historian. And it’s testomony to many years of dogged work Kelsey pursued to study extra in regards to the world and share its intricacies. He printed quite a few books on historic figures equivalent to English explorer Francis Drake and the early, unsung Spanish mariners who traveled the globe. He additionally performed a key function in serving to set up downtown Los Angeles’ Broadway Theater and Business Historic District.
Harry Kelsey takes a break in a Spanish plaza in 2005 to examine the next day’s itinerary.
(Matthew Kelsey)
“He was an ideal one for delving into the historical past,” stated Christopher Addé, supervisor of normal collections on the Huntington Library in San Marino. “He knew his stuff and made positive a truth was a truth. He challenged normal ideas about varied individuals due to the analysis he’s completed, and that’s what researcher does.”
Kelsey died Jan. 28 at his Altadena dwelling surrounded by household. His son, Edward Kelsey, stated his father suffered from congestive coronary heart failure, prostate most cancers and lung illness. He was 93.
Kelsey’s fascination with studying doubtless stemmed from his dad and mom, who have been academics. Kelsey, who was initially from Illinois, served within the U.S. Military and later pursued his curiosity in historical past through the use of his G.I. Invoice to return to high school, incomes his grasp’s and PhD in historical past in 1965 from the College of Denver.
Kelsey began at an insurance coverage firm to earn cash as a newlywed till he landed a job as state historian for Colorado. The historical past buff held related titles all through the U.S. till a grant allowed him to check out of California’s Huntington Library. There, Edward Kelsey stated his father knew he most popular Southern California’s impeccable climate to Michigan’s harsh winters and instructed his spouse and eight kids about their upcoming transfer.
On the San Marino library, Kelsey loved leafing via its huge assortment of Western and European historical past.
“To have the ability to wander among the many stacks and select what data you wanted, it helped him loads,” Edward Kelsey stated. “He stated there was a number of outdated, outdated paperwork — 4 or 5 or 600 years outdated — that he may solely get what he wanted by seeing them in particular person.”
Kelsey later started his function on the Pure Historical past Museum of Los Angeles. His work on Cabrillo’s ship led him to finally publish a biography on the explorer. He devoted eight years of analysis, touring to Spain typically to evaluation major paperwork.
Colleagues recommended Kelsey’s capability to deal with authentic paperwork and manuscripts. They stated the historian excelled in translating sixteenth century Dutch and the logbooks of early European explorers.
“Harry made positive that somebody was quoting a truth, he wasn’t going to cite it verbatim,” Addé stated. “He wished to have a look at it from the start, together with his personal eyes, and personal interpretation. He preferred to unravel analysis.”
Earlier than Pope John Paul II canonized Father Junipero Serra, debate broke out within the Catholic neighborhood. Supporters argued it was solely a matter time for Serra’s sainthood, whereas others objected over his mistreatment of California natives. Right this moment Serra, who based 9 of California’s missions, stays a controversial determine.
Kelsey, a religious Catholic, additionally weighed in.
“Father Serra was actually a really human man,” he instructed The Occasions in 1986. “He had numerous weaknesses, I suppose, however he had great dedication and energy of objective. . . . He was a person who devoted himself to the Indians and actually tried to assist them.”
Kelsey stated that life was arduous for California natives when Serra arrived, including that the concept they “lived in a type of pastoral Eden, in excellent peace with each other, is simply the best malarkey. There’s completely no reality to it in any respect.”
Giles Mead, the late director of the historical past museum, grew keen on Kelsey’s strategy and ensured the historian would have a spot to proceed his work. The Mead Basis endowed an workplace on the Huntington Library and — for 50 years — awarded Kelsey grants to cowl his analysis bills. For years, Kelsey may very well be present in his workplace till the pandemic interrupted his routine.
Mead’s daughter, Parry Mead, stated her father was in awe of Kelsey’s “meticulous consideration to element.”
“Dad used to say, ‘Harry is the one historian I do know whose footnotes exceeded the narrative in his books!’ ” she stated.
At a low level in Giles Mead’s life, Kelsey wrote virtually every day letters to his good friend. Utilizing their mutual love of canine, Kelsey spoke via his rescue pup, creating a singular voice to precise his feelings to his good friend. Parry Mead stated she believes the letters helped preserve her father alive.
Even after he retired, Kelsey continued pursuing his love of historical past. He traveled practically annual — typically twice in a yr — to stroll historic routes equivalent to Spain’s Camino de Santiago, the place winding paths stretched from the coast to countryside hills. And similar to the European navigators he studied, Kelsey wrote letters to his family members about his adventures.
“One time he actually did have a St. Bernard discover him as a result of he obtained caught in snow,” Addé stated. “He made sort of mild of it, however he did say on the time it was actually robust going.”
In his spare time, Kelsey loved refurbishing vintage vehicles in his storage. He restored a 1915 Dodge he as soon as drove in a Disneyland parade and constructed a reproduction of a 1920 Mannequin T Ford. Even in his closing days, his kids helped him work on his Sixties Chevy pickup.
“He was the type of particular person you by no means thought would die ever as a result of at 92ish, he was nonetheless speaking about happening pilgrimage journeys,” Addé stated. “And I’m pondering, ‘Effectively, I simply need to get to 92.’ ”
Kelsey was most not too long ago engaged on a brand new guide, translating the account of an individual who was on the ship with the Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan when he was circumnavigating the world.
Kelsey is survived by seven kids, 17 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in loss of life by his spouse and a son.
