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Irish-Born Sculptor Stephen J.O'Kelly Created Myles Standish Memorial In Duxbury and Civil War Monuments in Nashua and Gettysburg



Myles Standish Monument in Duxbury, MA

Dublin-born sculptor Stephen J. O'Kelly (1850-98) was a successful artist in late 19th century United States, creating several important memorials that still stand today. Born in Dublin, he studied art in Paris and opened a studio in London before immigrating to Boston, where he lived for much of his adult life. He had Roscommon roots, and his brother, J. J. O'Kelly, was a Member of Parliament representing County Roscommon.  

Sculptor John Horrigan repairs Myles Standish statue. Photo Credit: Duxbury Rural & Historical Society

The most prominent is the 14-foot statue of Pilgrim leader Myles Standish, which sits atop a 116 foot monument on top of Captain's Hill in South Duxbury, one of the distinctive landmarks along the seacoast South of Boston.  Standish, who landed aboard the Mayflower in 1620, is depicted in the statue holding  the Plymouth Colony charter as he gazes across the Bay.  Shortly before his death in 1898 O'Kelly created the plaster model of the statue , which was carved by two Italians, Stefano Brignoli and Luigi Limonetta. In 1924 the statue was struck by lighting and the head and right arm were destroyed.  

Quincy-based sculptor John Horrigan repaired the statue by carving a replacement to the damaged part in 1927. 

Photo Credit: Nutfield Genealogy

O'Kelly worked ona number of Civil War monuments, including several at at the Gettysburg National Military Park in Pennsylvania.  In New England, O'Kelly was one of the sculptors on the Nashua Civil War Monument in Nashua, NH, unveiled in 1888. He also created  numerous church statues throughout the Northeast, for the Cathedral in Hartford, CT and New York City.

O'Kelly was caught up in an unfortunate situation in 1889, when he made an original granite sculpture of Civil War hero Colonel Thomas Cass, leader of the 9th Irish Regiment, who died in 1862 from wounds at the Battle of Malvern Hills. O'Kelly's piece was actually a work-in-progress, and was intended as a decorative piece at Mt. Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge. But the Society of the Ninth saw the piece and decided to present it to city officials.  O’Kelly was reluctant to see his granite piece used there, knowing that it would dimmish his reputation as an artist. Sure enough, it caused an uproar among art critics and Public Garden when it was placed there in 1889.  O'Kelly himself disavowed the statue and refused to have his name associated with it.  It was removed in 1894 and a new one was made by sculptor Richard Edwin Brooks and unveiled in 1899.

According to an obituary, O'Kelly died in Harrison, NJ in October, 1898.  "He was a resident of Boston, and a month ago he went to Harrison to execute a scriptural group for the main entrance to the Church of the Holy Cross," reported the Jersey City News.


Read story about 19th century Irish sculptors in Irish America Magazine, and visit Boston's IrishHeritageTrail.com.



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