Dr. M. F. Kelley began practice in Hindman early in this century.  He was a native of Kelley Fork in the Knott-Perry County area.  He was a very successful practitioner and encountered the same kind of  difficulties of Dr. Duke and others.  He was more abrupt and became a "character" in his own right. People enjoyed the rather flamboyant way in which he rode horseback.

During his years as "doctor on horseback" he used 20 or more fine horses and officiated at the birth of 6,000 or more babies.  In the later years he was able to use and automobile, and people commented that he drove the vehicle the same way he rode a horse. He built a  fine home of native stone that is now the Baptist parsonage.

His office and "pharmacy" were housed n a small building nearby where the road now leads up hill to the new  Baptist Church in Hindman.

June 4, 2003