J. D. Jerrold (James Douglas Jerrold) Kelley

Born in 1847 and writing as J. D. Jerrold Kelley, James Douglas Jerrold Kelley was an American naval officer and author whose books focused on the sea. He is best remembered for works such as American Yachts: Their Clubs and Races, The Question of Ships, and The Story of the Barbary Corsairs.

Kelley's writing suggests a strong interest in both the working world of ships and the romance of maritime history. Rather than treating the subject from a distance, he wrote with the confidence of someone trained in naval life, helping readers understand yachting, commerce, and naval affairs in a clear, approachable way.

He died in 1922. Although he is not widely known today, his books remain of interest to readers drawn to nautical history, classic sea writing, and the world of late nineteenth-century American shipping.