He was educated in Harrietsville, London and Toronto.
In 1877, Jelly married Ida Findlay.
He taught school for five years in Harrietsville and then served as managing director for the Belmont Flax Company.
He came to the Northwest Territories, where he farmed and raised livestock, in 1882.
It is unknown when he arrived in Brisbane, Queensland, but he was admitted to Dunwich Benevolent Asylum in September 1911.
On December 17, 1911, he jumped from a jetty and drowned.
He was buried in an Unmarked Grave in the Dunwich Cemetery.
Admission records for this time frame are missing.