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George Kelly Barnes
Machine Gun Kelly
I never know much about this man until I started my research for this. It was very interesting to learn about him to say the least. Now, my favorite gangster has always been Al Capone. I don’t know too many gangsters, but doing these articles about different gangsters and mobsters has me learning a lot more people. Let’s deep dive into the man that is Machine Gun Kelly.
George Kelly Barnes was born on July 18, 1895 in Memphis, TN to George Frederick Barnes Jr and Elizabeth Kelly Barnes. His dad was an insurance executive. Growing up George was raised in a respectable neighborhood in a traditional household. Everything was normal for him growing up. He did not live in a bad part of town. His parents were never abusive toward him. He had a normal childhood. In September of 1917 he enrolled at Mississippi A&M. Which was later known as Mississippi State University. He was studying agriculture. He was a very poor student in college. His highest grade was a C+. Which his C+ was for good physical hygiene. He was constantly in trouble with the faculty. His first semester there he received 31 demerits. He got another 24 demerits the first few weeks of the second semester. One year later in 1918 he left college. But while he was in school he met Geneva Ramsey. George and Geneva married in 1919.
