John Schell, II

This was connected to wrong husband, now, it is connected to just the right husband - NOW, must check all the children !!!

Lifesketch:

"The story says John Schell Jr/II and Elizabeth Barbara Hillegas (1763-1842), their 8 children and his widowed mother (Fronica Mauer/Maurer, 1727-1815) left Montgomery County Pennsylvania to move to Kentucky shortly before 1800; however, John Jr/II believed it was too unsafe to cross the Ohio River by boat because of the Indians, so they returned back through Napier Township which already had a few settlers but wasn't organized until 1812, in Bedford County, Pennsylvania (possibly following the Forbes Road built in the late 1750s) and settled there abt 1798 in what would become Schellsburg (named after him as its founder). On 1 May 1800 John Schell Jr/II purchased more than 1500 acres of land, a tract patented as "Nine-Mile Town", and, in 1801, an adjoining tract patented in the name of 'Pekin,' about 500 acres, from Samuel Davidson and John Anderson, of Bedford. Part of this land would later be divided into farms for each of his sons (and some land for each of his daughters), and on the remainder of these lands, on the road leading from Bedford to Fort Pitt, John Schell Jr/II would later lay out the village of Schellsburg. John Schell Jr/II's homestead was built just outside of what would be Schellsburg. The first gristmill in Napier township was John Schell's; it was probably built soon after he settled in Bedford County in 1800. He donated land for schools and churches, one of which, the Union Church, built in 1806 and now known as the Old Log Church, was the first church in the area. In 1808 John Schell Jr/II laid out the town lots and developed the community. Relatives and former neighbors moved from Montgomery County to Schellsburg and vicinity. John Schell Jr/II died in 1825. Schellsburg was incorporated as the second borough of Bedford County in 1838. Elizabeth Barbara Hillegas Schell, wife of John Schell Jr/II died in 1842 just 4 years after Schellsburg was incorporated. Both are buried in the cemetery encircling the Union Church which was included in the 2005 National Register of Historic Places as the Chestnut Ridge and Schellsburg Union Church and Cemetery. Their graves are surrounded by later generations of family members." (brought forward from "memories")

His ancestors emigrated from the Palatinate (Germany) to Pennsylvania after 1727. [The family claim that his grandfather,
Michael emigrated in 1732 and settled near Goshenhoppen in Phildadelphia.] The Palatinate is a name applied to two German
States which were united previous to 1620...the Upper and Lower Palatinate. They were situated on both sides of the Rhine and was very fertile land. Louis XIV of France marched his armies into the area in 1688 and 1689. Thousands were driven
from their homes and fled to Amsterdam and Rotterdam in Holland. Queen Anne of England transported many of them to
America where they settled in Pennsylvania. After 1727 other Palatinates emigrated to America. Huguenots fleeing from
France also came to America during these periods with the Palatinates
Schellsburg, 'the loveliest village of the plain,' is situated on the eastern slope of Chestnut Ridge, one of the foothills of the
Allegheny Mountains, nine miles west of Bedford, on the turnpike leading to Pittsburgh. It was laid out by John Schell, a
native of Goshenhoppen, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, in the year 1810, who was forced to leave his early home on
account of the 'alien and sedition law,' and his 'liberty pole' proclivities. He came to Bedford County about the year 1800, and
stopped at 'Nine Mile Town,' west of Bedford, and bought the tract of land patented as 'Nine Mile Town,' and an adjoining
tract patented in the name of 'Pekin,' about five hundred acres, from Samuel Davidson and John Anderson, of Bedford, in
1801, and on these lands, on the road leading from Bedford to Fort Pitt, he laid out the village of Schellsburg."...."John Schell
donated several lots for church and educational purposes, and some ten acres of level land, on the summit of the ridge, for a
church and cemetery. Here was built, mainly through his efforts, the first church (a union church of the German Reformed and
Lutheran denominations) in that part of the county, which remains today a relic of the labors of the pioneers of this section, and
is used now only as a mortuary chapel of the beautiful burial-ground that surrounds it."
http://www.pa-roots.com/~bedford/townships/schellsburghis.html

"Schellsburg was founded by John Schell, who came to the area from Montgomery County in 1800. He purchased land known
as Nine-Mile Town, then in 1801 bought adjoining land, where Schellsburg was built. Laid out in 1810, Schellsburg became an
official borough in 1838, the second borough created in the county. John Anderson built the first house within the current town
limits in 1776, before John Schell arrived. Schell built the next house, and operated the first store and tavern. Other early
settlers were John Clark, a tanner; Michael Reed, cabinetmaker and carpenter; John Lindsey, a hatter; and Frederick Goeb, a
printer."

Familysearch:

• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/LCPG-6KP

Findagrave:

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12784643/john-schell