FELL FAMILY
– Among the pioneer families of Mercer County were the Fells,
William and Nathan, who were sons of John and Elizabeth
(Hartley) Fell, natives of Bucks County, PA. In the fall of 1796
William and his son George came from Westmoreland County,
PA to Mercer County, and made a selection of a tract of land in the
south part of West Salem Township, and make a selection of a tract of
land in the south part of West Salem Township, and then returned to
their home. They again came out in the spring of 1797, built a
cabin, and made a permanent settlement. In the spring of 1798
William moved his family to his new home in the wilderness of
Mercer County. He was accompanied by his brother, Nathan,
who was born in 1775, and was a weaver by trade. He made his
settlement in what is now Pymatuning Township, purchasing a tract of
400 acres of land, and built his log cabin opposite to where the
residence of his grandson, Aaron Fell, now stands.
Nathan married Ann Smith, a native of Bucks County, March 8,
1780, and to them were born twelve children: John, who died in
1837; William, who died in infancy; George, who died June 12,
1853; Elizabeth, who married Joseph Morford; Martha,
wife of Thomas McFarland; Rachel, wife of Philip Waldruff; Anne,
who never married; Rebecca, who married E. Fox; Benjamin; Esther,
who married John McFarland; Nathan, who died in 1813; Mary, who
died in infancy; Cynthia, who married Michael Yeager, and
Jesse. Nathan died October 12, 1835, and his widow in 1842.
Jesse, the youngest child of Nathan, was born in Pymatuning Township in
1801, and was reared on the old homestead, where he continued to live
until his death, which occurred in April, 1886, his wife having died in
1882. His wife was Esther, daughter of Thomas Coulson, of Mercer,
PA, and by this marriage they had eight children: Nathan, who
lives in Green Township; Amanda, who married George Smith, of Mercer,
PA and died in 1856; Emeline, who married J.B. Campbell, of Delaware
Township; Oleand, who died in infancy; Lorena, who married Jerome
Allen, of Delaware Township; Mahlon, of Pymatuning Township; Aaron, of
Pymatuning Township; and Allen, who was killed in his saw-mill in
Pymatuning Township in 1859.
Mahlon, the second son of Jesse, was born February 23, 1832, in
Pymatuning Township, on the old homestead of his grandfather. He
received his education in the common schools, has always been engaged
in farming, and now lives upon a portion of the land that was
accumulated by his father, which at his death amounted to 2,400
acres. He was married April 16, 1854, to Miss Julia A., daughter
of David Lininger, of West Salem Township. She died January 16,
1876, leaving four children: James, who lives in Pymatuning
Township; Jesse, of Iowa; Mahlon and John, both of whom live in
Pymatuning Township. Mr. Fell married his second wife, in 1880,
Miss Sarah, daughter of Albert Hays, of Hartford Township, Trumbull
Co., Ohio, and by this marriage they have one child, Edwin D.
Aaron, the third son of Jesse, was born in Pymatuning Township in
1834. He received his early training at the common schools of
that time. He was bred a farmer, and was engaged in that business
until he was twenty-five years of age, when he engaged in the lumber
business in connection with farming, which he has continued to
follow. He is extensively engaged in farming, operating some 700
acres of land. Mr. Fell was united in marriage in 1861 to
Emeline, daughter of Thomas Mossman, of West Salem Township, and to
them have been born five children: Jesse A., who is engaged in
the lumber business at Erie, PA; Frances; Allen M.; Charles A., who
died in infancy, and Aaron, Jr. Mr. Fell is a member of the F.
& A.M.., Eureka Lodge No. 290, of Greenville, and also of the K. of
H. of the same place.
History of Mercer County, 1888 Pages 905-906; Transcribed and Submitted by Janet Stanko
|
|