THE SHELLS BUSH MONUMENT

The photo of the Shells Bush Monument, erected by the Astenrogen Chapter DAR on Shells Bush Road, northeast of Herkimer, NY, was kindly contributed by J.P. Schell!

"The attached is a photo of the DAR Battle of Shells Bush monument on Shells Bush Road. It's located about 1 mile or so west of NY 169, on the north side of Shells Bush Road, near the west edge of the property line of a nice white 2 story house. It was taken in May 2000 when my wife and I visited the area. I live a half a day's drive away, in Montreal. I am descendant from Mark the Twin, one of the surviving sons of John Christian Schell. He and his brother Henry the twin were captured by the Indians at the battle of Shells Bush in 1781, lived with them for two or three years, were bought out of captivity by a British officer in Upper Canada, a Captain Laws who gave them some education, and eventually they returned home 8 years later when they were 19. Their home had been burned to the ground, their father and brother Denis killed, their other brother Frederick was lamed, and their sister Eve, who was 14 at the time, survived a scalping, all in 1782 during another raid by the tories (i.e. those bad guys the British) and Indians. Mark and Henry, and their brothers Frederick and John Christian Jr all moved to Upper Canada, settling in the Markham Ontario area in 1803 for JC Jr, Frederick and Henry, Mark in 1807."

Regards,

J P Schell
July 2000

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