The will of Jacob Maurer named daughter Veronica, wife of John Schell.

I have found a transcription on LDS fiche #6051370 of the Schellsburg, Bedford County, cemetery where Veronica is buried and her tombstone is said to say -- born 1st 1727, died 8 Feb 1815. These dates seem plain enough but are not in exact agreement with information about Veronica that can be found on-line. It may be yet another example of information being available but no one else made the effort to go look for it.

A different transcription done by the DAR in 1953 on LDS film #385046 seems to make it clear that the tombstone does give that dod but only says age 88 and thus is not so specific as to her birth date. “Herruhe gerbeein van Fronica Schell gestarben deb 8th Februrin in jahr AD 1815 in inman alter van 88 jahrm.”

They are both wrong. The tombstone clearly reads “Herruhe gerbeein van Fronica Schell ist gestarben deb 8th Februrin in jahr AD 1815 in inman alter van 88 jahrm.”

Some Internet sources say this about the Maurer Family. Henrick Maurer was born in Germany. His son Jacob was born 1708 in Germany and married Sophia Lisabeth. Their daughter Veronica was born about 1734 and married John Schell. The idea that Henrick was Jacob’s father is bogus and he was born, most likely, several years before 1708. His daughter Veronica was also born several years earlier than what is stated.

From the earliest mention I ever found about Veronica Maurer, I always read that she died in Bedford County, PA but never could understand if that was true or how that came to be.

I also suffered from the mistaken belief that she had married Jacob Leidy after Johannes died and so when I found the documented marriage of Jacob Leydy and Veronica Schell on 6 Apr 1779 and knowing that Johannes had died in 1777, I initially assumed this was proof of that second marriage of the widow Veronica and believed that might explain how she came to move to Bedford County.

But I wasn't certain because other citations where this marriage record was found would say widow when that was the case and this record did not say that.

It wasn't until I found the “Ancestry of Ellen Schell Garber” book that I came to understand the rest of the story. Sometime around the year 1800, John Schell, son of John Schell and Veronica, moved to Bedford County, PA and founded the village of Schellsburg there. This was just a little before the time that Veronica's daughter Susanna moved with her husband to Freeburg, PA. It is not clear what the precipitating event was for these relocations but clearly Veronica chose to go with her oldest son. I also came to understand from this book that Jacob Leidy married Susanna’s sister, who had been named Veronica after her mother.

And later, I found a cemetery transcription of Schellsburg Union Cemetery that provided proof of her burial there -- as Veronica Schell (not Veronica Leidy). It also gave her date of death and age, confirming her approximate birth year. Her tombstone, shown in the nearby photo, was totally in German.

Johannes was mentioned by name in his father’s will. I think there was only one family of this exact name in the area of Montgomery County at the time our ancestors lived there and the relationships among them seem clear.

The Phila Co Orphan's Court dealt with John Shell in several proceedings in about 1783 from which these statements are extracted. John Shall eldest son of John Shall late of Upper Hanover Twp petitioned because his father died intestate on behalf of himself, Veronica his widow, additional children of age Jacob, Abraham, Maria, Veronica, Catherine -- and Susannah under age. John the father owned land in Upper Hanover Twp and in Douglas Twp and the purpose of the petition was to seek fair settlement of the estate. The lands were valued at 1261 pounds and John Shall eldest son posted bond to take ownership of the lands and pay the heirs as appropriate.

Johannes Schell is mentioned in the records of Montgomery County providing a nice biography of his life.

From early church records, we have the marriage of John Schell and Veronica Maurer in a list of marriages by Reverend George Michael Weiss in the years 1747-1781. The marriages are not dated but if they were chronological and evenly spread, then a guess is fall, 1748. Most sources though say 1753.

And we have his death 4 May 1777. "Joh Schell was buried; born 1729, Jan 22; aged 48 years and 3 months."

And we have the birth of our ancestor, Susanna. "Maria Susanna Schelle, daughter of Joh. Schelle, b.1768, Oct 16; sponsor Anna Maria Maurer." I believe this may be Susanna's baptismal date -- her tombstone shows a different date of birth.

From an Orphan's Court petition in about 1783, we know that John Schell's oldest son was John, that his wife was Veronica and that he had numerous children including youngest daughter Susanna who was still a minor in 1783.

So everything ties neatly together. Our ancestor John was the son of Michael and father of Susanna Schell who married Peter Hollenbush.

The estate file for John Schell lists payments in 1786 to these heirs: the Widow Veronica, Mary Boehm, Veronica wife of Jacob Leidy, Catharina wife of Michael Hoffman, Jacob, Abraham, Susanna wife of Holbush.