Stephen S. Pell of the Town of Pelham, a Son of Colonel David Jones Pell of Pelhamdale

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Stephen Sneden Pell was a notable early Pelham resident who served as Town Supervisor from 1827 to 1831 and also in 1841.  In 1845 the Westchester County Board of Supervisors appointed Pell to a two-year term to serve with two others as Westchester County's "Superintendents of the Poor."  Pell continued to serve in that capacity until his term expired in late 1847.  He also served for a time as "Town Auditor" of the Town of Pelham during a period that also included 1847.  Pell also served numerous terms as a vestryman at St. Paul's Church in Eastchester (1826-1831; 1834-1842; and 1848-1850).

Stephen S. Pell was born November 29, 1803 in a portion of the home today known as Pelhamdale located at 45 Iden Avenue.  The home is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Stephen Sneden Pell was a son of David Jones Pell and Hester ("Hetty") Sneden.

Stephen S. Pell married Adeline M. Turnbull on December 5, 1830.  The couple had at least one son, Walter T. Pell.  Stephen and Adeline Pell and their family lived for a time in a home that was on today's Boston Post Road near the Hutchinson River.  The property was located about sixty feet away from the Town Dock on the Hutchinson River (also known as Eastchester Creek).  Stephen Pell was a "merchant."  From his property on Boston Post Road he operated a lumber yard, a coal yard, and a country store.

On the property Pell maintained a full assortment of lumber and a large quantity of coal.  In his country store he maintained an inventory, and sold a large assortment, of dry goods, groceries, earthenware, hardware, boots, shoes, and even liquor.  He also kept on the site a grocery wagon, a "pleasure wagon," a rockaway carriage, a horse cart, and livestock.  He maintained fruit trees on the property to produce fruit for sale in his country store.  

Pell's property included about six acres on which stood a two-story home that was 40 by 35 feet.  There also was a barn nearly as large as the house (40 by 28 feet).  There also were an ice house, a hay scale, and a number of additional outbuildings.  

It appears that in the late 1840s, Stephen Sneden Pell and his family suffered some form of financial difficulties.  Legal notices published in New York City newspapers in 1849 and early 1850 suggest that Pell had debts owed to two men named John R. Hayward and Jesse Lyon.  It appears that he assigned his interests in both his real and personal property to the two men who arranged for an auction of the contents of his country store and other personal property, followed later by an auction of his six-acre property, dwelling, and the other buildings on the site.  The auction of the contents of the store and other personal property was scheduled for September 21, 1849.  

The sale of the real property, according to one legal notice, was first scheduled to take place on February 2, 1850 at 12:00 noon at the Merchants' Exchange.  It appears that the auction either did not take place or did not result in a sale of the property.  Another auction was scheduled to take place on October 13, 1850 at 12:00 noon on the premises.  Although research has not yet revealed the results of that auction, if it occurred, no later auction notices seem to have been published.  The legal notices of the auctions styled them as "Assignees' Sale at Auction" of the property.  

A notice of Stephen Sneden Pell's death appeared in the June 16, 1870 issue of The New York Herald.  The notice indicated that he had died in Brooklyn and that the funeral would be held in the home of his son, Walter T. Pell.  

Stephen Sneden Pell's wife, Adeline Turnbull Pell, died eleven years later of pneumonia on January 31, 1881.

Detail of Map Published in 1853 Showing What Is Believed to Be the Area

Where the Stephen Sneden Pell Property Was Located.  Property May Be

One or More of the Structures Located Opposite the Prevost Property on

the Other Side of Boston Post Road.  Source: Dripps, Matthew &

Conner, R.F.O., Southern Part of West-Chester County N. Y. (1853)

(Museum of the City of New York, No. 29.100.2628).

NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

Notice of Assignees' Sale at Auction of Personal Property

of Stephen Sneden Pell of the Town of Pelham, New York.

Source:  ASSIGNEES' SALE AT AUCTION [Advertisement],

Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Sep. 21, 1849,

p. 3, col. 4. NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

*          *          *          *          *

Below is the text of a number of items that shed light on the life of Stephen Sneden Pell.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.

"FOR SALE -- A neat cottage with an excellent well near the door, carriage house, out buildings, &c, with one quarter acre of land laid out in garden, situated in Pelham, Westchester county, on the Boston turnpike, 16 miles from the city.  There are every variety of fruit trees, gooseberry and other valuable bushes.  --  Apply to Stephen S. Pell, Pelham, or S. Taylor, No. 556 Grand st, N. Y.          430 1m*"

Source:  FOR SALE -- A neat cottage [Advertisement], The Sun [NY, NY], Apr. 30, 1842, p. 3, col. 6.  

"ASSIGNEES' SALE AT AUCTION.

THE Subscribers, Assignees of Stephen S. Pell, of the town of Pelham, Westchester County, will sell at Public Auction, at the Dwelling House and Store lately occupied by said Pell, in the said town of PELHAM, on FRIDAY, THE TWENTY-FIRST DAY OF SEPTEMBER INSTANT, at 10 o'clock in the forenoon, the personal property lately belonging to said Pell, consisting of a full assortment of Lumber, selected for a Lumber Yard, and a large quantity Coal, selected for a Coal Yard.  The contents of a Country Store, consisting of a large assortment of Dry Goods, Groceries, Earthenware, Hardware, Boots, Shoes, Liquors, &c.  One Pleasure Wagon; one Grocery Wagon; one Rockaway; one Horse Cart and Harness; one Horse; Harness; Sow and Pigs.

The articles to be sold are in first-rate condition, and will be sold to the highest bidder.  The sale will commence on the 21st day of September instant, at 10 o'clock, A. M., and be continued until the whole of the personal property is sold.

Dated September 12, 1849        17w2
JOHN R. HAYWARD,  }
JESSE LYON, }
Assignees."

Source:  ASSIGNEES' SALE AT AUCTION [Advertisement], Eastern State Journal [White Plains, NY], Sep. 21, 1849, p. 3, col. 4.  

"SATURDAY, Feb. 2.

At 12 o'clock at the Merchants' Exchange.

Town of Pelham -- That valuable business stand lately occupied by Stephen S. Pell, as a Store and Coal and Lumber Yard, situated in the lower part of the town of Pelham, in the county of Westchester, on the Boston Turnpike, opposite Pelham Dock, (which is within 60 feet of the d), containing about 6 acres of good land.  On the premises is a two story dwelling, 40 by 35 feet; a barn, 40 by 28 feet; ice house, hay scale, with all the necessary outbuildings, and an assortment of fruit trees -- suitable for a large country business.  The premises are in good repair and well calculated for a boarding house.  The property will be sold without reserve, to close a concern.  The terms are liberal and will be made known on the day of sale.  For further particulars apply to the Auctioneer, No. 7 Broad street."

Source:  SATURDAY, Feb. 2, Morning Courier and New-York Enquirer, Jan. 31, 1850, Vol. XLI, No. 7053, p. 5, col. 9.  

"ASSIGNEES' SALE OF REAL ESTATE.  --  A BUSINESS STAND AT AUCTION.  --  That valuable business stand, lately occupied by Stephen S. Pell, as a store, coal and lumber yard, situate in the town of Pelham, Westchester County, on the Boston turnpike road and opposite Pelham dock, containing about 6 acres of land.  On the premises is a large two-story dwelling-house, with all the necessary out-buildings, suitable for a large country business, (the premises are well calculated for a boarding-house,) all in good repair.  Said premises will be sold on Saturday the 13th day of October at 12 o'clock, noon, on the premises. Terms liberal; made known on the day of sale.

JOHN K. HAYWARD,
JESSE LYON.

s29 2w*"

Source:  ASSIGNEES' SALE OF REAL ESTATE.  --  A BUSINESS STAND AT AUCTION, New-York Daily Tribune, Oct. 1, 1849, Vol. IX, No. 149, p. 3, col. 7.  

"PELL.  --  in Brooklyn, STEPHEN S. PELL, formerly of Pelham, Westchester county, New York, in the 67th year of his age.

The funeral will take place from the residence of his son, Walter T. Pell, 11 Abingdon square, New York city, this (Thursday) afternoon, at two o'clock.  The relatives and friends are invited without further notice."

Source:  MARRIAGES AND DEATHS . . . Died . . . PELL in Brooklyn, STEPHEN S. PELL, The New York Herald, Jun. 16, 1870, p. 3, cols. 4-5 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).    

"MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. . . . 
DIED. . .

PELL. -- On Monday, January 31, of pneumonia, ADALINE M. PELL, widow of Stephen S. Pell, late of Pelham.

Funeral from the residence of her daughter, Mrs. Moore, 101 Waverly place, on Wednesday, at two o'clock.  Interment at Greenwood."

Source:  MARRIAGES AND DEATHS . . . DIED . . . PELL,  New York Herald, Feb. 2, 1881, p. 9, col. 6.  

"Supervisors of the Several Towns. . . .

PELHAM. . . .

Stephen S. Pell, 1827 to 1831, 1841. . . ."

Source:  Smith, Henry T., ed., Manual of Westchester County Past and Present - Civil List to Date, Vol. I, p. 58 (White Plains, NY:  Henry T. Smith, Publisher, 1898).

"VESTRYMEN. . . .

Stephen S. Pell, 1826-1831, 1834-1842, 1848-1850."

Source:  Coffey, William Samuel, Commemorative Discourse Delivered at the Centennial Anniversary of the Erection and the Sixtieth of the Consecration of St. Paul's Church, East Chester, West Chester Co., N.Y., October 24th, 1865, by the Rev. William Samuel Coffey, M.A., Rector, p. 35 (NY, NY:  Perris & Browne, Printers, 1866).

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