First Generation

1. Hendryk Henry KELLS was born before 1715. According to "The Palatine Families of New York, More Later Arrivals1717-1776," it is not known for certain if he was actually of Germanbackground, although he married a Palatine woman.

A Johan Andries Kell with wife and 1 child left Holland for England inthe 6th party in 1709. It is possible Johan and his wife were theparents of Hendryk/Heinrich/Henry. Hendryk in turn named his first sonJohannes, after his father? The 5th party included a Nicolas Kell andhis wife in 1709, another possibility. (Consistency in spelling of namesisn't found in these records, as German names were phonetically spelledin German, Dutch, and then English. Names appear as Els, Kells, Kels,Kelts, Kilts, Kelse, Kelsch, Kills, Kolsch, Colsh, Hils, Hiltz, Kiltz,and more.)

Heinrich Els and his wife Anna Margaretha Eschwein sponsored families atKinderhook, Linlithgo, and Claverack Reformed Churches 1737-1759.Hendrick Els of Claverak was a freeholder of Albany Co. in 1763 (AlbanyCo. Freeholders). (The Palatine Families of New York, More LaterArrivals 1717-1776). (See also Walter Allen Knittle, "Early EighteenthCentury Palatine Emigration," Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co,1976; also Henry Z. Jones, Jr., "More Paltine Families," Universal City,CA, 1991, p. 86; Henry Z. Jones, Jr., "The Palatine Families of New York1710," 1985.

Also, "Even More Palatine Families," Vol I - III, Henry Z. Jones andLewis Bunleh Rohrback, Picton Press, 2002. Hendrik Kals is on the taxlist in Claverack in 1767, according to Florence Christoph, "Upstate NewYork in the 1760's," p. 69. In the same book, Anna Veronica Winter,baptized as "Anna Vroa," June 19, 1725, married Heinrich Kilts by 1747(per Steven Winter, Hawthorne, NJ). Parents were Christian Jacob Winterand wife Christinna from Dreyfeld. Christian was the son of ChristianWinter, b. about 1660, and was baptized March 25, 1695 at Ruckeroth.Jacob Winter and wife were at Tarrytown in 1720's.

Hendryk and Margaretha Kells sponsored Margaretha, daughter of FrancisHerdyk and wife Marytje, at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in Athens,NY, in 1744 and also had a daughter baptised there at Jacob Hagedorn'shouse.

John, Hendrick, and Henry Kells were enlisted in the New York Statemilitia during the Revolutionary War. John was from Albany Co, 1776, 8thRegiment, Hendrick also Albany, 1776, 8th Regiment; Henry, Albany, 1776,6th Regiment. Claverack was part of Albany County at that time. IfHendryk was born before 1715, he would have been 61+ in 1776 and ratherold to serve in the militia. His son John/Johannes, born abt. 1740,would have been about 36, a more likely age to serve. Were Henry andHendrick his brothers? Or father and son? Did Hendryk and Margaretahave more children than are listed here?

A Johan Andies Kell, wife, and one child left on the 6th Party RotterdamDeparture List in 1709. Also a Johan Philip Keys, wife, and 1 child.Also a Johan Kristoffel Kurts and wife and two children. The 6th Partyconsisted of 1443 passengers who were embarked in Rotterdam on a total offive ships and sailded for London on July 28, 1709. They arrived inLondon on August 2nd. The British government paid 2 guilders per personpassage money and 4 stuivers per person per day for provisions (20stuivers per guilder). Nicklaas Kell and wife shipped on the 5th Party,as did Koenraad Kuntz. The 5th Party sailed from Rotterdam on July 15thand arrived in London on July 19th. 4.5% of the passengers died duringthe trip. Spelling varied, given that these were German names beingspelled phonetically or in Dutch equivalents. There were later ConradKells' and Nicholas Kells' in Schoharie County.

Another line to check out is the Conrad Kilts (Cueltz, Kiltz, Kueltz).Conradt Kueltz from Heina/Henau in the county of Krichberg as the BadenPrivy Council August 13, 1738, for the manumission of himself, his wife,and 4 children, as he wanted to search for his fortune in New England.The office then reported that there were too many subjects in the county,and his property, after the subtraction of the debts, consisted of 273Florints and 6 shillings (medium size - HJ); it was decided that Kueltzbe manumited at the usual fee. The grandfather of the emigrant wasprobably Hanss Peter Kiltz, Elder and Geritsmann at Henau, buriedFebruary 3, 1695. The father of the emigrant was undoubtedly JohannNickel Kueltz/Kiltz, called Gemeinsmann at Henau 1686-1695 and wife EngelBarbara. Conrad married Susanna Margaretha Moor, daughter of HanssGeorge Moor. Moor was noted as a churchelder and Gemeinsmann atKellenbach with his wife Anna Elisabetha. Conrad Kueltz was calledGemeinsmann at Henau 1722-1737. Conrad Kilts acquired land at StoneArabia Sepember 23, 1743. He was naturalized August 22, 1750. ConradKils and wife Zuzanna Margaretha sponsored Johannes Kils in 1754 (StoneArabia Lutheran Churchbook). Coenrat Kilts and Peter Kells werefreeholders at Stone Arabia in 1763. See David Kendall Martin's "The18th Century Kilts Family of the Mohawk Valley," (West Chazy, 1985).

Other books to check: American Ancestry, Columbia County, NY, p. 111.Catharine E. Kells. "Palatine Families in Ireland" by Hank Z. Jones, Jr.(Picton, 1990) -- "The Germanic names now often sound 'Irish' and manydescendants, whether in Ireland, Canada, or America, are unaware of theirheritage." "Palatine Families of New York" by Henry Z. Jones (Picton,2001) -- covers all 847 Palatine families who came to colonial New Yorkfrom Germany in 1710 and some of their descendants. "Early EighteenthCentury Palatine Emigration" by Walter Allen Knittle (GenealogicalPublishing Co, 1997) -- abt. 12,000 Palatine settlers by name, also agood history.

Two references used extensively (index on CD#401 comes from them):Arthur Kelly, "Marriage Records of the Claverack Reformed Church," 1970;Arthur Kelly, "Deaths, marriages, and Much Miscellaneous from Hudson, NY,Newspapers," Vol. 2, 1980; Arthur Kelly, " Marriage Records of Manorton,Churchtown, Germantown, and Barrytown Lutheran Churches," 1974.

A Daniel Kells lived in NY in 1765, and a Daniel Kells was living inHudson in the 1870's.

Also to check: Robert and Andrew, sons of Robert Kells of County Cavan,Ireland, were among the first to come to America. Johnston Kells settledin Canada in 1846, but many of his descendants are in the U.S. HewittKells came to Boston in 1847. His fifteen children have descandants allover the U.S.

Kells to place in genealogy:

Eliza Kells m. Henry Pulver - 1837 - Claverack Reformed Church
Elizabeth Kells m. Peter Sheldon - 1824 - Claverack Reformed Church
Adam Kells m. Catherine Frank - 1865 - Stone Arabia Reformed Church,Stone Arabia, Montgomery Co., NY
Jane Kells m. David Rockefeller - 1831 - St. Luke's Lutheran Church,Valatie, NY (Jacob Rockefeller lived in Claverack).
Jane Ann Kells m. William Westfall - March 24, 1838 - Dutch ReformedChurch, Nassau, Renssalaer Co., NY (buried at Sand Hill)
Rachel Kells m Elijah Thompson - August 8, 1852 - Chittenango PhoenixNewspaper
Margaret Kells m. Calvin Walden - 1853 - Claverack Reformed Church
Margaret Kells m. Allen Decker - 1854 - St. Thomas Lutheran Church,Churchtown
Maria Kells m. Charles Talmadge - 1855 - Claverack Reformed Church
Melinda Kells m. Crawford Ritenburgh - 1871 - Christ Lutheran Church,Germantown
Polly Kells m. William Chadwick - 1819 - Claverick Reformed Church
Walter Kells m. Catherine Osterhout - 1840 - Claverick Reformed Church
Anna Kells m. George Dickenson - 1892 - Linlithgo Reformed Church,Livingston
Eva Kells m. John Proper - 1866 - Linlithgo Reformed Church, Livingston
Isabella Kells m. Michael Simmerline - 1856 - Christ Lutheran Church,Germantown
John H. Kells m. Mary Elizabeth Hover - September 28, 1870 - LinlithgoReformed Church, Livingston, child Anna C. b. January 3, 1872
John H. Kells and Mary E. Hover had Ellsworth, b. July 9, 1873, andSidney, b. February 7, 1877.
Leonard Kells m. Eveline Story - May 12, 1849 - Linlithgo ReformedChurch, Livingston
Conrad Kells and Catharina had a child Catharina born August 15, 1815,Ref. Church of Schoharie
Nicolaus Kels and Anna had a child Petrus born August 12, 1792, St.Paul's Lutheran Church, Schoharie
Katherine E. Kells, wife of Harry Sheldon, May 6, 1813 to April 27, 1894,West Taghkanic Methodist Cemetery
Ann, wife of Elijah Kells, died July 21, 18--, 26 yrs. 6 mos., StockportCemetery
Edwin Kells and Phebe Welden had William Henry, b. November 25, 1858,Jessie Weldon, bp. Aug. 1866, West Ghent Ref. Church
Mary E. Kells m. William H. Heath, both of Hudson, October 30, 1890,Hudson Presbyterian Church
Elizabeth Kells m. Nelson Burroughs Cripps June 27, 1874, HudsonPresbyterian Church
Peter James Kells m. Grace Stupplebeen Barnes June 11, 1907, ReformedDutch Church, Ghent
William H. Kells, b. 1831, Greensport, died May 29, 1899, Hudson, age 68,buried Hudson Cemetery.
William Kells, d. 1843, Stockport bk 18:18 Cemeteries
Robert Kells, d. 1929, bk 14:60 Cemeteries
Frederick Keltz m. Mary Decker, East Taghkanic, September 27, 1873
Allen Kells, machinist, Hudson, 29 N. Sixth, 1851-52 Hudson CityDirectory (Philip H and Charles Kells also at that address)
William Kells, fisherman, home - State St., work N. Second 1870
John F. Kells, painter, home - 14 N. First, 1870
Theodore Kells, brakeman, home 24 S. First, 1870. Also at that address:Daniel, laborer.
William Kells, carman, home 109 N. State; William, laborer, homePromenade, 1871 Hudson Directory. William H., laborer, lived corner of Warren and Prospect, 1874
Henry Kells, Cairo, Greene Co., in 1840 Census. Fannie L. Smith, whomarried Herbert Kells, came from Cairo.
Abram A. Kells b. May 6, 1843, d. July 24, 1920, m. Victoria FrancesBarlow, b. May 20, 1840, Sheffield, MA, d. May 8, 1874, both buried inSt. Thomas Cemetery, Churchtown, NY.
Names to check and place: John H. Kells, 23 in the 1855, Schodach,Rensselaer Co. Census, a merchant, b. 1822, and his wife, Pamela, 19, b.1836. Also check LIvingston, NY, area for Kells. In the 1860 New YorkCensus, there were a William and a William H. Kells in North Greenbush,Renssalear County.

Other Kells in area: John H. Kells, 1831-1904 (same as John H. andPamela above?); John H. Kells, 1867-1943 (son of John H.?); William E.Kells, 1859-1929. Edward B. Kells 1883-1962, Elmer J. Kells, 1885-1922,Harold Kells 1906-1907, Lucy Kells 1909-1909, Margaret Kells 1901-?, MaryJ. Kells, 1822-1864, William J. Kells 1890-? Also, John H. Kells m.Mary Lape in 1820. From NY Cemeteries. All in Schodack area.

Hendryk Henry KELLS and Anna Margareta ESWEYN were married about 1735.¹ Anna Margareta ESWEYN (daughter of Jacob ESWEIN and Anna Margaretha SCHNEIDER) was born before 15 Jul 1703. Jacob Eswein m. Maria Harder in 1735 at Zion Lutheran Church, Athens,Greene County, NY. Possible brother of Margareta? Other Esweinsmarrying there: Maria - 1738, Wendel - 1740. Other syblings? Hendryk Henry KELLS and Anna Margareta ESWEYN had the following children:

+2	i.	John Johannes KELLS.
3	ii.	John Johannes KELLS was born before 5 Feb 1736/37 in Claverack, Columbia County, NY.2 He died about 1739. His baptism sponsors were Stevanus Miller and Maria Muller (ClaverackReformed Church).
+4	iii.	Margaretha KELLS.
5	iv.	Catharina KELLS was born on 5 Dec 1744 in Loonenburg, Greene County, NY.3 She was baptized April 3, 1745, in the Athens Zion Evangelical LutheralChurch, Athens, Greene County, actually at Jac. Hagedorn's house, per NewYork Births and Baptisms, Southeast Region, 1660-1916 (Ancestry.com).Hendrik spelled Hendryk in this record. Her sponsors were Adam Schefferand his wife Catharina (Loonenburgh Lutheran Church).