At an early age, John Schell Jr. became possessed of considerable means after his patriotic service in the Revolutionary War and his father's death in 1777. For many years he traveled extensively on business through Bedford County, western Pennsylvania and Kentucky, which was admitted as a state in 1792. He was impressed by the climate and fertile soil in Kentucky, decided to remove there and select land to establish his own community for his family and friends. In the spring of 1800, John Schell and his family, consisting of his wife, eight young children and his widowed mother, left their home in Montgomery County and traveled west. When they arrived at the Ohio River, he realized that it would be unsafe for his family to traverse the river by boat due to the Indians. He returned through Napier Township in Bedford County and decided instead to settle in what is the present location of Schellsburg.
At an early age John Schell Jr became possessed of considerable means after his patriotic service in the Revolutionary War and his father's death in 1777 For many years he traveled extensively on business through Bedford County western Pennsylvania and Kentucky which was admitted as a state in 1792 He was impressed by the climate and fertile soil in Kentucky decided to remove there and select land to establish his own community for his family and friends In the spring of 1800 John Schell and his family consisting of his wife eight young children and his widowed mother left their home in Montgomery County and traveled west When they arrived at the Ohio River he realized that it would be unsafe for his family to traverse the river by boat due to the Indians He returned through Napier Township in Bedford County and decided instead to settle in what is the present location of Schellsburg