Fourth Generation

20. William H. KELLS³⁶ was born on 24 January 1806 in Claverack, Columbia Co., NY. He died in Hudson, Columbia Co., NY. He was baptized March 9th. He was a farmer living in Hudson, NY. His wife was Mary, born abt. 1807. Source: 1850 Census. Was he the William Kells who died of intemperance May 10, 1858? I can't find him or his wife Mary in the 1860 Census, although there is a listing under Klse. He was probably not the William H. Kells, living in Hudson, in the 1870's up through 1885 and listed in the city directory as a laborer living on Warren St. That William H. was born abt. 1831, married to Sarah, and had children Carrie, Frank, and Jeanette. He was the William Kells, 65, laborer, b. in NY, living with a Sally Kells, 58, b. in NY, in Hudson, Ward 2, in the 1870 Census.

There was a William Kells in prison at east of 1st Street. And a John Kells also.

His son, Robert's, birth certificate identifies him as William H. Kells, b. in NY.

Alternate info: he married Maria Davis, per birth of first child. Or Mary Reynolds. Or Sally Eperael (per Arthur Kelly). Or Mary Yager (Robert Kells' death certificate)

A marriage is listed in NYG&B as William H. Velts and Mary Reynolds. 91:152. CD401. Only listing for William H. Velts, name possibly misspelled or miscopied. No clues as to her parents. Arthur Kelly said it was not "my" William H. Kells.

Another source has William Kels and Sally Eperael, born about the same time as William and Mary, having John Kells, b. 15 Jul 1833 and Catherine Permilia Kells, b. 14 Aug 1835 - St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Churchtown. Also, they went on to have other children, including Theodore, Delia, and Daniel. Sally, listed as mother, was living with Theodore and his wife in the 1880 Census. Their children are different from the children that William H. Kells and Mary Yager had.

In F698 Columbia Co., NY, Deeds, Index to Grantors H-M 1772-1925, I noted 1827 grantors: William Kells, wife Maria, John Kells, wife Catharine, Jacob Kells, Philip Kells. Grantees: Henry Kells Liber-M pg. 104. Also 1834 Grantors: Henry Kells, wife Caroline, William H. Kells, wife Mary, et. al. Grantors: Jacob J. Rossman liber T page 562. No other William.

William H. KELLS and Mary YAGER were married about 1829 in Claverack, Columbia Co., NY. Mary YAGER was born about 1808 in NY. Some records have her as Maria Davis. The 1850 Census refers to her as Mary. Son Robert's death certificate calls her Mary Yager.

There was a Marie Yager baptized at Claverack Reformed Church 2 Feb 1811, parents William Yager and Catherine Knickerbocker, sponsors John Yager and Eva Knickerbocker. Marie was born 24 Jan 1811 in Claverack (Source: Baptismal Record of Reformed Church, Claverack, NY 1727-1893, Arthur Kelly, 1970.)

A Mary Maria Yager was born 24 January 1811 in Claverack, NY. She married Gilbert Bonisteel and moved to/lived in Sidney Twp., Ontario, Canada. She had children by Bonisteel from 1836 through the 1840's. She was the daughter of Willem Yager b. 9 Sep 1784 in Claverack

Another Maria Yager was born before 3 Oct 1804 in Claverack. He died in 1899 in Ovid twp, Clinton Co., MI. She was the daughter of Wandal Yager, born 5 Jan 1774, brother of Willem above, and Eva Dings. She married John Gilbert 5 Aug 1823 in Belleville, Hastings Co., Ontario.

A Solomon Jager was born 20 Sep 1761 in Rhinebeck, NY, and married Sally Price of Claverack 9 May 1790.

Johann Henrich Yager (Jager) had five sons, all born at Manorton, Columbia Co., NY. John A. Yager married Eva Knickerbacker 25 Jun 1797 in Linlithgo Reformed Church, Livingston, NY. The second son, Heinrich H. Yager, was born 21 January 1774 in Manorton, Columbia Co. He married Lena Dings. The third son, Wandel Yager, born 5 January 1774, is mentioned above. A fourth son, Peter Yager, was born 9 Dec 1782 in Claverack and married Christina. And the fifth son, William, was born 9 Sep 1784 in Claverack, mentioned above, and married Catherine Knickerbocker 9 Nov 1807 in Ancram, Columbia Co., daughter of Philip Knickerbocker and Anna Maria Dings. She was born 26 April 1787 in Mount Ross, NY and died 15 Sep 1869. Any of these could have been the parents of Mary Yager, although the Mary/Maria Yagers mentioned above eliminate those two.

Some sources say William's wife was Mary Reynolds. Mary was born 19 My 1808. A Mary Reynolds b. May 19, 1808, daughter of Nehemiah Reynolds and Elizabeth White. They lived in Hudson at the time of the 1810 Census. They moved to New Lisbon or Westford, Otsego Co., NY before the 1820 Census.

Possible leads as to Reynolds parents: Abraham Reynolds m. Sally Folger 10-28-1806, son Jacob, machinist, d. 11.29, 1848, in Hudson. Other Hudson Reynolds: Allen 1763-1827, Deborah 1766-1847, John 1772-1837, Margaret 1760-1839, Ruth 1779-1844, Samuel 1769-1841. Allen born April 14, 1763, m. February 9, 1783 Deborah Stratton, b. May 1, 1763, Allen d. Nov. 9, 1827 in Hudson. The 1850 Census lists 71 Reynolds in Columbia County in 1850, and that probably doesn't include all wives and kids. A Euphrenia Reynolds, 55, was living with another family in Claverack in 1850 (mother? doubtful). Reynolds families living in Hudson in the 1850 Census include Abram, Sarah, John, Ruth, Allen, Seth, Lucy, and Fred. Fred, b. 1810 and John, b. 1807, about the same age as Mary.

William H. KELLS and Mary YAGER had the following children:

63	i.	Margaret Ann KELLS was born on 19 February 1831 in Churchtown, Columbia Co., NY.²² According to Arthur Kelly, she was born July 3, 1830, baptised August 26, 1832, no sponsor (Chrch L 3949). Another source has Margaretha Ann b. 7 May 1830 and her sister, Sarah Lovisa, b. 24 Feb 1832, St. Thomas Lutheran Church, Churchtown. Her parents were William H. Kells and Maria Davis. A Margaret Kells married Allen Decker in 1854 in St. Thomas Reformed Church, Churchtown, NY.
64	ii.	Sarah Louisa KELLS was born on 24 February 1832 in Churchtown, Columbia Co., NY.²² According to Arthur Kelly, William Kells and Maria Davis had Sally Lovisa, born April 22, 1832, baptized November 18, 1832 (Chrch L 3951).
+65	iii.	Robert KELLS.
+66	iv.	Harriet KELLS.
+67	v.	John F. KELLS.
68	vi.	William KELLS was born in July 1842 in Hudson, Columbia Co., NY. He died on 12 August 1842 at the age of 0 in Hudson, Columbia Co., NY. He died of consumption.
69	vii.	James KELLS was born about 1845. A James Kells in the 1920 Census listed as an uncle, widower, 75, living with Winfred and Lena Redick in Hudson, 443 Prospect Street, Hudson. A James Kells, 25, was listed in the 1870 Census as a painter living in Hoboken, Hudson Co., NJ, with wife Elmira, 20. He was born in NY. A James Kells married Elmira L. Beluager in 1869 in Manhattan. A James Kells of New York enlisted as a private on 20 August 1862 at the age of 18. He was in Company B, 137th Infantry Regiment, NY. He was wounded on 17 September 1862 at Antietam and died of wounds on 22 November 1862 at Frederick, MD. A James Kells died at the age of 80 24 Aug 1924. He had served in the Civil War in I Co., 91st NY Reg. Inf.
70	viii.	Stillborn KELLS was born on 19 April 1851. She died on 19 April 1851 at the age of 0.