John Kell

JOHN KELL, born 1736 in County Antrim, Ire. , died 2 Nov 1819 In Chester Co., SC, aged 83 years, married in Ireland JANE MORTON, born 1738 in County Antrim, Ire, died 28 Jan 1817 in Chester Co., SC, aged 79 years. Both buried Paul's Graveyard In Chester,Co:,.SC. This cemetery is located on the right side of the road from Richburg to Rossville in Chester Co. It is situated on the crest of a small knoll. The historian, Daniel Greene Stinson, wrote, "More Covenanters are buried here than any other place in the South."

Children of John & Jane (MORTON) KELL:
1. A Daughter, born ca 1768 in County Antrim, Ire., died 1772/73 on the trip inland from Charleston. According to an old journal kept by William Riley KELL (great-grandson of John KELL), the daughter was buried "somewhere in the sand hills of South Carolina." There is an area known as "The Sandhills" which would have been directly in the path from Charleston to Rocky Creek in what is now Chester Co.

2. Alexander KELL

Alexander KELL, born 1770 in County Antrim, Ire., died ??? In SC; married Susan GILLESPIE d/o John & Sarah (WEIR) GILLESPIE). To the best of my knowledge, Alexander lived out his life in SC, however, some of his grandchildren removed to southern Indiana. Alexander must have been a bit of a character. historian Daniel Green(- Stinson,wrote- "Three brothers, Alexander, John and Thomas KELL were quite singular in manner and habit. Alexander never went to church, summer or winter, without his overcoat, except one day and on that occasion they were thoroughly drenched with rain. He and Thomas were farmers. John was a preacher at Princeton, Ind."

3. John Kell

John KELL, Born 19 Oct 1772 in Chester Co, SC, died 6 Nov 1842 In Princeton, Gibson Co., Ind.; married 10 Nov 1811 in Preble Co., Ohio Jane HARTIN (d/o Joseph & Mary (CRAWFORD) HARTIN), born 1788 in County Antrim, Ire., died 26 Nov 1864 in Princeton, Ind. Both buried Archer Cemetery in Princeton. No issue from this marriage. In later years, John KELL recalled his mother hiding him and his little brother Thomas in the bushes at night during the Revolutionary War for fear their house would be burned by the British or Tories. After deciding to enter the ministry, John began his studies in SC, but then went to Scotland where he graduated from Glasgow University. Upon his return to S.C. he did considerable missionary work In the western territories until going to Princeton, Ind. where he founded the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Princeton. In his "Sketch of the Covenanters of Rocky Creek, S.C.," historian Daniel Greene Stinson wrote, "John studied under old Mr. Orr, graduated at Glasgow, Scotland, studied theology, was licensed and came home a preacher. He settled, in 1810, at Princeton, Ind. In the Spring of 1831, he visited his birthplace, preached several times and dispensed tile Lord's Supper at the Brick Church to a large audience. It was a lovely day and the exercises were conducted at the Stand. Rev. KELL preached the action service which was tedious, then he began the Com- munion and became ill ..... This was the last Covenanter Communion ever held in S.C." Further on, the sketch says, "Rev. John KELL weighed about 200 pounds, had a wild, wondering look, wore a wig, and usually spoke with tobacco in his mouth. he was a nondescript. He was more easily understood by the Scotch-Irish than by others. At home he was kind, accomodating and witty. He once said, 'Greens in this country are not so bitter as in Carolina,' and then pressed a guest to try some. His wife was a paragon but they were childless. He has long since gone to his reward.

4. Thomas KELL

Thomas KELL, born 16 Nov 1774 in Chester Co., SC, died 21 Mar 1844 in Marion Co., Ill.; md/1 ca 1799 in SC Margaret GASTON (d/o William & Mary (McCLURE) GASTON), born 18 Feb 1783 in Chester Co., SCr died 10 Aug 1831 in Jefferson Co., Ill. ; md/2 Mary LITTLE (d/o Robert LITTLE), born 29 May 1792 in Chester Co., SC, died 14 Dec 1869 in Marion Co., Ill. All three buried old Covenanter Cemetery.
Thomas and Margaret made their home near the Beaver Dam waters of Rocky Creek, where they lived for the next 22 years. Thomas apparently began planning to move his family to Illinois as early as 1818. On Oct. 7 of that year he made application to the government land office at Shawneetown from his home in Chester Co., S.C. (or perhaps he made a trip to Illinois to make the application). In either case, his application reads "Thomas KELL of Chester District, S.C." He was issued Land Entry Certificate No. 526 for the East half of Section 4, T1S, R2E (Rome Twp.), Jefferson Co., Ill., containing 287.74 acres. Theoretically, a half section of land contains 320 acres, but this odd acreage was probably the result of the "fractional forties and eighties" established when Illinois was surveyed by the government. He paid '$579.88, plus Interest, based on a rate of $2 per acre. I am at a loss to explain this $2 rate inasmuch as the prevailing rate for public land was $1.25 per acre. Perhaps he bought his land through a land speculator since speculators were thick as fleas in Illinois at that time. In any case, he paid $144.97 when he made application and the balance after he came to Illinois in 1822. In the late summer of 1822 (by which time both his father and mother were dead), Thomas, his wife and 9 of his then-11 children started the journey to Illinois. His two oldest'sons remained in S.C. where they lived out their lives. His eldest daughter had married and she and her family came with Thomas. They traveled in ox-drawn covered wagons and it must have been a bone-jarring journey before reaching the flat prairie land of Illinois. According to family stories, Margaret (GASTON) KELL rode horseback part of the way, carrying her youngest child (my great-grandfather) in,the saddle with her. The beliefs of the Covenanters were such that it was considered sinful to travel on the Sabbath, so it was necessary to wait over until Monday before resuming each week. It took them about six weeks to reach their destination near Walnut Hill. After reaching Illinois in the fall of 1622, Thomas built his house, probably a log structure, in Jefferson Co. There was no church in the area, of course, since it was practically a wilderness. An old history says that when Thomas reached the Walnut Hill area "there was not one house on the prairie." The people of the Walnut Hill area, many of whom were Scotch-Irish Covenanters, organized and held prayer meetings in various members' homes. This was the start of the Walnut Hill Reformed Presbyterian Church, and Thomas was one of the organizers and charter members. In time, this church became more familiarly known as the Old Covenanter Church. According to tradition, Margaret (GASTON) KELL chose the site of the first church building, a log structure, and the cemetery, and her son-in-law donated the land. Margaret, who died in 1831, was the first person buried In the cemetery. In a pioneer settlement such as Walnut Hill there were no doctors. Thomas is said to have had a knowledge of medicine and acted as the doctor for the community. In later years, one of his descendants, Berthold BOGGS, wrote of him, "Thomas KELL was a grand and noble man, a leader in all worthy and good enterprises of the community, a leader in church and school and everything that would elevate and profit society. He had a considerable knowledge of medicine and was, in fact, the neighborhood doctor. He could set broken bones, heal wounds and prescribe medicine with as much accuracy as some graduates in the profession. He was an ardent friend and was always safe and reliable counsel." In The History of Marion & Clinton Counties, Illinois, it was said of him, "Uncle Tommy KELL was the first man to sell goods in Marion County. he, at one time, took to St. Louis 600 dozen rabbit skins, for which he paid 50 cents per dozen, and sold them at the same price. he had, however, paid for them with goods upon which he had realized a safe profit." Thomas' twelfth and last child was born in 1825, three years after the move to Illinois, and the only child not born in S.C. After the death of his first wife in 1831, Thomas remarried in 1834. In June of 1836, he bought a tract of land in Haines Twp. in Marion Co., built a house, and moved across the county line into Marion Co. where he lived the remaining years of his life. Although I never saw it, it is said that until a few years ago the remains of his old Marion Co. home were still standing. He drew his will in February of 1844 and died in March of the same year.
Children of Thomas KELL & W/1 Margarat GASTON: