“In these early days there was a contest between
Northern and Southern pioneers whether California
should come in the Union a free or a slave State.
Broderick, a Democrat from the city of New York, represented
the Northern sentiment, and was supported by the Whigs
of the State. Common labor at that time was $16
per day, payable in gold. It was more from pride
than from any thing to do with the moral question of
slavery. They did not want to come in competition
with slave labor. The Northern element predominated,
and California came in a free State. Its first
constitution was written by George Washington Sherwood,
who was a Democratic member of the New York Legislature
from Washington county, and copied after the constitution
of this State.
“California may be said to be the child of the
State of New York; her citizens may be said to have
been pre-eminent in its development and present greatness.
“Abraham Schell was born in Gallupville, and
proposes to be buried in the neighboring village of
Middleburgh, his wife’s native place, where
he has erected a monument.
“They say that all Forty-niners who remained
in California either became millionaires or paupers.
It seems that Mr. Schell was one of the former.
He was an unconditional Union man in the rebellion,
visiting the hospitals of the wounded soldiers, and
assisting them by his means, and the erection of this
monument to his nephew for his services in that war
is but in accord with his acts of patriotism at that
time.”
The above article inspired this undertaking at this
time. I expected to find my friend on at the
dedication of the monument, and thought I would have
the manuscript ready on his arrival and submit it to
him, and propose to have him go in partnership with
me in its publication, and have him revise it with
me. He was a man of high literary attainments,
and an experienced Forty-niner, who could have added
many important events to it that did not come under
my observation. He was wealthy, and had the means
to bring it properly before the public.
Intelligence reaches us of the death of Abraham Schell,
at his home at Knight’s Ferry, California, in
the early part of February. Mr. Schell was seventy-six
years old, and was a native of this county, having
been born in the town of Wright. At the time
of the gold excitement in 1849 he was in the mercantile
business in Albany, but sold out and joining a company
of friends journeyed to California, where he invested
his means to good advantage and became highly successful,
amassing a large fortune. His vineyards and their
product have long been celebrated. A man of independent
thought and fine literary attainments, he was one of
the sons of Schoharie county, whose enterprise and
intellectual culture we may take just pride in.
His remains are deposited in a vault there, to be
brought here in the spring by his nephew, and interred
in their final resting place in the cemetery at Middleburgh,
where he has a $2,000 monument erected.
