Hello out there in genealogyland,
My name is Dana Nowak and I am researching my gr-gr-gr-grandfather Elijah Ward Pell of New Rochelle. I know he was born in New Rochelle in 1806 and that he and his wife Seba Mattie were converts to the Mormon church. They traveled on the ship 'Brooklyn' to San Francisco in 1846 with their two daughters Hettie Cornelia and Geraldine Ann. Elijah brought the logs for his home on board the ship and later bought land from Thomas Larkin at the intersection of Green and Laguna in the Cow Hollow neighborhood of San Francisco. He is said to be the first homeowner in Cow Hollow. I would like to hear from anyone who is working on Elijah's family and would like to find out who his parent's were. I also know that Elijah was expostulated from the Mormon church and that he deserted his wife for three years and did not support her, though he had money to do so.
And what about Seba of Pelham Manor? Is anyone working on her family? I have no idea who her parent's were or what her maiden name was. It's difficult to do these families as the records were lost in the 1906 fire.
Elijah's ancestor was possibly Joshua who was the son of the Pell that married the sachem's daughter.