Eleanor Margaret (Schell) Culbert (abt. 1839 - 1881)

Born about 1839 in Mariposa Township, Durham, Upper Canada [uncertain]

Ancestors

Wife of Henry Culbert — married about 1853 in Mariposa, Peterborough, Canada West

Died Nov 1881 at about age 42 in Kendallville, Winneshiek, Iowa, United States

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Biography

Ellen (Schell) Culbert migrated from British Colonial Canada to Iowa.

This profile is part of the Little Britain, Ontario One Place Study.

Eleanor was born about 1839 in Mariposa Township (Durham County, Upper Canada) to Mark Schell and Annie (Gould) Shell. ^{[1] [2]}

Eleanor married Henry Culbert in Mariposa in 1853, and they settled in Mariposa and would have nine children together. Eleanor's sister Elizabeth Schell married Henry's brother William Culbert. ^{[3] [4]}

Eleanor and Henry migrated to Iowa in 1855 with members of Henry's family: bachelor brothers Albert, George and Mahlon, and families of sister Mary Ann (husband Alexander Gates) and brother William (and his wife Elizabeth Schell, i.e. Eleanor's sister), and their widowed mother Elizabeth Williams-Culbert. Their route would have taken them from Mariposa past Toronto, Detroit, Chicago and open land due west to Hesper Township, Iowa, on the border with southern Minnesota... this is a 900 mile journey and 1-2 months by covered wagon. ^{[5] [6] [7]}

The 1870 Census shows the family ten miles south west in Orleans Township. Henry is listed as farm laborer. Their household is next to brother Albert Culbert and his wife Christiana. ^{[8] [9]}

Eleanor died in Iowa November 1881, age 48, and is buried at Eddy Cemetery, Kendallville, Winneshiek County next to her husband Henry (d.1910). ^[10]

Research Notes

FamilySearch profile: Eleanor Margaret Schell L2NW-NC6

notes about Eleanor's name:

• Shell vs Schell: both spellings used widely.
• 'Ellen' - can't find a source for where this "preferred" name comes from
• 'Margaret' - no source for this as middle name
• there must be a family document kept by the family where this is coming from, may also shed light on name spelling, birth locations, etc.

Known children of Henry Culbert and Eleanor Schell:

• Anna Culbert 1859–Deceased
• Loretta (Etta) Culbert 1861–1881 m. Wallace
• Mercy Jane Culbert 1866–1950 m. Henry Gross 1889
• William Edward Culbert 1868–
• John Wesley Culbert 1869–1910
• Edgar Randle Culbert 1873–1950 m. Pearl Wilson 1902
• William Henry/Harrison Culbert 1876–1948
• Joseph Gool Culbert 1880–1950

husband Henry Culbert obituary summary:

born Canada 6 Aug 1824;

1853 married Eleanor Schell;

fall 1855 came to Burr Oak, Iowa;

9 children, five survive (1910);

1862 moved family to Kendallville, Iowa;

wife Eleanor dies 1 Nov 1881;

married 1887 Margaret Fields (Hill?);

1908 moved to St. Paul Minn to live with son John;

died 9 May 1910, St. Paul;

buried 12 May 1910 Kendallville, Iowa;

survived by four sons, one daughter, wife, two brothers M.H. of Cresco, Albert of Spencer.^[11]

Sources

1. ↑ family birth order suggests the Shell family lived at Uxbridge Township until about 1836, and Mariposa after this, with both Plymouth and Little Britain villages appearing in various research by others. There are no primary sources to support this however so these hints likely come from records kept by the family.
2. ↑ Book: Little Britain (Ontario) United Church Women's Association, Church Centennial - Little Britain 1839-1939
   1939; page: 62
   Internet Archive; a specific birth location is not found, however the Little Britain book says [blacksmith] "Schell moved [his shop and staff] down [to Little Britain] from Plymouth ..."; Plymouth was an abandoned early village south of Little Britain; there are hints that one or two of his younger kids were born at Plymouth and the youngest at Little Britain. (accessed 5 March 2024)
3. ↑ cited marriage year in obituary for Henry, 1910 (married 1853 Canada, came to Iowa in 1855; five survive Henry's death in 1910); the Iowa arrival matches estimates for other family members who came to Iowa
4. ↑ Obit claims 9 children five survive, all children in 1870 US census born in Iowa, unable to locate 1860 US census; years between 1853 and 1855 potential for children
5. ↑ 1855 Mariposa-Iowa expedition: "Church Centennial - 1839-1939; Pioneer family profiles"
   "...Isaac's son, William, with his wife, Elizabeth Shell, and a family of three children, migrated to Iowa, U.S.A., traveling with horses and covered wagon. On account of ill-health he returned later in the same way. ..." Internet Archive-> Little Britain Centennial, page 40
6. ↑ Mahlon Culbert's 1910 obituary claims 1855 was the year of Iowa trek.
7. ↑ Mariposa-Iowa general route; Google Maps; ~900 miles to Iowa; Mariposa, Toronto, Detroit, Chicago, Hesper, Iowa
8. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870"
   citing Page: 1; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: M593; Line: 27; Digital film/folder number: 004263731_002_M9CX-R9K; FHL microfilm: 000545925; Image number: 479; Packet letter: A; Indexing batch: N01438-4
   FamilySearch Record: MDK3-PBV (accessed 5 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: S3HY-XCDS-74T
   Eleanor Culbert (28) in Orleans Township, Winneshiek, Iowa, United States. Born in Canada. The household included Henry Culbert 38, Eleanor Culbert 28, Anna Culbert 11, Loretta Culbert 9, Mercy Culbert 4, John H Culbert 1.
9. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880"
   citing Volume: 2; Affiliate Name: The U.S. National Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Affiliate Publication Number: T9; Affiliate Line Number: 00039; Digital film/folder number: 005160631; FHL microfilm: 1254370; Image number: 435; Sheet number: 122; Sheet letter: A
   FamilySearch Record: MDL5-PG9 (accessed 5 March 2024)
   FamilySearch Image: 33S7-9YYB-9V4
   Eleanor Culbert (40), wife, Keeping House, in household of Henry Culbert (54) in Fremont Township, Winneshiek, Iowa, United States. Born in Canada. The household included Henry Culbert 54, wife Eleanor Culbert 40, daughter Mercy J. Culbert 14, son John L. Culbert 10, son Edgar R. Culbert 6, son Wm. Henry Culbert 3, son Joseph G. Culbert 11 months, other Wilbur Edgar 17.
10. ↑ 1881 burial: Find a Grave (has image)
    Find A Grave: Memorial #21293090 (accessed 4 March 2024)
    Memorial page for Eleanor Margaret Schell Culbert (1833-11 Nov 1881), citing Eddy Cemetery, Kendallville, Winneshiek County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by KC Bolton-Potter (contributor 19433480).
11. ↑ 1910 Obituary: "U.S., Newspapers.com™ Obituary Index, 1800s-current"
    Twice-a-Week Plain Dealer; Publication Date: 20 May 1910; Publication Place: Cresco, Iowa, USA; URL: https://www.newspapers.com/image/174864572/?article=aa0076a1-e9b8-42e1-af48-dd3a6c45a921&focus=0.5466149,0.7411828,0.67279667,0.8791002&xid=3355
    Ancestry ca Record 61843 #571444379 (accessed 5 March 2024)
    Name: Henry Culbert; Gender: Male; Death Age: 86; Birth Date: 6 Aug 1824; Birth Place: Canada; Marriage Date: 1853; Residence Place: Winnesheik county; Death Date: Abt 1910; Burial Date: 12 May; Obituary Date: 20 May 1910; Obituary Place: Cresco, Iowa, USA; Newspaper Title: Twice-a-Week Plain Dealer; Spouse: Elanor Schell; Child: John Culbert; Siblings: M. H. Culbert Albert.