Klock Connections, Obt. of Jacob C. Nellis

Klock Connections

Excerpts from the Klock Family Newsletter
Published monthly by Dave Klock: Klock@swmcom.net

February 2003 Newsletter

Jacob C. Nellis

I found this old obituary of Jacob C. Nellis, 1831-1926 from the Herkimer/Montgomery Counties Obituaries. I thought I would share it with you. There are several Nellis' connected to the Klock Family. The first Klock that married a Nellis was Barvalis Klock, daughter of Hendrick Klock who married Christian Nellis. It is also believed that Magdalena Klock, another daughter of Hendrick Klock married William Nellis, brother of Christian Nellis. (There is disagreement between some genealogist if William Nellis and Magdalena Klock were ever married.) In the years that followed several other marriages were made between the Klock and Nellis Families creating many more ties between the Nellis and Klock family. Many other sir names appear in abundance on the Klock Family Tree, such as Snell, Bellinger, Timmerman and Zimmerman, giving the Klock Family connection to what is known as the SZT Reunion which I have attended a couple of times at the Snell's Bush Church near St. Johnsville. Another family name which appears in the Klock Family tree several times is Lipe. Amos Klock married Nancy Lipe. One of the children of Amos and Nancy, was Lipe Klock who married Alma Nellis. Lipe Klock and Alma Nellis were the parents of Adam Klock. Adam Klock was the last Klock born at the fort when the Fort Klock was still in the owned by the Klock Family. Many of you have met Adam at the Klock Family Reunions. I am not sure how Jacob C. Nellis and Adam Klock are related, but I am sure they were. I have three or four Jacob Nellis's on my family tree but I do not have this Jacob C. Nellis.

Obituary of Jacob C. Nellis is below.

Jacob C. Nellis died Tuesday morning at his home in this village, aged 95 years. He was Fort Plain's oldest resident. He lived with his daughter, Mrs. Frank Lipe, on Spring Street. Mrs. Lipe cared for her aged father, about midnight when she went to his room in the morning she found that he had passed away during the night. Mr. Nellis' death was due to old age and he had been in failing health for several months, and about a week ago, weakness and illness compelled him to take to bed.

About three years ago, Mr. Nellis' daughter, Mrs. Frank Lipe of Schenectady, came to Fort Plain to care for him. She has given him the most tender care and made his last years as comfortable and happy as possible.

Jacob C. Nellis was born in the town of St. Johnsville in 1831. He was the son of Col. Jeremiah Nellis and Margaret Fox. The Nellis family members were among the earliest pioneer settlers on the north side of the Mohawk river. In this section, locating here about 1723. Mr. Nellis later removed to Canastota and about 60 years ago came to Fort Plain locating at the eastern end of this village on what had been known as the Verplanck's island and later as Nellis island, was at one time a favorite place for firemen's picnics, outings, baseball games, etc. The farmhouse on the place is one of the oldest in this section.

Mr. Nellis conducted a dairy farm and ran a milk route for many years. In 1906, he removed to the brick Lipe home at the foot of Sand hill, where he lived a year, and in 1907, he bought his late home on Spring Street. Mr. Nellis was a livelong Republican in politics and filled the office of overseer of the poor at one time. He was a genial gentleman who was well liked by a wide-circle of friends who regret his death.

Mr. Nellis was twice married. His first wife was Harriet Chawgo and his second Jemima Van Pattern Alsdorf. He leaves the following children by his first wife; Mrs. Frank Lipe, of Schenectady, Mrs. William Fannery of Rutherford, N.J., Walter Nellis and Jeremia Nellis of Schenectady; and his second marriage, one daughter, Mrs. Emma Moyer of Brooksville, Fla. He is also survived by nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

The funeral will be held Saturday at 2 p.m. from the home, the Rev. Dr. Henry B. Taylor, pastor of the Universalist church, officiating. The remains will be placed in the Catharine Nellis Memorial vault until spring, when interment will be made in the Fort Plain cemetery.