My names is John Robinson Hundley III. I am looking for help in

researching the Shewell family in Bucks County, PA. My goal is to

prepare Supplemental Applications for the National Society of the Sons

of the American Revolution based on the patriotic service of Walter

Shewell and his son Robert Shewell. I sent an e-mail to Michele Krick

who was listed on your web site as the researcher for the Shewell

surname, but she has not responded to my e-mails. I also contacted

Frances Waite who is listed as a professional researcher on your web

site. Frances has several clients ahead of me and could not guarantee

she could conduct research for me before leaving on a three month trip

this winter. I am thus looking for a researcher in Bucks County, PA

familiar with the records in your area who can assist me.

I am researching Walter Shewell (1702-1779) of Bucks County, PA, who

signed an oath of allegiance, and his son Robert Shewell (1740-1825),

who was a Lt Col. in the Bucks County Associators and served in the PA

Militia. The DAR Record copies based on the patriotic service of

Walter Shewell and his son Robert Shewell used either Robert's son

Thomas Shewell who married Sarah Linington or his daughter Sarah

Falconer Shewell who married Lawrence Cauffman - none used his son

Robert Shewell, Jr (1772-1814) who married Sarah Dickinson (my

ancestor). I thus need to prove my lineage through the Robert

Shewell, Jr. branch of the family.

Both Walter Shewell and his son Robert Shewell are referenced in a

book entitled, "Colonial and Revolutionary Families of

Pennsylvania..." edited by John W. Jordan (Historical Society of PA,

Ex-General Registrar of Sons of the Revolution and Registrar of the

Pennsylvania Society, published in 1911 (p652-653). The book

describes the father-son relationship between Walter Shewell and his

son Robert Shewell and the military service of Robert Shewell. I do

not see any footnotes citing the many primary sources that would have

been needed to write this small section of the book and thus this

published book may not be acceptable. I have an abstract of the will

of Walter Shewell naming his son Robert Shewell and other sources

documenting the military service of Robert Shewell that I believe I

can use. I would like to obtain a copy of the title page and page 22

of Allegiance Book #1 Bucks County, PA by Robert and Mildred Williams

(1987) that lists Walter Shewell.

There is a record of the marriage of Robert Shewell, Jr.'s marriage to

Sarah Dickinson 30 Mar 1796 in the First Baptist Church in

Philadelphia. Robert Shewell Jr is listed in two Philadelphia City

Directories - 1806 as a storekeeper living at 69 North Second, and

1808 as a broker living a 31 Coates. There is a record of a United

States District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

bankruptcy case #75 involving Robert Shewell Jr. sometime between

1800 and 1806

(http://www.archives.gov/publications/microfilm-catalogs/fed-courts/pa

rt-03.html). Poulson's Daily Advertiser reported him bankrupt March

26, 1802. The 11 Jun 1810 Green Mountain Farmer ( Bennington , VT

newspaper) published a notice by the Vermont Supreme Court of

Judicature about a petition for a bill of divorce filed by Sarah

Shewell. Sarah Shewell's petition stated that she was the wife of

Robert Shewell, then of Philadelphia , and that she lived with him

until the first day of Nov 1806. The petition alleged that Robert

Shewell deserted her without provocation, continues to be absent, and

refuses to live with her. Petitioner stated that she had to rely on

her own labor and the charity of her friends. The petition alleges

Robert committed the crime of adultery. Sarah Robinson is listed in

the 1850 census living in the household of her second husband David

Robinson in Bennington, VT along with a daughter Louise Shewell.

According to one family tree, Robert Shewell Jr died 4 Feb 1819 in New

Britain , PA and is buried in the New Britain Church Yard. There is

a find-a-grave memorial #28851667 for Robert Shewell buried in New

Britain Baptist Church Cemetery in Bucks County , PA. The

gravestone of Robert Shewell Jr. (1772-1814) in New Britain Baptist

Church cemetery contains the inscription: "Son of Robert and Sarah

Shewell"

(http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28851667 ) and

could be used for proof of lineage, but the find-a-grave photo is

difficult to read. The tombstone inscription also says he died Feb ?,

1814 in the 42nd year of his age.. I am hoping to get additional

information from the church historian. The DAR Record Copy for member

#671361 lists the children of Robert Shewell and his wife Sarah

Sallows Shewell including son Robert [Jr] who married Sarah Dickinson.

I would like to find the wills and probate records for Robert Shewell

Sr (1740-1825) and his son Robert Shewell Jr. (1772-1814) to see if

children and/or grandchildren are named.

These records could be either in Bucks County, PA or Philadelphia

County, PA.

To prove at least two generations I may need to rely on a book,

"Autumn leaves from family trees : historical, biographical and

genealogical materials relating to the Cauffman, Chidsey, Churchman,

Foster, Montgomery, Rodenbough, Shewell and affiliated families"

written by Theophilus Frances Rodenbough (1838-1912) and published in

1892. Again, I do not see any footnotes citing the many primary

sources that would have been needed to write the Shewell family

section of the book (p174-192). The book has been used as a source of

genealogical proof in the past - NSSAR #67454 Stanley Hart Cauffman,

Jr. cited this as a source in his 1946 application. This book was

also used as a source by NSDAR #671361 in her 1982 application.

These applications pre-date the NSSAR change in genealogy standards in

1990 and the book may no longer be acceptable.

I then need to prove: (1) that John Kimber Shewell (1801-1845) was the

son of Robert Shewell Jr. and (2) that Walter Dickinson Shewell

(1828-1899) was the son of John Kimber Shewell. The only proof I have

at this point is the Rodenbough book. There is a record of the

17 Apr 1823 marriage of John K. Shewell to Rachael Bouton of

Philadelphia. John K. Shewell is listed in the 1825 Philadelphia

Directory and Stranger's Guide as a coach maker living at "b of 15

Sassafrass d. h. 24 Budd". He is listed in the 1839 M'Elroy's

Philadelphia Directory as a coach maker living at "rear 561 High h

Sch. 8th bel Cherry". There is a record of his death 22 Feb 1845 in

Philadelphia. The death notice for John K. Shewell appeared in the

Feb 19,

1845 Public Ledger (p 2) and read as follows: "Suddenly on Thursday

morning, John K. Shewell, Coach Maker, in the 45th year of his age.

His friends, and those of the family, are respectfully invited to

attend the funeral, from his late residence, Ridge Road, 4th door

above Buttonwood st...".

The widow of John Kimber Shewell, Rachel Bouden Shewell (1797-1870),

is listed as a widow in the 1860 census living in the household of her

son George Edward Shewell (1824-1906) and her 28 Dec 1870 death

notice published in the Public Ledger states the funeral is from the

home of her son George Edward Shewell. When my ancestor Walter

Dickinson Shewell died in 1899 the PA death certificates did not

include the names of parents except for minors. When his brother

George Edward Shewell died in 1906, the PA death certificates did

include the names of his parents - John Kimber Shewell (born in Bucks

County, PA) and Rachael Bouden . It would seem Theophilus Frances

Rodenbough would have "been in a position to have personally known the

family members he names" at least in the cases of Rachael Bouden

Shewell and her sons Walter Dickinson Shewell and George Edward

Shewell as they all lived in Philadelphia. There is a chance that

NSSAR may accept the Rodenbough book for a limited number of

generations. I would like to find the wills and probate records for

John Kimber Shewell and his wife Rachel Bouden Shewell to see if

children and/or grandchildren are named. I would expect these

records are in Philadelphia if they exist.

I would appreciate a referral to a knowledgeable person in your area

who I might hire to conduct this very focused records search for me.