Nicholas Schell

NICHOLAS SCHELL, Jr., one of the leading merchants of Rolling Stone, is now at the head of a good store, stocked with a full line of general nierchandi.se, and is doing a constantly increasing business. He was born in Fischbach, Marclie County, in Luxemburg, Germany, on the 24th of December, 1854, and is a son of John and Katie (Loutsch) Schell. Their family numbered seven children, of whom Nicholas was the fourth in order of birth. The father worked as a common laborer in his native land until 1869, when, with the hope of bettering his financial condition, he sailed for America. Coming to Minnesota, he bought a farm in Rolling Stone Township, Winona County, and during the remainder of his life carried on agricultural pursuits. He was in very limited circumstances at the time of his arrival, but he worked hard, and as the result of his enterprise and perseverance secured a comfortable competence, leaving to his family a good property. He was called to the home beyond at the age of sixty-nine years: his wife passed away at the age of seventy-two. Tiiev were laid to rest side by side in Rolling Stone Cemetery. Both were members of the Catholic Church, and throughout the community were held in high regard.

Nicholas.Schell spent the first fifteen years of his life in the Fatherland and then came with his parents to the United States, lli worked upon the home farm until sixteen years of age, and then began working as a farm hand by the month in the neighborhood. In this way he passed the summer, while in the winter season he attended the public schools. His early educational privileges were afterwards supplemented by a course of study in St. John's University. He paid his own tuition with money which he acquired by labor in the field, and thus is a self-educated, as well as a self-made, man financially.

When twenty-one years of age Mr. Schell began teaching school in Mt. Vernon Township, Winona County, and then took charge of the Oak Ridge school, which he successfully taught for a period of ten years. Ilis long-continued service there well inrlic.ntes the confidence reposed in him by those interested, and plainly demonstrates that the confidence was not misplaced. At length, after this period of successful teaching, he turned his attention to agricultural pursuits and purchased eighty acres of land. He afterwards rented a farm, which he operated through the summer months, while in the winter season he was for three terms employed as a teacher in the Rolling Stone schools. In 1889 he sold his farm and embarked in merchandising, which he yet follows.

Mr. Schell was married on the 6th of October,

1880, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Kirarael, daughter of Nicholas Kimmel, one of the early settlers of this county. He votes with the Democratic party and is a stanch advocate of its principles. F"or two years he served as Assessor of Mt. Vernon Township, for about eight years was Town Clerk, and was also clerk of the Farmers' Fire Insurance Company of Rolling Stone. He is a man of pleasant, genial manner, and his gentlemanly department, his earnest desire to please his customers, and his fair and honest dealing have won for him a liberal patronage, which is well merited.

John Evans.

As printed in Portrait and biographical record of Winona County, Minnesota; containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county (1895). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.