Chapter 5 (Back in Iowa-The "Smith Mansion")

File — Box: 2, Folder: 6

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

From the Collection: The James P. Schell Papers have been organized into three series: Correspondence, his Manuscripts, Subject Files. The Correspondence Series contains letters exclusively between Mr. Leonard Sackett and Rev. Schell's daughters concerning the donation of the papers, sale of extra copies of In the Ojibway Country, and the publication of his manuscripts. It is quite complete with both incoming and outgoing correspondence for the period 1953-1957 and 1961. The Manuscripts Series of Rev. Schell reflect his interest in the early history of this area. Among them is the "Early days of Fort Union - Buford" which also has sections on Missouri River Trading posts, the beginning of Catholic missions and the western Indians, and the Indian quest for the white man's "Book of Heaven." The "Heart of the Wasatch" manuscript relates Rev. Schell's experiences while in Utah. The "Story of a Missionary Pony" is about his faithful horse while a traveling minister in North Dakota and Minnesota. Rev. Schell also wrote two manuscripts on early printing presses in the Northwest, and there is a copy of the log of the steamboat Benton on the Missouri River for part of 1881. The Subject Files Series contains a variety of material including his chemistry notes while attending the University of Iowa, Photostatic copies of the hymn, "The Heavenly Work" which was printed on the first printing presses in the area in 1849 by Rev. Alonzo Barnard, an unbound copy of Rev. Schell's book In the Ojibway County, and a newspaper map of Grand Forks in 1871. The newspaper clippings have been organized by subject with the main articles listed in the Shelf List. Of note is a collection of newspaper articles written by Rev. Schell from 1880-1890 on his experiences in northeast North Dakota and northwestern Minnesota. The Sermons consist of nine handwritten texts possibly dating back to the period Rev. Schell was in Iowa although no dates are given. Also of note is the 1839 Smiley's Atlas of the world. Addition: The "Papers on Home-mission experiences" manuscript is a 75-page typed copy of Rev. Schell's experiences in North Dakota and Montana for the period 1892 to 1922. It is a chronological history of his work recounting each parish served, the work done at each, and concerning his family. As an appendix are several family letters (1900-1902) from the family farm at Warren, Minnesota. Addition: The "Seventy years beyond the Mississippi" manuscript is a 171-page typed copy covering Rev. Schell and his family's life from 1840 to 1873. It begins with his father moving to Iowa City, Iowa in 1840, returning to Mansfield, Ohio to live for four years (ca. 1849-1853), and in 1853 the family returning to Iowa. Topics covered include, farming, coming of the railroad, country schools, and churches. There are included reminiscences of Rev. Schell while serving in the Civil War, attending the University of Iowa, McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and Union Seminary in New York City. The manuscript concludes with his being sent as a Presbyterian missionary to Alta, Utah.