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Edward Schell

1819 – 1893

American merchant and banker

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About Edward Schell

Lived 1819 – 1893 (aged 74).

Edward Schell (November 5, 1819 – December 24, 1893) was an American merchant and banker.

Early life Schell was born on November 5, 1819, in Rhinebeck, New York.

He was one of four brothers born to Christian Schell (1779–1825), a merchant, and Elizabeth (née Hughes) Schell (1783–1866).

His paternal grandparents were Richard Schell and Anna (née Schultz) Schell.

Schell also served as a trustee of the Union Trust Company, a director of the National Citizens Bank, the Manhattan Life Insurance Company, the Citizens Fire Insurance Company, the Park Fire Insurance Company, the New York Society Library, the Institution for the Blind, St. Luke's Hospital, and a governor of the Manhattan Club.

He was also a vestryman of the Church of the Ascension in New York City and a warden of Christ's Church in Rye, New York.

Schell was a life member of the New-York Historical Society and the Century Association.

In 1889, he served one term as the 30th president of the Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York from 1882 to 1883, succeeding Edward Floyd DeLancey. He previously served as treasurer of the organization from 1871 to 1888.

Personal life In 1847, Schell was married to Jane Lamberson Heartt (1825–1880), the daughter of Jonas Coe Heartt, the mayor of Troy, New York, who later became the Speaker of the New York State Assembly. Together, they were the parents of:

Edward Heartt Schell (1848–1910), who married Cornelia Evarts Barnes, daughter of the William Evarts Barnes, in 1886. Jonas Heartt Schell (1850–1852), who died young. Catherine Elizabeth "Kate" Schell (1855–1882), who married Samuel Cragin, a son of George D. Cragin and Lydia (née Briggs) Cragin. Their daughter, Elizabeth Schell Cragin married Harold Heartt Foley. Mary Emily Schell (1857–1926), who did not marry and was active in philanthropy.

Death Schell died December 24, 1893, at his residence, 53 Clinton Place in New York City. After a funeral at the Church of the Ascension (which was attended by Cornelius Vanderbilt II, Chauncey Depew, Robert Stuyvesant, Charles A. Schermerhorn, among others), he was buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx.

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Important facts

People in Edward Schell's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Edward Schell's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Edward Schell?

American merchant and banker (1819-1893)

When was Edward Schell born?

Edward Schell was born on 5 November 1819 in Rhinebeck.

When did Edward Schell die?

Edward Schell died on 24 December 1893 in New York City.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Edward Schell

· Wikidata: Q63213531

· DBpedia: Edward Schell

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Edward Schell. https://biography.guide/edward-schell/

MLA: "Edward Schell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/edward-schell/.

Chicago: "Edward Schell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/edward-schell/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

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