NameRev. Irwin Osenbach Schell
Birth10 Jan 1880, Allentown, PA
Death29 Dec 1942, PA
Misc. Notes
He was elected to the pastorate of Indian Creek on February 2, 1919. He started serving this congregation as its settles pastor May 1, 1919.
He was the only son of Horace and Ellen (Osenbach) Schell, born January 10, 1880 in Rittersville, Lehigh County, Pa. He was graduated from Allentown High School in 1897 and from Muhlenberg College with an A.B. degree in 1901. He continued his studies at Eastern Theological Seminary and was graduated in 1904. He took post-graduate work for his Ph.D. degree at Johns-Hopkins University, Baltimore, and the University of Pennsylvania. He was ordained into the ministry on September 4, 1904, at the First Reformed Church in Quakertown, where he served as pastor for nine years. In 1913 he was appointed principal of Quakertown schools and for four years he devoted all his time to this educational work. During this period he acted as supply pastor in many churches.
In 1917 he returned to the ministry and accepted a call to Christ Reformed Church, Allentown, Pa. In 1919 he was called and became pastor at Indian Creek and served until his death, December 29, 1942. He was laid to rest in our cemetery, at his own request.
Rev. Schell was a man of exceptional ability. He was a fine conversationalist, able to talk intelligently on almost any subject. He was a musician in his own right, playing both the violin and the organ. White at Indian Creek he directed the choir until two years before his death. The influence of his work is still felt today. During his entire ministry, both at Quakertown and Indian Creek, he was active in many organizations. He had many positions in the old Tohickon Classis and the church-at-large. His was honored and respected by all his colleagues. In the pulpit he was a master. In his easy-going, unassuming manner, he was able to drive home the teachings of the Scriptures. He is remembered for the simple manner in which he presented great truths.
He loved Indian Creek and the people and was proud of its history. During his pastorate, he assembled 24 typewritten pages on which he recorded the copy of deeds for purchase of growth, the Church Buildings, brief sketches of the Pastors, all of which he became the nucleus from which this History of the Church grew.
In physical appearance Rev. Schell was a robust person. In his prime he weighed almost 300 pounds. The writer once asked him if his weight had not interfered in earlier activities, but the reply was that while at Quakertown he went on long hikes with the students and enjoyed it very much and that it did not fatigue him.
Unfortunately, for at least half of the time that Rev. Schell was at Indian Creek, he suffered from diabetes. In later years this affected his activities and he was able to carry on his work only under great difficulties. His determination to carry on his work is evidenced by the fact that for many Sundays he would use a chair while preaching in the pulpit.
During the pastorate of Rev. Schell many changes took place, not only at Indian Creek but in the whole world. Up until this time the horse and buggy had been used for transportation. He was probably the first minister at Indian Creek to use an automobile to do his pastoral calling. When he came to Indian Creek, the congregation presented him with a new Chevrolet automobile. With the advent of the automobile the sheds that surrounded the church began to disappear.
The preaching at Indian Creek was originally in the German language. Later on both German and English were used. During the ministry of Rev. Schell the last Sunday of the month was set aside for preaching in the German language. However, German was no longer taught by schools nor parents, and on April 28, 1924, the Consistory took action to discontinue the German services.
He was married September 7, 1904 to Olive Mae Ebert of Allentown, Pa. At the time of this writing he is survived by his widow, Olive (Ebert) Schell and two daughters, Carolyn (Mrs. Lester Geiser) and Margaret (Mrs. Charles S. Buchenauer).
The photograph of Rev. I. O. Schell will be found in Chapter IX of this History.
Price Jr., Charles H. A History of Christ Reformed Church at Indian Creek (Indianfield). Ann Arbor: Edwards Brothers, Inc., 1966. Pages 163-164.
Spouses
1Olive Mae Ebert
Birth16 Mar 1883, Catasauqua, , PA
Death15 Jul 1972, Wyncote, Montgomery Co., PA
FatherAugustus Frederick Ebert (1839-1922)
MotherCaroline L. (Emily) Lucas (1841-1888)