The Shell Family - Contributed by  Sandra Stephens

The earliest of our Shell ancestors came from Virginia and settled in Georgia.
     
One of the earliest Shells in the Goodes Community (now a part of Chattahoochee Hills) was Rev. Stephen Shell, a minister, who along with several others in the community started New Hope United Methodist Church, which is located on the other end of Atlanta Newnan Road. His grave is located off of Hearn Road in this area.
     
His daughter, Frances Ann Shell married her cousin James Parks Shell (whose father was John Redwine Hearn Shell) and made their home on the land where the play is taking place (on a parcel known as Dear Hollow on Atlanta Newan Rd near Serenbe). James had two sons from a previous marriage and together he and Frances Ann had 17 children including two sets of twins. They continued to live in the house on the property, enlarging it several times until all the children were grown and James and Frances passed away. Their graves are located in the New Hope Church Cemetery.
     
The last Shell living in the old home-place was the youngest son, Andrew, who lived there until his death. It was rented out a few times, then sold and eventually torn down and left as it is now.

More Shell Family History

The book, "Palmetto" A Town & Its History" has information on several of the Shell family members. (Follow this Link).

The book also has a nice memorial to James Parks Shell, reprinted here.

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