Daniel Lassell of Lassellsville, Ephratah

Daniel Lassell b.27 Feb 1804 Palatine area/Montgomery County, d.17 Feb 1889 Lassellsville. He married Emeline Juliet Burnham about 1827 in the Town of Ephratah. Emeline b.5 Feb 1809 Saratoga, d.2 July 1862 Lassellsville. She was the daughter of William Burnham and Hannah Truman Emerson. Daniel and Emeline were buried in the Lassell Cemetery, Lassellsville. (Lassell Cemetery records and Lassell Family Genealogy by Evelyn Frasier, Town of Ephratah Historian) Mary P.(Powers?) Lassell was #2 wife of Daniel.

He had 5 sisters - Elizabeth, Lydia, Mary, Jane, and Polly and 2 brothers - William and Charles.

Daniel was the son of William Lassell and Mary Shottenkirk. William b.abt 1773 Rhode Island, d.25 Feb 1859 Lassellsville. William married 2. Mary M. b.abt 1787, d.1858 age 70 Lassellsville. William, Mary Shottenkirk, and Mary M. were buried in the Lassell Cemetery, Lassellsville. (Lassell Cemetery records)

Mary Shottenkirk b.abt 1773, d.11 Aug 1839 (age 66) Lassellsville. Mary was the daughter of Lydia Shaw and Phineas Shottenkirk. Lydia Shaw Shottenkirk b.20 July 1736 Windham, Ct., d.29 Aug 1814. She was buried in the Johnstown Colonial Cemetery. (Colonial Cemetery records)

Children of Daniel Lassell and Emeline Juliet Burnham:

Edward b.17 Jan 1828 Lassellsville, d. 16 Jan 1875 Lassellsville. He married Mariah Snell on 16 June 1850 Stone Arabia. Edward buried Lassell Cemetery
John Henry b.11 Aug 1829 Lassellsville, d.31 Mar 1919 Lassellsville. He married Elizabeth Fical on 19 Sept 1854 Fort Plain. John and Elizabeth buried Fical Cemetery/li>
Mary O. b.16 Feb 1831 Lassellsville,d, 26 May 1922 Albany. She married John McLaughlin. John buried Lassell Cemetery/li>
Hannah b.9 Dec 1833 Lassellsville, d.29 Sept 1919. She married J.P. Duesler./li>
Jane E. b.28 Feb 1835, d.Jan 1917 Gloversville. She married Hiram Jordan. She married 2.____Morse/li>
Albert b.29 Mar 1838 Lassellsville, d.22 Mar 1840 Lassellsville. Buried Lassell Cemetery./li>
Helen A. b.11 Apr 1830 Lassellsville, d.12 Apr 1843. She married Ephraim Bronk. Helen and Ephraim buried Lassell Cemetery./li>
Sarah Francis b.28 Apr 1843, d.1 Mar 1916 New York City. She married Stephen Sheldon Stewart on 16 Dec 1868. Stephen buried Lassell Cemetery. Sarah buried Foxburg, Pa./li>
Lydia A. b.5 Feb 1845 Lassellsville, d. 1 June 1908. She married Henry Van Allen./li>
Martha Caroline b.10 Sept 1847 Saratoga Springs, d.8 Aug 1919 Lassellsville, buried Lassell Cemetery./li>

Church records -Fulton County Building, recorded 21 Jan 1845: "At a meeting of the Religious Society of Lassell's Ville in the Town of Ephratah and County of Fulton held at the Religious Meeting house in said town on the first day of June 1844 persuant to notice for the purpose of incorporating said society and electing trustees to take charge of said meeting house and temporal concerns of said Society, the meeting was regularly called to order and Daniel Lassells and William Hutchinson were appointed to preside......" Daniel Lassell was elected trustee for a term of two years. (note: original spelling for Lassellsville)

1865 Supervisor-Town of Ephratah: Daniel Lassell

Business and Residents of Ephratah 1869-70, Child's Gazetter:

Lassell & Son, Lassellsville: Lassell, Daniel and Edward--General Merchants and Dealers in Drugs and Medicines
Lassell Daniel, Lassellsville: Lassell & Son, farmer 175 (acres)
Lassell Edward, Lassellsville: Lassell & Son, Justice of the Peace, farmer 6 (acres)

Our Todays and Yesterdays in the Town of Ephratah, vol II: The Daniel Lassell store was built in 1827. Daniel was one of the first lawyers in the area. He conducted his law practice in the front room over the store. The Lassellsville post office was located in the store.

Daniel Lassel was Justice of the Peace in 1853 when he signed the record for incorporation of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Lassellsville on 16 Apr 1853. (vol.II)

1853 Justices of the Court of Sessions: Daniel Lassell

Daniel Lassell built many of the houses in Lassellsville. Family stories say that he built one for each daughter when she married. Daniel's Lassellsville home burned on 16 Jan 1985.

1850 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 46, merchant; Emeline age 41; John age 21; Hannah age 16; Jane age 14; Hellen (sic) age 12; Sarah age 10; Lydia age 7; Caroline age 3.

1855 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 51, born Herikimer Co., 47 years in location, merchant.
Emeline, age 46, born Saratoga, 35 years in location
Helen age 14, Sarah age 9, Lydia age 7, Caroline age 5

1860 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 56, merchant, born NY; Emeline age 51; Sarah age 17; Lydia age 15; Caroline age 13; Samuel D. Lassell, age 30, farm laborer.

1870 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 66, Dry Goods Merchant; Mary age 61, wife; Caroline age 21.

1875 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 71, birthplace Herkimer Co, general store merchant; Mary P., age 66, wife, birthplace Otsego Co.; Caroline, age 26, daughter, birthplace Fulton Co. (Mary-wife #2)

1880 Census-Lassellsville: Daniel Lassell, age 76 merchant; Carolin (sic), age 33, daughter, keeping house. Real estate $8,000, personal property $10,000.

Land purchased by Daniel Lassell: (Information researched by Evelyn Frasier, Town of Ephratah Historian)

1834-Daniel Lassell bought from William Lassell in patent 27
1834-Daniell Lassell bought from Peter Lassell
1834-Daniel Lassell bought from Richard Haughton-lot 20
1834-Daniel Lassell bought from Adam Nellis in patent 12
1836-Daniel Lassell bought from William Lassell in patent 27
1837-Daniel and William Lassell bought from Jacob Youker in patent 23
1837-Daniel Lassell bought from Christian Klock in patent 27

Daniel Lassell's will was hand written 5 Dec 1883. He states he is 80 years of age. Witnesses: Byron Walrath of Lassellsville and Norman Lassell of Lassellsville. Caroline Lassell, daughter, was executix.

John Lassell, son---the store and lot; 25 acres-part of Great Lot #18 in Lott & Low's patent; and 12 acres meadow lot; plus $200.
Hiram J. Lassell, grandson---4 to 5 acres next to the heirs of Edward Lassell. Jennie Lassell, granddaughter--- $200. Josephine Lassell, granddaughter--- $100. Mariah, mother of listed children--- $100.
Mary O. McLaughlin, daughter and wife of John McLaughlin--- $750
Hannah Lassell, daughter---$500. Her son, Joseph Duesler---$250
Jane Lassell, daughter---50 acres in Town of Stratford part of lot 82 Glen Bleecker and Lansings Patent; steam mill lot of 26 acres in town of Oppenheim part of subdivision no. 4 of Great Lot no. 20 Lott and Low's Patent; and $200.
Helen Bronk, daughter and wife of Ephraim Bronk---130 acres of undivided half of Lot #12 in Lott and Low's Patent; and $200.
Sarah Frances Lassell, daughter---$1200 and 1/2 the library.
Lydia van Allen, daughter---$1000
Caroline Lassell, daughter---all the residue and remainder of real estate and personal property.

"I will say that for reasons which I deem good and sufficient I have not made any provisions for my wife Mary P. Lassells. If she shall survive me and shall claim and be allowed dower or thirds in my real estate the legatees having the same must settle the matter with her."

"I desire that my body be buried and remain in the old Lassells family burying ground."

In Summation:

Daniel Lassell was born, lived, died, and was buried in a small rural community named for his ancestors--Lassellsville, NY. He was a lawyer, general store owner/merchant, Justice of the Peace, land owner and farmer in the early to late 1800's. He was a religious, hard-working, and raised a large family...3 sons and 7 daughters.

He built many of the houses that are still standing along the main road in Lassellsville. Daniel was, probably, considered a man of wealth, prestige, and property in his area and time period. The large number of Lassell family members, from all generations and family lines, living in Lassellsville had to be quite noticeable!

Because of the numerous daughters of the Lassell families and few sons, many of us that are Lassell descendents carry a different surname. While some of the descendents still reside in Fulton County, many have wandered off.....But, Lassellsville is still a small, pleasant and scenic, rural community of note in 2005.

Look for these other biographies:
Helen Lassell
Captain John Henry Lassell
Ephraim Bronk
Casper Bronk
Henry Fical

The above information is taken from the Lassell family genealogy (Evelyn Frasier, Town of Ephratah Historian), cemetery and census records, deeds (Evelyn Frasier), wills, various books listed above, Johnstown Public Library, Fulton County Building, William Loveday, Jr.(Fulton County Historian), and internet websites.

Yes, Evelyn Frasier and I are Lassell cousins who found each other in 2001!!!!

Various spellings of Lassell: Lassell, Lassells, Lasselles, Lascelles, Lasell, etc., etc. "Lassell" has been used to give continuity to this bio.

written and submitted: Donna Bennett 2005