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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><a name="_Hlk216005074"><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Snell-Zimmerman-Timmerman Family Newsletter<o:p></o:p></span></a></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk216005074'><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Fall-Winter 2025<o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk216005074'></span><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Hello<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Fall is here, but it seems like winter with the cold temperatures and flurries of snow. Mark your calendars for Sunday <b>August 30, 2026</b> for our next annual SZT Family Reunion. We will again hold an ice cream social, our only fundraiser, on Saturday 29 August 2026 at 6 pm. Help us celebrate the 250 years celebration of America. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Snells Bush Church looks nice sitting on the hill, overlooking the Mohawk Valley. A little upkeep is needed on the cemeteries as some on the stones need to be straightened. Some work is needed on the outside of the church as the weather is tough on the northern side of the building. These will be addressed in the spring. The newly painted interior ceiling and repairs to the ceiling look great. There is always something to work on in our historic church. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We had our fall board meeting in October. It was reported that we had three weddings this year and one baptism this past spring. A new sign is posted at the lower cemetery as there was no signage there and we want to let the public know that this cemetery is part of Snells Bush. The reunion was well attended, and everyone had a good time. The Tryon County Militia presented a program on firing the cannon, and everyone had a chance to shoot the cannon off. We also had one of our members present a program on the book she wrote entitled “Best Land” by Sue Brewer. This book talks about two families living next to each other, an Oneida Indian woman, “Two Kettles” and “Honjost Doxstader”. On Saturday we held our ice cream social which was well attended and is our only fund raiser event of the year. Donations are needed to keep the church and cemeteries in good condition.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Donations can be sent to our mailing address:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Treasurer, SZT Reunion, Inc. P.O. Box 623, Little Falls, NY 13365<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> We would like to hear from you. Please send us any updates on your family members, updates on e-mail addresses and change of mailing addresses. We try very hard to keep our records up to date. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Please contact us:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sarah Israel <a href="mailto:sarahtisrael@yahoo.com">sarahtisrael@yahoo.com</a> 518-489-2725<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Nancy Cioch <a href="mailto:ncioch@yahoo.com">ncioch@yahoo.com</a> 315-866-3419<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Kevin Jorrey <a href="mailto:kjorrey@yahoo.com">kjorrey@yahoo.com</a> 972-689-5297 <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>We have genealogy books that are for sale. These books have very interesting stories of the families homesteading on the frontier and traveling west to settle on the plains. They make great gifts--especially the genealogy history of the various families.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>There is little written about the War years (1778-1783) after the Battle of Oriskany. Frank Bellinger in his little booklet entitled “<b><i>The War Years of the Mohawk Valley”</i></b> is for sale at Snells Bush and it covers some of this history. He presents the highlights of that time period and one person stands out during this time;<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Colonel Peter Bellinger</span></b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> Colonel Peter Bellinger was adjutant to General Nicholas Herkimer as well as his brother-in-law, was put in charge of Fort Herkimer and was the commanding officer of the area. It was a difficult job that Colonel Bellinger faced to keep the valley safe and still responsible for sending produce to Washington’s army. After the Battle of Oriskany most families had lost fathers, sons and other family members. Now the women and children were responsible for keeping their homesteads safe from constant raids from the Tories and Indians. Constant skirmishes were being fought between the Indains/Tories and the residents. It was said that one could not travel to church service without being attacked. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'> At the request of Colonel Bellinger, General Washington in 1781 finally sent help to the area. Colonel Willett was made commander of all New York State, and he was stationed in Fort Plain to maintain the safety of the residents living under constant Indian and Tory raids. New York state had passed a law in 1779 to confiscate all the Tory and Loyalist property in the state. However, the public still needed protection from the raids in the Mohawk and Cherry Valley.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>The famous Clinton-Sullivan campaign was established in 1779 to rid the state of the Indian problem. Hundreds of Indians fled to Fort Niagara to the English while others in the valley ravished the Mohawk valley almost depopulating many areas including Manheim. St Paul’s Church (Snell Bush) which was a fort at the time was destroyed. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Frank Bellinger states that in 1781---”-in fact there was no longer much of anything left in the valley to destroy; the inhabitants had lost their farms, the landscape reduced to wilderness waste except in the vicinity of protective forts”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Today, we at Snell-Zimmerman-Timmerman descendants are proud to have a historic Snells Bush church as a living memory to those terrible years after the Battle of Oriskany. We also honor Colonel Peter Bellinger for keeping the valley safe. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>We want to wish everyone a great holiday season and hope you will be able to attend our next family reunion at our historic Snells Bush Church on August 30, 2026<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Snells+Bush+Church+and+Cemetery/@43.038372,-74.774425,736m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m6!3m5!1s0x89deb946c3e9a7af:0xd1c6c6fa56d8ad94!8m2!3d43.0383016!4d-74.7732882!16s%2Fm%2F09v6lb9?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MTEzMC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D">Google Map of church</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Merry Christmas and Happy New Year<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Bill Timmerman President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:6.0pt'><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Sarah Timmerman Israel Corresponding Secretary<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></body></html>