A Friend Named Jay And Finding A Treasure
As each of us tread along life’s pathway people who are special to us emerge. One of these friends for me was Jay Edward Nellis (1892 to 1967). I first met Jay shortly after we began our effort to save old Fort Klock in 1954. I suppose one basic connection was that my wife Ethel Nellis Barshied (1930 to 2006) and Jay later could both trace their ancestry back to William Nellis (1694 to 1778). William, born in the Palatinate along Germany’s Rhine River saw devastation by the weather and persecution because of man’s changing religious beliefs. He along with other members of his family arrived in America in 1710 and by 1723 had found his way to Stone Arabia. I wish now to return to the 1950s when I met Jay. His wife had passed away and doubtless, he was lonely. The old farm (Palatine Stock Farm) where he lived at Palatine Church had belonged to his Fox family ancestors. He came to help at Fort Klock because he was also descended from the Klock family. We know Jay could be quite poli...