Rebecca S. Schelly, GW #48 

Rebecca was born on 26 February 1874 in Milford Township, Bucks County, Pa. to Henry L L and Hattie (Stauffer) Schelly, the second youngest of their eleven children.  Sadly, Rebecca’s father died when she was only ten years old.  Her mother moved the family to Allentown where several members worked in textile mills or as tailoresses.  In the 1894 Allentown city directory Rebecca is listed as a weaver.  By 1900 she is with the Gospel Worker Society and stationed at Porter Township, Schuylkill County, Pa. with Gospel Worker Laura Steinmetz.  In 1910 Rebecca is in Cleveland, Ohio with most of the other Gospel Workers.  Sometime after this point Rebecca returns home to Allentown and lives with her sister Emma and her family.  Their mother passed away in 1906.  In 1920 Rebecca is working as a liner in a shoe factory.  In 1930 she is a tailoress in a tailor shop.  In 1940 she is still living with her sister who has been widowed by this point.  Both Rebecca and her sister had only 8 years of formal education.  Rebecca is working as a tailoress for a garment store.  In the 1951 Mennonite Brethren in Christ yearbook it is written that Rebecca was a resident of the Home for widows and orphans since 1947 and passed away on 20 December 1950.  She is buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Allentown, Pa.