This following information was written in the book: THE HISTORY OF EDWARD POOLE OF WEYMOUTH, MASS., (1635) AND HIS DESCENDANTS. BY MURRAY EDWARD POOLE, A.B. Publishers: Press of the Ithaca Democrat 1893. "The Zeliffe family came from France about the time of the American Revolution and settled in Northumberland, PA, where many of their descendants still reside. Some members of the family afterwards removed to Arkport (near Hornellsville), New York. Solomon Zeliffe is the first known. He settled in Northumberland, which was peopled largely by Pennsylvania Dutch and he probably learned to speak German, so that some of his descendants think he was of German descent. A history of famous composers of music mentions a Petre Zeliffe (spelled that way), a French composer. The name plainly shows a French origin. The name was formerly spelled Zeluff, but is now more correctly spelled Zeliffe. Solomon Zeliffe removed from Northumberland to Beecher's Island, (now known as Nelson) Tioga County, Pa." Today, we as descendants challange this theory, evident from the research uncovered in NJ, that the Zeliff family actually came from NJ, and before that Staten Island, NY. But their original country of origin could well have been France before that. Could they have been French Huegonots? Below Poole's paragraph on the Solomon Zeliff family, he gives a complete listing of Solomon's (9) childrens' names, but not in any chronological order, as this compiler learned over the years. Murray Poole's list, however, did prove invaluable in piecing Solomon's family together. There is CONCLUSIVE evidence now to prove that Solomon and his wife Elizabeth, along with a few children, migrated west into Northumberland county, PA, and then north into Tioga county, Pennsylvania from the vacinity of Newark, NEW JERSEY. This time frame may have occured between 1790-1793. There were settlers in Northumberland during this time who belonged to the Methodist Episcopal Church as early as 1791. This same church was the same denomination later used by Zeliff descendants who attended in the mid 19th century. Descendant Rebecca Weston, of Washington, New Jersey, and also a descendant of Solomon Zeliff, Sr., has done extensive research on the family, prior to this compiler's involvement. She brought to light a date and proof of marriage of Solomon to Elizabeth Taler: Hanover Presbyterian Church, Hanover Twp., Morris county, New Jersey, date: June 8, 1785. The last known indication of residency for Solomon Zeliff in New Jersey was on a JU-AU, 1789 tax ratable showing him as a resident of Newark Twp. in Essex county. The NJ 1790 Census records are not available to determine if Solomon and his family were still there (in NJ) for this first census count. Perhaps Solomon and Elizabeth's first two children were born in NJ, but to date baptismal records have not surfaced. Solomon Sr.'s first known appearance in Pennsylvania is found in the 1800 US PA Census for Point Twp., Northumberland county, listing his age as between 26-45. He again is listed in the 1810 and 1820 US PA Census records, this time residing in Northumberland Borough, which is located adjacent to Point Twp. He lists his age as "over 45" in the 1820 census. There is one female child 10 and under, and one female over 45 (presumably his wife), who are living with him. Listed directly below Solomon Sr. in the alphabetically handwritten 1820 census order of residents is his son Solomon Jr.. This compiler feels that Solomon died prior to the 1830 census count. Rebecca Weston's research in Tioga county revealed that Solomon was living in the vacinity of Nelson or "Beechers Island" in 1826, 1827, and 1828. In 1829 he no longer was listed, but his son Peter (Peter Osternaut Zeliff 1805-1859) suddenly held 80 acres of land and a yoke of oxen in his name in 1829, which could be "explained" if he inherited it from his father, AND if Solomon died that year! This move back north again to Tioga county would explain his residency during the last few years of his life. There is a record of a Solomon Zeliff as "seller" of a piece of property in Northumberland in 1825. The record appears in Vol."V", page 569 of the Grantor Index to Deeds No. 1. The date of the deed is May 31, 1825. Question. Could Solomon have then moved back to Tioga after his house sale in Northumberland? The date the deed was recorded was June 29, 1825. John Cowden was the "buyer". Speculation of Solomon's place of burial has been probable as Riverview Cemetery in Point Twp., Northumberland county, PA, but so far recordings of this cemetery do not date that far back, and a tombstone would have since disappeared. In 2004 we are left with the question: Could Solomon have died and been buried in Tioga county near (Nelson) Beecher's Island instead of Point Twp.?
