Agnes Amelia Palow Emmel is my Great Great Grandmother. According to Agnes's grandauhgter, still living, Agnes died in the great 1928 Hurricane that flooded the towns that surrounded Lake Okeechobee, Florida. One town included Moore Haven, where Agnes resided as a servant for the town cleric, the Moore family. The house she lived was situated right behind the dam that broke and killed thousands of people included our beloved Agnes. Agnes in earlier years married John Emmel a woolworker from Long Island, New York and had 5 children. Frederick (1873) George Louis (1875)John(1873)Amelia(1876)and Daniel(1888). George Louis is the father of my grandmother Frances Emmel Twist.

The original family came from Berlin, Germany under the name of "Pellow" aboard the Winfield Scott in 1852 and moved to Vermont. The father John Paul Pellow (b1795) wife Amalia, with children Frederick (1827), Gisbert(1831)Erasmus(1842)Fred(1945) and Scott (1850).It is believed some of the Pellow's with agricultural background migrated to Cuba.

However, Frederick Pellow's soon changed their name from Pellow to Palow. Frederick moved his Family to Long Island. Had 4 childern with Emily Winsche, Agnes(1854) Augustus(1855)Paul William(1858)and Frederick(1866) The first three children were born in Vermont and the two youngest, on Long Island. Agnes lived most of her life on Long Island with brief travels to Canada to visit son Frederick. Augustus also lived on Long Island and married wife Estelle and worked as a Bayman. Paul Pellow's family moved to Virginia and later migrated to upper state Florida. Descendants can be found in towns of Jacksonville, Mt.Dora, Lakeland, Miami, and Glades County.


Both the Emmel and Palow descendants can be found mostly in Florida and New York.

Paul E. Twist
Miami, Florida
twist01@bellsouth.net