The Sellers Family of Lincoln and Cleveland Counties, NC
We know that Philip Sellers (1724-1808) of Pennsylvania had two sons who settled in North Carolina: George and John. [Because of the duplication of names, I will refer to this George and John as "George Sr." and John Sr." and to George Sr.'s sons as George Jr. and John Jr.] John Sr. apparently had no children, and in his will left all his property to two of George Sr.'s sons, John Jr. and Henry.
We believe that Eli Sellers is descended from this family, but we have contradictory evidence as to how.
There are (at least) three scenarios possible.
1. This is the accepted view, and has been published in the IGI of the Latter Day Saints:
George Sellers, Sr. m. 1st Susannah Best ... m. 2nd Magdalena Schneider ... m. 3rd Anna Mary Froneberger
(1755/56-1839) | (?-bef 1809) | (?-?) | (1793-1869)
| | |
John Sellers Jr. (?-?) Felix Sellers (1810- Eli Sellers (1819-1902)
George Sellers Jr. (1794-1825?) Elizabeth Sellers (1818-1870)
Philip Sellers (1783-1852?) William M. Sellers (1823-
Henry Sellers (?-?) Abraham Sellers(1824-
Caty Sellers (?-?) George Sellers (1827-1864)
others? Newton Sellers (1830-1900)
Jacob Sellers (?-?)
Daniel Sellers (1834-1864?)
2. A few years ago I received email from a descendent of Felix Sellers who had done extensive research on the Sellers family. She convinced me that there was an intervening generation between George Sr. and Eli Sellers; and that Anna Mary had actually married George, Jr. She had some reason for believing that George Jr had died in 1826, and therefore could not be Eli and siblings' father. (I have undergone two computer meltdowns since then, and have lost her email and snail-mail address. I would love to find her again!) Based on her info, this was my belief until very recently :
George Sellers, Sr. m. 1st Susannah Best .............................. m. 2nd Magdalena Schneider
(1755/56-1839) | (?-bef 1809) | (?-?)
| |
___________________________|_______________________________________ |
| | | | |
John Sellers Jr. George Sellers Jr. Philip Sellers others Felix Sellers (1810-
(?-?) (1794-1825?) (1783-1852?)
m. Mary Rush m. Anna Mary Froneberger m. Barbara Froneberger
| | |
| Philip Sellers |
| (1821-1883) |
| no issue,
Elizabeth Sellers (1818-1870) "adopted" Philip
Eli Sellers (1819-1902)
William M. Sellers (1823- )
Abraham Sellers (1824-)
George Sellers (1827-1864)
Newton Sellers (1830-1900)
Jacob Sellers (?-?)
Daniel Sellers (1834-1864?)
3. Some recent discoveries have led me to challenge these beliefs. Thanks to my cousin Brenda we found the Froneberger Cemetery where George, Sr and some of his family are buried. According to her gravestone, Susannah Best actually died in 1843, so George could not (legally, anyway) be Eli and company's father. Actually what this means is that he could not be the George Sellers who married Anna Mary in 1818. Also next to Anna Mary's gravestone is a small, crudely carved stone that has been read as C. Sellers, d. May 22 1836. I think that possibly the period after the "C" is really the "tail" of a G, and this is George Sellers, Jr. If George died in 1836 instead of 1825-26 as we believed, then there is no reason he can't be the father of our progenitor.
In addition, there are a John and Mary Sellers buried in a Rush Cemetery in Macon Co, implying that perhaps they are not Eli's parents either, (since Eli and siblings were living with his 50 year old mother Mary, in the 1850 Cleveland Co. census). The same John and Mary Sellers appear in the 1850 Macon County census with three children and 4 grandkids. Another son lives nearby. The census states that this John and Mary as well three of their children were born in Lincoln County, making it even more likely that this is "our" John Sellers. Update: I just found Ann M. Sellers (with 8 children the right ages for this theory), in the 1840 census.
I have yet to do any further research on Magdalena Schneider and Felix Sellers, so the theory presented below is not currently reflected in my database. I am very willing to believe that he is related to these Sellers, but much more work needs to be done.
George Sellers, Sr. m. Susannah Best
(1755/56-1839) | (1760-1843)
|
__________________________|____________________________________________________________________
| | | |
John Sellers Jr. George Sellers Jr. Philip Sellers others
(?-?) (1794-1836?) (1783-1852?)
m. Mary Rush m.1st? Magdalena m.2nd Anna Mary Froneberger m. Barbara Froneberger
| (1809) Schneider (1818) | |
| | | no issue,
George? | | "adopted" nephew Philip
Julie Ann? Felix Sellers (1810-?) |
Mary? Elizabeth Sellers (1818-1870)
Leander? Eli Sellers (1819-1902)
Philip Sellers (1821-1883)
William M. Sellers (1823- )
Abraham Sellers (1824-)
George Sellers (1827-1864)
Newton Sellers (1830-1900)
Jacob Sellers (?-?)
Daniel Sellers (1834-1864?)
I have collected some of the resources for this online: Sellers census abstracts, and a partial roster of the Froneberger cemetery. These are both works in progress, and will be updated in the (hopefully) near future.
Go back to my Sellers page or check out my index of persons.