Untitled Document

oct 29, 20112
Just wanted to give you an update on the Sellars Twins photo. I tracked down a gentleman named Claves Sellers of Harlan, KY, who identified the photo as his father, Sam Sellers, and twin uncles, Harold and Earl Sellers.

I finally caught my aunt at home, and got the photo of the twins. However, I discovered that my uncle apparently jumped to conclusions in assuming the twins are SELLARS. They may or may not be. The photo is of an older boy behind what appear to be identical twin babies, too young to really tell the gender. They are wearing "dresses", but I believe it was common for baby boys to wear such attire in those days, as well. The photo is on a post card, but apparently was not mailed, since there was no address. The original inscription reads: "the big Boy is Claude's oldest Boy his name is Sam". The name "Sam Sellers" looks to have been added in different handwriting.

So far I haven't been able to come up with a Sam Sellers/Sellars in the Census that I can relate to Reuben's son Claude, which would be the logical assumption. I'm guessing the photo was passed from Reuben to Cordia to my grandmother (Bertha) to my Uncle Howard. (This might shoot down my theory that Cordia was unaware of her half brothers and sisters.)

My next question is, do you or anyone on your listserv/Website have any info on Claude's son Sam. Any related twin cousins, nieces/nephews, etc. of the period?

(Jo, I'm copying you also, in case you have any info on this.)
JoMalicoat@yahoo.com

MARY JO, thanks. I didn’t see a connection either, but, posted anyway. Maybe someone can help. marie, iowa

: MaryJoWalk@aol.com [mailto:MaryJoWalk@aol.com]
Sent: Friday, April 15, 2005 12:03 PM
To: mari@netins.net
Subject: Sellars Family/Betty Colter

I got this email address from a geneology Web site. I am trying to locate a Betty Colter who was researching the Sellers family in Jefferson Co TN in 1997. The email address with her posts longer works. Some of the info on the page where I found your address seems to be from her. Wondered if you might have a current address? Also interested in info you might have on Reuben Sellars in Jefferson Co.
Ms Colter said he was her Ggrandfather.

MARY, I do not have a newer address than her SELLERS page.
wILL send thru SELLERS group for help.

OTHERWISE,
send a small NAME, Date, Place and where they went chart of your connection
to SELLERS and will link to those counties/states.
THANKS for sharing SELLERS
marie, iowa

Marie,

Thanks so much for responding to me. I've sent several emails to people that weren't kicked back, but didn't get a response either.

I am not 100% sure that the Jefferson County Reuben Sellers is MY GGgrandfather, but circumstantial evidence seems to point in that direction. 1. My Ggrandmother's funeral papers indicate that her father and mother were both born in Jefferson Co TN, which may or may not be accurate. 2. I am unable to find any other Reuben Sellers in pre-1900 censuses whose ages match my GGgrandfather's in 1900 and later censuses. 3. I know that my GGgrandmother was in Jefferson Co in 1870.

The problem is -- my GGgrandmother is not Nancy Elmore, to whom Reuben was married in the 1870 census. Her name was Martha Louise Tittle. She and my GGgrandfather were married around 1880. (My Ggrandmother, Cordia, was born in Dec 1880.)

No one in my family has ever mentioned that my Reuben was married twice, and I haven't seen any mention of it on any of the Sellers online forums, etc. So, assuming we both have the right Reuben Sellars/Sellers, then his 2 separate families seem to have been totally oblivious to each other all these years!

I don't have time at the moment to put together a chart, but will get back to you soon with the information I have.

Thanks again,
Mary Jo

MARY, thanks.
if you have the 1900, etc census, families posted, please send.
Our marriages after 1880 may not be posted, you could ask for lookup on usgenweb TN board. (all spellings/abbreviations)
You could check cemeteries = sometimes info.
keep in touch, marie, iowa

1850 JEFF CO, TN
JOSEPH CELLERS 22 TN, PAGE 414 13TH DISTRICT
MARY J. 18 TN
REUBEN 2

1870 JEFFERSON CO, TN
Reubin Seller District 17, Jefferson, TN abt 1848 Tennessee White Male , page 547
Haney E Seller District 17, Jefferson, TN abt 1851 Tennessee White Female
Joseph A Seller District 17, Jefferson, TN abt 1869 Tennessee White Male

1880 JEFFERSON CO, TN
Harvey SELLUS District 7, Jefferson, TN <1872> Tennessee Son
Ida SELLUS District 7, Jefferson, TN <1879> Tennessee Daughter
Joseph SELLUS District 7, Jefferson, TN <1867> Tennessee Son
Nannie SELLUS District 7, Jefferson, TN <1850> Tennessee Wife
Reuben SELLUS District 7, Jefferson, TN <1848> Tennessee Self

Martha Sellers Avery Creek, Buncombe, North Carolina abt 1858 Tennessee White Wife ,m20yrs, 0kids0living, both parents TN
Rubin Sellers Avery Creek, Buncombe, North Carolina abt 1849 Tennessee White Head , BOTH parents TN(ckMaryJo'sPage)

next
DAVID TITTLE 59 TN, M 8YRS, BOTH PARENTS TN
CAROLINE 38 NC, 0/0, BOTH PARENTS NC

WHERE IS CORDIA 1880? when/where married = and kids =

Marie,

Thanks! I had all the info except the 1880 SELLUS. I had never thought of that variation in spelling and it never came up on the Soudex search on LDS. (It seems like everything else in the world did!)

<WHERE IS CORDIA 1880? when/where married = and kids =

Cordia Ellen Angeline Sellars was born Dec 13, 1880, so would not have been listed in 1880 census. Not sure exactly when/where married, but 1st child born Dec 1900. Married to Tom Mayes (another mystery - have NO other info on him except that he was supposed to have been killed in railroad accident somewhere in NC about 1910.) My guesses for marriage place are either TN, NC, or KY, since both Cordia and Tom were supposed to have been born in TN according to census entries for children, Reuben and Martha are in Buncombe Co NC in 1900, and Cordia & Tom's 1st child was born in KY according to census.Cordia remarried 2 more times, with children from each marriage.

Her Mayes Children: Rose b Dec 23 1900 KY, Jane b May 3 1902, Mildred Kate, Bertha Julia b Jul 18 1907 Asheville NC (my grandmother), Edith Pearl b Nov 4 1909 Smithville Dekalb TN.
Denny Children: Dewey b Mar 24 1911, Helen b Jun 11, 1918
J T Holsenback Child: Bob b Mar 28 1922

I have more info on Cordia's descendents, but don't have time to send now.

<did she have any brother/sisters?

Reuben & Martha had 1 child, Mae Sellars b May 18 1887 m Lawrence Wickham (probably in Knoxville TN) no children.

I'll get a complete list of everything together a little later. I was so excited about the 1880 Sellus, I had to respond!

Thanks,
Mary Jo

Reuben and Martha Tittle Sellars Family

Reuben Sellars b. about Mar 1849 (Jefferson Co?) TN, d. Jun 23 1935 Washington Co TN m. Martha Louise Tittle b. Sep 18 1857(58?) (Jefferson Co?) TN, d. Jun 20 1933 Washington Co TN.
Children:
Cordia Ellen Angeline Sellers b. Dec 13, 1880, TN, d. Dec 2 1954 Knoxville, Knox Co TN
m.(1) Tom Mayes b. unknown, d. about Jun 1910 (NC?)
Children of Cordia and Tom Mayes:
Rose Mayes b. Dec 24 1900 KY d. Dec 8 (1953 NC?) m. Robert Franklin
Children: none
Jane Mayes b. May 3 1902 NC, d. (1994?) m. ? Smith
Children:
Caroline Smith
(Rosemary?sp) Smith
Ladd Smith
Mildred Kate Mayes b. Jan 9 ?, m. 4 or 5 times- 1 husband is Joe Kerskey
Children: none
Bertha Julia Mayes b. Jul 18 1907 Asheville, Buncombe Co NC, d. Jan (17?)1974
Knoxville, Knox Co TN
m. (1) about 1921, Bill Brooks, divorced.
Children:
Elizabeth Brooks b. 1922, d. as infant
Ruby Louise Brooks b. Apr 29 1924 d. May 9 1996 Saxonburg, Butler Co PA
m. (2) Jan 10 1926, Patton Herman ”John” Ridenour b. Aug 4 1890, d. Jul 27 1956
Knox Co TN
Children:
Minnie Jeannette Ridenour b. Jan 8 1927 Knox Co TN
Georgia Ella Ridenour b. Jun 9, 1931 Knox Co TN, d. Jan 19, 2001 Union Co TN,
buried Knoxville, Knox Co TN.
Howard Lee Ridenour b. Sep 25 1946 Knox Co TN
Edith Pearl Mayes b. Nov 4 1909 Smithville, Dekalb Co TN
m. (Harlen ?sp) Grudier
Children:
Carl Grudier b. Dec 8 1931
Myrtle Ellen Grudier
m. (2) Erastus Denny b. unknown d. unknown
Children of Cordia & Erastus Denny:
Dewey Denny b. Mar 24 (1911 or 1913?), d. Aug 27 2000
m. Joe Edwards
Children:
Hobert Edwards
Lorene Mae Edwards b. Apr 26 1932
Betty Edwards d. (age 42)
Mary Ruth Edwards
Gladys Ann Edwards d. (age 16)
m. (3) James T. Holsenback
Child of Cordia & J T Holsenback
Robert Holsenback
Mae Sellars b. May 18 1887, (TN or NC) d. Oct ? 1975 Knoxville, Knox CoTN
m. Lawrence G Wickham
Children: None

Census Info:

1900 NC BUNCOMBE AVERY CRK TWP
SELLERS, RUBIN Head W M Mar 1949 51 M 20 TN TN TN
Martha Wife W F Sep 1857 42 M 20 TN TN TN

1910 TN WASHINGTON NATIONAL SOLDIERS HOME
SELLARS, REUBEN Member M W (63?) M(1?) (uk?) TN TN TN
(Notes: I have seen a transcription of this record that lists him as 68 M2. After looking at the image I am unsure. Age looks more like 62 or 3 to me. HeritageQuest Index lists as 3. Marriage info looks more like M1 to me but can‘t be sure.)

1910 TN WASHINGTON 8-DIST
SELLARS, MRS RUBEN Head F W 51 M1 32 TN TN TN
MAYES, MRS CORDIA Daughter F W 29 M1 11 TN TN TN
ROSE Grandaughter F W 10 S KY TN TN
JANIE Grandaughter F W 7 S NC TN TN
KATE Grandaughter F W 5 S NC TN TN
BERTHA Grandaughter F W 2 S NC TN TN
PEARL Grandaughter F W 5/12 S TN TN TN

1920 TN KNOX 9-WD; KNOXVILLE 1-DIST
SELLERS, REUBIN HEAD M W 71 M TN TN TN
MARTHA WIFE F W 62 M TN TN TN
DENNY, CORDIE Daughter F W 39 W TN TN TN
BAILEY, KATIE Daughter F W 15 M NC TN TN
ROSCOE Grandson M W 23 M TN TN TN
MAYS, EDITH Boarder F W 10 S TN TN TN
DENNY, DEWEY E Boarder M W 6 S TN TN TN
HELEN M Boarder F W 1 7/12 S TN TN TN

(Note: Dewey should be F, not M. Edith, Dewey, and Helen are actually Reubin’s granddaughters.)

1930 According to Ancestry.com, Reuben and Martha Sellars are listed in Washington County TN census. Have not seen actual images or transcripts, so don’t know who, if anyone else, is living with them.

Reuben and Martha died in 1933 and 1935 respectively. My mother and aunt remembered attending Reuben's funeral in Johnson City as small children. He is buried in the Mountain Home National Cemetery.

Mountain Home National Cemetery
Mountain Home, Washington County, Tennessee
Sellars, Reuben, d. 06/23/1935, Plot: K 14 5, bur. 06/23/1935

MARY JO, thank you. we didn't have the minutes.

1910 looked like 63, married once to me.

1930 WASHINGTON CO, TN
Reuben Sellars Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1846 Tennessee Head
Martha L Sellars Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1858 Wife
Cordia Holsenback Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1881 Tennessee Daughter
Pearl Grudier Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1910 Tennessee Granddaughter
Holsenback Denory Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1919 Tennessee Granddaughter
Robert Holsenback Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1922 Grandson
Myrtle Grudier Johnson City, Washington, TN abt 1929 Granddaughter

THANKS for sharing SELLERS.
marie, iowa
====

Marie,

Thanks for the transcript of 1930. I have access to it, but TN is not indexed yet on Heritage Quest and I hadn't had time to go through all of Washington Co looking for them.

I also looked for and found Jane Sellers (or Sellen, as it appears) in 1870. She is living with whom I assume to be her parents, "Reuben & Florence" Thomas, and there are two other Sellers/Sellen children in addition to John & Nancy living there also (Mary 6 & Sallie 2). Maybe more siblings of Reuben Sellers? I hadn't seen this posted anywhere, so didn't know if you knew about it.

Thanks much,
Mary Jo

Cordia was born 13 Dec 1880 in Jefferson Co, TN. I believe I got the birth place from her death certificate, but I seem to have lost it in my PC crash awhile back. Will have to retrieve it again later. Of course, I realize that info is only as good as the memory/knowledge of the person providing it. However, though various family members wandered around, Jefferson County always seemed to be "home base".

Cordia married (1)Thomas Mayes about 1899 place unknown (possibly KY or TN); (2) Erastus Denny 12 Dec 1911 Knox Co, TN and/or 13 Jan 1913 Washington Co, TN (found 2 marriage records); (3) James Thomas Holsenback about 1921 place unknown (possibly Gaston, SC).

Reuben was born Mar 1849 probably in Jefferson Co, TN. Martha, in TN, probably Washington, Grainger or Jefferson counties. They finally were legally married 18 Nov 1920 in Jefferson Co, TN. Both Reuben and Martha died in (Mountain Home, next to the Soldier's home) Johnson City, Washington Co, TN. Martha d. 20 Jun 1933; Reuben d. 23 Jun 1935.

Reuben's death record lists Joe Sellars and Jane Thomas, both born in TN, as his parents. I am positive the Reuben Sellers of Jefferson Co is my GG-grandfather (or at least was married to my gg-grandmother - I suppose there could be some question from the biological standpoint). Also, Martha seems to have grown up right in the middle of all the Elmores, so it would be very probable that she and Reuben crossed paths during his marriage to Nancy.

I searched high and low for years looking for another Reuben Sellars approximately the same age that would "fit the bill", and there just wasn't one. So, unfortunately I suppose, I guess I represent the less legitimate side of the Reuben Sellars family.

Any clue what happened to Betty Colter? I've searched for her to no avail. Would like to get in touch, but then she might not be overly happy to hear this info.

Was he Civil War? I didn't get to check the pension records today,but, it appears he was, don't know if anyone collected pension, If so, good info.

Wasn't quite sure what you meant by the question, "First marriage?" Obviously, it wasn't Reuben's. But as far as I know, it was Martha's first marriage. I've never found any indication otherwise.

Yes Reuben was in the Civil War and is buried in the Mountain Home National Cemetery in Johnson City, TN. I've found him on Civil War listings, but haven't found any pension info. In his latter years, he and Martha lived in the Mountain Home government reservation for soldiers near the Soldier's Home (what is now the VA hospital).

I have retrieved Cordia's death certificate again. Her sister, Mae, died much later and death records aren't readily available. Would have to go to the Knox Co, TN archives, I suppose. Unfortunately, I don't seem to have obituaries for any of them. I think I had Cordia's in electronic format, but seem to have lost it in my PC crash. May be able to get it again by contacting a cousin who sent it to me. However, I truly believe that no one other than Reuben and Martha (and their parents/siblings) knew of his "other" family. Or if they did, they never acknowledged or talked about it to the next generation, and I'm pretty sure it wasn't included in Cordia's obit.

WHO is this daughter he mentions. I found one census, but, will look for another. marie, iowa
=

It looks as though it's a misspelling of May/Mae Wickham. Aunt May did live in Knoxville most, if not all her married life. What puzzles me is why Martha's name is marked through and May's added. Where did you find the record? NARA?

Incidentally, May is not found in the census with Reuben and Martha. She was born in 1887, no 1890 census, in 1900 she was living with her grandmother Lucinda Tittle (Jefferson Co. TN), 1910 boarding in Knoxville, TN, 1920 married, living in Knoxville.

Cordia, on the other hand always seemed to be between husband in the census years after 1900. (She is found in Buncombe Co, NC in 1900.) Reuben and Martha are also found there in a separate household.

I noted that there were several dates entered ranging from 1907 - 1927. It looks as though this was a record that was updated each time he came to the Soldier's Home. I know that Reuben was in the home in 1910 census. The multiple dates probably explain why Martha's name was entered, then marked out and replaced with May's. She would have been 20 in 1907; 40 in 1927. I'm thinking perhaps by 1927, Martha's mind and/or health may have been deteriorating?

Ancestry - yep, they are a bit stingy with their material. : ) I knew the record was from the Soldier's Home. I don't have an Ancestry subscription, so hadn't found it. Thanks for sending it and the tip regarding the pension application. I really didn't necessarily contact you for help, mostly just to report what I had found out, but these documents will be good to have.

Question: Have you heard anything about twins in the Sellars family? My uncle had a photo labeled "Sellers Twins". I saw it years ago, but don't remember much about it. However, my uncle believed that Reuben was a twin. I don't remember whether the photo was of adults, children, two males, or one of each sex. I've been meaning to get with my aunt and check it out.

Also, just curious. I noted that there is a line on the Jefferson County, TN page of your Web site that says Mary Jo Walker's page, but it isn't hot-linked. Is it supposed to be?

YOUR info has helped greatly, ( I think) on proving this family) we will post on line on Sellers pages and see if we get any info. Please send copies of any replies.

Unfortunately, there were only the two girls born to Reuben and Martha, so no Sellars males. It's too bad they don't come up with a DNA test that can prove lineage regardless of gender. : (

Another thought that comes to mind is whether Nancy Elmore Sellers' children that were born after 1880 are actually Reuben's. How long did he continue to live with Nancy after Martha became pregnant? Did Reuben move with the family to KY, or did Reuben stay behind with Martha? Did Martha go to KY, too? Sure would be nice if we had the 1890 census to possibly shed some light on some of these questions!