As we reported in Newsletter #131, pages 1 & 2; Joan Cooke of Tuscan, AZ is searching for any clues to the identity of the father of Isaac Sells, born 11 February 1847 (family record) or 11 June 1847 (obituary), probably in Tuscarawas County, Ohio; died 30 August 1923 (obituary) at Lakeville, St. Joseph County, Indiana.
Joan has received records from two Richter researchers that give definite proof that Sarah Ann Richter, 1825-1917, daughter of Jacob Richter, 1794-1877, and Rebecca Hannah Gallentine, 1792-1872, was the mother of her Isaac Sells.
Sarah Ann married 1st on 7 March 1844 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio to Hircuh (IGI) or Hiram (family records) Hart; and they had a son, John Hart, born 1845 in Ohio. Then in 1847 Sarah Ann had another son, named Isaac Sells, in most records. No one has yet found any marriage record for a Sarah Ann Richter or Hart to a Mr. Sell(s). If they were legally married it would most likely have been in Tuscarawas County, Ohio about 1846.
In 1850 “Sarah Ann Hart” is recorded as living in her parents’ household in Auburn twp., Tuscarawas County, Ohio; with her two young sons – John, age 5; and Isaac, age 3 years. The census takers in those days used ditto marks for children’s surnames, so both John and Isaac appear to have the same surname as their mother. Sarah Ann Hart is listed as age 24, born PA. The two boys are listed as born in Ohio.
However, these two boys are ALSO recorded in the household of John and Hannah Rosenberry who are living in York twp., Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1850. But in this family they are listed as “John Hart, age 5 years; and Isaac Sells, age 3 years”, both born in Ohio. Why are these boys listed twice? Maybe Hannah Rosenbery or one of her daughters was just “babysitting” Sarah Ann’s boys that day – week – or month? Or could they be relatives? In any case it appears quite certain from all the Richter records Joan has now received that these two boys are both sons of Sarah Ann.
On 18 March 1852 “Sarah Hart married John Fisher”. The IGI records this marriage as taking place in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. Family records state that they married (on this same date) in St. Joseph County, Indiana. In either case, the Richter and Fisher families all moved from Ohio to St. Joseph County, Indiana some time in 1852; and Sarah Ann and her two sons, John Hart and Isaac Sells, were with them. In 1860 Isaac, recorded as age 11, is listed among the Fisher children. In 1870 he is listed following the Fisher children, as “Isaac Sell, age 23”. By 1880 he was married with his own children. (See Celle Newsletter #131, page 1.)
Wanted: the father of Isaac Sells
Who could the father of this Isaac Sells, 1847-1923, have been?
Most likely he was a Sell(s) living in or near Auburn township, Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1846. So possibilities include those Sell(s) families listed on the 1840 or 1850 Census records as living in Tuscarawas County. There are only three Sell(s) families listed in Tuscarawas County in 1840; and two of those are still there in 1850 and beyond.
Benjamin > John > Isaac > Peter Ludwick > Hendrick Sellen
First is the family of Benjamin Sell(s) and Mary Fowler. They are recorded on Celle CD #2, History Volume 2, pages 82 and 83 or Celle Family Book Part 32, Family #10. This family is in Jefferson township, Tuscarawas County in 1840 and in 1850. We know the identity of most of their children, and none of their known sons appears to be a likely father for this Isaac Sells.
Israel > John > Isaac > Peter Ludwick > Hendrick Sellen
Second, is the brother of this Benjamin Sell(s), Israel Sell (or Sill(s) in some records). “Israel Sell” is listed in Tuscarawas County in 1820 and 1830. In 1840, he is listed as “Israel Sills” in either Hanford or Fairfield township. By 1850 he had moved to Owen County, Indiana; where “Israel Sell” died in 1862.
On the 1830 Census “Israel Sell” is listed with two males under 10 in his household. We have never identified these two boys, nor what became of them. And any boy born before 1830 could have fathered a child born in 1847.
David > John > ?? Anthony > Anthony > Hendrick Sellen
Third, and perhaps the most likely possibility, is the family of David Sells, 1800-1872, and Eleanor Hill who were living in Oxford twp., Tuscarawas County, Ohio in 1840 and 1850. We do not have a complete copy of the 1840 record to show how many children they had then; but in 1850 they have four sons still living at home: William Sells, age 22; George W. Sells, age 15; Isaac Sells, age 9; and David Sells, age 5. George, Isaac, and David are still listed in Tuscarawas County in 1880, with their wives and children. We have no records for this William Sells beyond 1850. The parents, David Sells and Eleanor Hill were married on 5 October 1826 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio; so they certainly could have had more children then those listed on the 1850 census. Could one of their sons have been the father of this Isaac Sells?
Help Wanted!
We do not yet have probate records or obituaries or death records for any of these three Sell(s) fathers.
Benjamin Sell(s) died 24 February 1870 in Indiana (in 1860 he was living in Owen County, Indiana) or perhaps in Richland County, Ohio, where he is buried. (See Celle Newsletter #122, pages 3 to 7; and Breaking News article dated November 2001.)
Israel Sell or Sills died in 1862 in Owen County, Indiana.
David Sells died in 1872 in Tuscarawas County, Ohio.
Does anyone have access to probate or death records or obituaries for these places and dates?
Please send any updates, new records, etc. to:
Carolyn Cell Choppin
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
