Judi Lee of Calgery, Alberta, Canada, has located a biographical sketch in the History of Buchanan County, Iowa, published in 1914, that tells of a Dr. Benjamin B. Sells, M.D., who "was born in Winthrop, Buchanan County in 1870. His parents, Leonard and Melissa (Knight) Sells, were both natives of Ohio, the former born in 1841, and the latter in 1850."
This is a rather long article, so I will just extract the genealogical facts given. "Dr. B.B. Sells, the younger of their two children In 1909 Dr. Sells was united in marriage to Miss Jesse Little, who was born in Buchanan County, a daughter of Ebenezer and Louisa (Smith) Little
Dr. and Mrs. Sells have become the parents of two children: Dorothy Theresa, who was born in 1910; and Leonard Little, born in 1912"
The 1880 Census of Byron, Buchanan County, Iowa, page 405D records: "Leonard Sells, age 39, farmer, born IN, parents both born Ohio; Melissa Sells, age 28, keeping house, born Ohio, parents both born Ohio; Adda Sells, age 9, daughter, born Iowa; and Bertie B. Sells, age 8, son, born Iowa."
Clearly Benjamin's biography, written in 1914, does not quite match what the census taker recorded in 1880. Benjamin is listed as "Bertie B., age 8", which would give him a birth year of 1871/72, not 1870; and Leonard is listed as born in Indiana, not Ohio. Based on what we already know about this family from Ohio and Indiana records, my guess is that the 1880 census is more correct on both these details, than the 1912 biographical sketch.
Also from the 1880 Census, listed in near by Jefferson twp., Buchanan County, Iowa, page 524D, is the family of a brother of this Leonard Sells: "Marion Sells, age 36, born Indiana, farmer, parents both born Ohio; Eliza Sells, wife, age 35, born England, keeping house, parents both born England; Cora Sells, daughter, age 14, born Iowa.; Dow Sells, age 12, son, born Iowa; Nettie Sells, daughter, born Iowa; Sadie Sells, daughter, age 4, born Iowa; Mary Sells, daughter, age 2, born Iowa; James B. Sells, son, age 2 months, born Iowa; and William McCintick, laborer, age 15, born Ohio, parents both born Ohio."
Their half brother is listed in Fremont twp., Hamilton Co., Iowa, page 185D: "Francis E. Sells, age 28, born Ohio, farmer, parents both born Ohio; Martha A. Sells, wife, age 21, born Iowa, keeping house, father born KY, mother born ILL; Emery W. Sells, son, age 3, born Iowa; Benjamin L. Sells, son, age 6 months, born Iowa; and Hansen Nis, laborer, age 20, born Denmark, parents both born Denmark."
Their parents and younger siblings are recorded in Troy, Wright Co., Iowa in 1880, page 557A: "J. D. (Joseph Dow) Sells, age 62, born Ohio, farmer, parents both born PA; Mary Sells, age 61, born Ohio, keeping house, parents both born Ireland; Benjamin W. Sells, son, age 25, born Ohio, farmer; Joseph M. Sells, son, age 23, born Ohio, farmer; John B. Sells, son, age 21, born Iowa; Edward Sells, son, age 19, born Iowa; Carrie M. Sells, daughter, age 27, born Ohio; Teresa White, servant, age 13, born PA, parents both born PA; John Armstrong, laborer, age 21, born Ohio, parents both born Ohio; and Minnie Sheldon, servant, age 17, born NY, parents both born New York."
All of these families are outlined in Part 27 of our Celle Family History, and in Volume II of that book on our Family Celle CD #2. However, we did not previously have any of the above records, so all of this information needs to be added to our previous records of these families.
Carolyn Cell Choppin
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
