Found on the 1850 Census in District 1, Caldwell Co., KY; pages 323-324, family #653: “Thomas Sells, age 47, born S.C., farmer; (wife) Keziah, age 47, born S.C.; (son?) Reuben Sells, age 20, born TN.”
And next door, family #654: “William Sells, age 27, b. S.C., farmer; (wife) Elvira, age 21, b. KY; (daughters) Nancy E. Sells, age 2, b. KY; Lucinda J. Sells, age 5 months, b. KY.”
And in family #656: “John Sells, age 29, b. SC, farmer; (wife) Catherine, age 23, b. KY; (daughter) Margaret J. Sells, age 6, b. KY; (son) Charles P. Sells, age 2, b. KY; (daughter) Hester G. Sells, age 9 months, b. KY.” (Thank you Tim Dowling for collecting these records for us.)
These records would appear to provide proof that the Thomas Sell(s) who married 13 May 1819 in Rowen County, North Carolina to Keziah Gray (see Celle Newsletter #123, page 1) was not only still alive in 1850, but living in Caldwell County, Kentucky with at least three of his four known sons: John, born about 1821; William, born about 1823; “unknown” born between 1825 and 1830; and Reuben, born about 1830.
We know that this Thomas Sell(s) was living in Stokes County, North Carolina in 1820; and in Sullivan County, Tennessee in 1830. And we believe that this Thomas Sell(s) was a son of Jonathan Sell Jr., 1776-1840/50, and Sarah Shields of Stokes County, North Carolina.
Wanted: 1860 Census records for this family. They appear to be one of four Sell/Sills families listed in the 1870 Census index, all in Princeton district, Caldwell County, Kentucky. On page 470 is “C.T. Sell” and “Reuben Sell”; and on page 471 “J.C. Sills” and “S.A. Sills.” Does anyone have access to these records?
Recorded in the Caldwell County, Kentucky Marriage Records (Automated Archives CD #2 & #229), age: 
15 August 1838, David Sills and Malvina Hawley
16 June 1843, John Sills and Catherine Lamb
21 May 1846, William Sell and Elivira Rich
18 September 1854, Reuben Sells and Margaret E. Church
Note the rather large gap in records – during the Civil War!!
20 November 1877, Obie U. Sell and Viola Pugh
3 October 1879, W. H. Sell and Mary J. James
30 December 1879, Isabell Sills and James L. McCarrier
20 July 1881, Noah M. Sell and Alpha B. Shewey
29 July 1884, J. N. Sell and Rebecca Galloway
31 January 1889, A. M. Sell and Ida A. Heitt
15 February 1893, L. T. Sells and Lula Jennings
9 April 1893, J. N. Sell and Miss R. L. Smith
8 February 1898, Mary Sells and P. M. Rich
28 March 1900, Virginia S. Sell and J. V. Alsobrooks.
Conclusions: Thomas Sell(s), born about 1795/1803; married 1819 to Keziah Gray (see also Celle Newsletter #99), were the parents (and grandparents) of the following:
First son: John Sell(s)/Sill(s), born about 1821 (age 29 in 1850); married in 1843 to Catherine Lamb; parents of:Margaret J. Sells, born about 1844, KY
Charles P. Sells, born about 1847, KY
Hester G. Sells, born about 1849/50, KY
Second son: William Sell(s), born about 1823 (age 27 in 1850); married in 1846 to Elvira Ritch;
Parents of:Nancy E. Sells, born about 1848, KY
Lucinda J. Sells, born about 1849/50, KY
Note: William and Elvira Sells are living in Lyon County, KY in 1880 (see Newsletter #123, page 2) with
(son) John Sells, age 16 = born about 1864
(son) Oberman Sells, age 12 = born about 1868
Third son: name yet unknown, born about 1825 to 1830.
Fourth son: Reuben Sell(s), born about 1830 (age 20 in 1850, 50 in 1880); married 1st in 1854 to Margaret E. Church. Married 2nd about 1860/68 to Zarilda (maiden surname unknown). He is probably the Reuben Sell in Princeton Pct., in 1870, and the Reuben Sells, age 50, in the same place in 1880 (see Celle Newsletter #123, page 2). By 1880 Reuben has a (second??) wife named Zarilda, age 35 (too young to be Margaret whom he married in 1854); and six children ages 6 months to 11 years, probably all Zarilda’s children (but we need Reuben’s 1860 and 1870 Census records to be sure.)
Anyone with additional records of this family, please forward them to
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
