Wilbur Sell Johnson has just recently published his history of the Preston County, West Virginia Sell families and their kin. His book it titled The Sells from the Rhineland to Winchester. It is 154 pages, with an index and lots and lots of pictures, maps, charts, and other very interesting verse and stories. His discussions of the probable European origins of our Celle clan, and the arrival of Hendrick Sellen in Germantown, quote liberally from our past Celle newsletters, and from Ken Sell's book, The Sell Families of Adams and York Counties, Pennsylvania and Carroll County, Maryland, 1685-1995.
For the most part Wilbur got most of the important information correct. There are a very few details that he misquoted, like the uncertainly (still unproven) that the baptismal record found by Dick Sell in the records of the Evangelical Reformed Church at Krefeld for a Hendrick Zellen, son of Jacob and Marieken Zellen, baptized on 17 October 1666 actually is the same Hendrick Sellen who emigrated to Germantown by 1685. We still have no proof (and probably never will), that these two records belong to the same Hendrick Sellen. And although we BELIEVE this Hendrick Sellen may have married three or more times, and had at least three sets of children, we have certain proof of only six children. And the others that we have attributed to, but have not yet proven, as children of this Hendrick Sellen, a.1666-a.1749, even include Wilbur's probable ancestor, Henry Sell Jr. who apparently settled near Silver Run, Frederick (now Carroll) County, Maryland. Henry's son Peter Sell, his family and descendants are well documented in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia records, and Wilbur's account of them is most accurate.
Wilbur has also collected a wonderful collection of family photos and these add much to the flavor of his book.
Wilbur says he still has copies of this book available for $30.00, including the shipping, if any of you are interested in adding to your collection of Sell(s) family histories. And those of you who are descendants of Peter and Lovisa Sell, this should be a must for you bookshelf.
You can order directly from him at:
Wilbur S. Johnston
170 Hawthorne Drive
Winchester, Virginia 22601
.
Choppin.Carolyn@usa.net
