Do you ever keep finding family histories for some of those ‘bushes’ in your tree and wish you could do the same for your own ancestor? That’s how I’m feeling with my SELLERS research.
I keep finding narratives going back to the Kentucky days for descendants of James and Mary (Crawford) Sellers in various county histories but sadly have yet to find anything similar for my own CRAWFORD line,
Today’s finds were in the Biographical and Genealogical History of Appanoose and Monroe Counties, Iowa. This first was in the biography of William Mercer while the second was a biography of Dr. Moses Sellers, grandson of James and Mary (Crawford) Sellers.
Bernetta Sellers
William Mercer Biography
page 268
On the 27th of March, 1856, Mr. Mercer married Miss Bernetta H. Sellers, a native of Indiana, and a daughter of Nathan and Mary (Yowell) Sellers. Her father was a son of James and Mary (Craw-
page 269
ford) Sellers, and the former, a native of Kentucky and of Scotch descent, died in his native state, while the latter passed away in Indiana. Nathan Sellers was born in Kentucky and when he had arrived at years of maturity wedded Mary, daughter of William and Margaret (Coppage) Yowell. Her father was of English lineage and lived in Kentucky. He died in an explosion of a steamer on which he was a passenger, and his wife died in Kentucky when more than ninety years of age. In 1854 Mr. and Mrs. Sellers came to Iowa and here spent their remaining days, the former dying in Appanoose county at the age of seventy-five, the latter at the age of eighty years in Monroe county. They had eight children, of whom five or yet living, including Mrs. Mercer, the estimable wife of our subject. To Mr. and Mrs. Mercer have been born ten children, six of whom are yet living : Henry, who is married and has two children: William L., who is married and has three children: John P., who is married and has four children; Emma, at home; Ida, also with her father; and Inez, who married Dr. C. N. Hyatt and has one child. A daughter. Florence, died at the age of twenty-three years, and the others died in infancy.
S. Thompson Lewis, compiler and editor, Biographical and Genealogical History of Appanoose and Monroe Counties, Iowa (New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1903), pages 268-269; digital images, archive.org, http://www.archive.org viewed online 21 October 2022.
Moses Y Sellers, M.D.
The medical corps at Moulton includes the above named physician, who has been practicing there over thirty-three years and has become thoroughly identified with the growth and progress of the place. Though a native of Indiana Dr. Sellers has been a resident of Iowa nearly half a century and has done his share as a citizen to help forward the marvelous development which has characterized this state during that eventful period. The family is of Kentucky origin, his father, Nathan Sellers, having been born on a farm near Lexington in the first quarter of the nineteenth century. He married Mary Yowell, also a member of a Kentucky household, and with her moved to Indiana at an early period in the history of that state. He settled on a farm in Putnam county and in after years rose to a position of prominence in that community, being elected treasurer of the county and otherwise honored by his political associates. In 1854 he removed with his family to Iowa and located near Albia, county seat of Monroe, and there resumed his old occupation of tilling the soil.
Moses Y. Sellers, next to the youngest of his father’s eight children, was born near Grecncastle. Indiana. August 5, 1839, and was a boy almost fifteen years old when the migration was made to Iowa. Hepage 337
assisted his father on the farm and attended school until he reached his majority, when he engaged in teaching, and followed that occupation for five years. During the year 1864 he spent some time at the Keokuk Medical College and after leaving that was engaged for four and a half years in the practice of medicine at Iconium. Afterward he returned to the same institution at Keokuk, where he took a thorough course and was graduated in the class of 1880. Immediately thereafter he returned to his office at Moulton, and that town has ever since been the central point from which he prosecutes his professional labors. The Doctor is a member of the Des Moines Medical Association and the Medical Society of Wayne and Appanoose Counties. His religious affiliations are with the Christian church and his fraternal connections are confined to membership in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.
May 14, 1867, Dr. Sellers was united in marriage with Sarah Cassie Stauber, who died in October, 1870, leaving two children, whose married names are Mrs. Lillie May Brunk and Mrs. Flora Effie Bradley. August 30, 1877, Dr. Sellers contracted a second marriage, his bride being Elizabeth C. Tipton, who died leaving three children : Mrs. Jennie Bell Brunk, Maggie, and Earl D. Sellers, who is a medical student in the Louisville Medical College. Dr. Sellers contracted his third matrimonial alliance with Mrs. Ann Primm, a native of Virginia, who came west with her parents in 1853. Mrs. Sellers is the daughter of Samuel Peek, who married Mary Hildreth, by whom he had ten children : Elizabeth, Amelia, Aaron, Eli, Gustavus, Alfred, Ann, Mack, Christopher Columbus, and Casandra. Of these children Christopher C. and Mrs. Sellers are the only ones living. Mrs. Sellers was married in Virginia to A. P. Primm and lived with him a few years near Lafayette, Indiana, after which they came to Greene county, Iowa. Mrs. Primm’s marriagepage 338
to Dr. Sellers occurred at Lancaster, Missouri, in 1890. since which time she has presided over the household at Moulton with the dignity and grace of the experienced housekeeper.
S. Thompson Lewis, compiler and editor, Biographical and Genealogical History of Appanoose and Monroe Counties, Iowa (New York: The Lewis Publishing Company, 1903), pages 336-338; digital images, archive.org, http://www.archive.org viewed online 21 October 2022.