William H. Sells, one of the most highly esteemed
citizens of South Otter township, Macoupin County, Illinois, and a
successful farmer, resides upon a very fine property of no acres, situated
in section 15. He was born in 1852 in Macoupin County on a farm nine miles
west of Carlinville, and is a son of Michael and Sarah (Brown) Sells.
The Sells family originated in Germany, and the first of the name to
locate in America settled first in Virginia and then removed as a pioneer to
Indiana. There Michael Sells was born and in turn he became a pioneer in
Illinois, locating among the early settlers of Macoupin County. He died on
his homestead farm, aged 70 years, and his widow died in 1898, aged 81
years. Six of their nine children survived them, William H., being the
seventh in order of birth.
William H. Sells was educated in the
district schools and at Blackburn University at Carlinville. He worked on
his father's farm until he was prepared to establish a home of his own.
Thoroughly understanding the science of farming, Mr. Sells has been very
successful in his operations. In 1888 he purchased his present excellent
farm which is admirably situated both for the raising of stock and for
general farming, and the substantial improvements which he has continued to
make have given him a property of great value. While not in the market, its
many advantages would make it command a very high price. Mr. Sells deals
quite a little in the best grades of horses of which he is a fine judge and
keeps nothing but good animals on his place.
In October, 1871, Mr.
Sells married Caroline Wright, second child of Basil and Rachel Wright, the
latter of whom died in the spring of 1882, aged 69 years. The former is a
substantial retired farmer of Bird township now living at Girard. Of Mr. and
Mrs. Sells' family of nine children, the eldest, Josephine, born in 1872,
died in infancy as did Albert, born in 1881. The others were: Joseph
Franklin, born October 7, 1873, who married Adella Baker; Luella, born in
1876, who married Frank Whittaker and they have three children, — Loy, Fern
and Fay; John Michael, born in 1879, who married Carrie Welton and have two
children, — Carrie Helen and Harold; Elmer, born April 22, 1882; and W.
Edgar, born in 1885 and deceased in 1902; Walter Harrison, born September
21, 1889; and Earnest Earl, born October 21, 1897.
No biography of
the Sells family and in fact no full record of South Otter township could be
written without extended notice of the late W. Edgar Sells, who, although he
passed out of life before he had fairly emerged from boyhood, left such an
impress on the spiritual life of the neighborhood that its effect will
remain long after his body has passed into its original elements. Both in
Holy Writ and in profane history are we told of the Holy Spirit working
through childish lips for the benefit of others and surely this was the case
in the present instance. Frail from childhood, of a highly strung
temperament, the religious teachings of his parents fell on fallow ground.
To him there was no doubt about the answer to prayer and it is told that a
great baptism of the spirit and conviction of conversion was bestowed upon
him while, in perfect faith, he was praying at the bedside of his sick
mother, for her restoration. At this time he was but a child of seven years,
and from that time, through years of pain and suffering, his faith never
wavered. The touching sight is recalled of the brave young spirit, on his
bed of pain, telling of the joys of self-renunciation and begging his young
companions to use their youth and the strength denied him, for good
purposes. This pure, unsullied soul passed to its great reward in November,
1902, after six weeks of unusual suffering, at the age of 17 years. For
seven years he had been a consistent member of the Hickory Point Baptist
Church.
This church is one of the old organizations of South Otter
township, having been founded February 24, 1855, by Elder S. B. Culp, S. B.
Redman and John Etter. William H. Sells is a deacon in this body and one of
the trustees, the whole family being members.
Fraternally Mr. Sells
is a member of the Modern Woodmen of America and both he and his wife belong
to the Court of Honor. Politically he is a Republican. The family is one
that is respected wherever known.
Extracted 2018 May 04 by Norma Hass from Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens of Macoupin County, Illinois, published in 1904, pages 25-27.
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