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Transcription contributed by Michael Sellers 30 Jan 2004 |
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I transcribed the typed copy of the letter Dr. Adam Sellers sent to Peter Sellers in 1887. What I did was to copy it word for word and to include the exact use of punctuation and spelling as contained in a typed, transcribed copy that was done by a Fred A. Sellers in 1960. I have no idea where the original, handwritten letter is located nor if it even exists. It would be a wonderful thing if it does |
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Lebanon, Ohio
June 28, 1887
Mr. Peter Sellers,
The following are some of my recollections of the Sellers’ family. Three brothers emigrated from Germany some two centuries ago. One settled in Pennsylvania; one in Maryland, and the other in Virginia. They were German Lutherans. Our families are from the Virginia branch. My father, Peter Sellers, was the son of Adam Sellers. Your grandfather, Jacob Sellers, was the son of John Sellers, and they were cousins. They married sisters by the name of Runkel.
My father immigrated, with other families, soon after Wayne’s treaty with the Indians, say 1798, by way of the Monongehala and Ohio rivers, from Brownsville, Penn. Known as Red Stone. Their horses were brought through from that point along Indian trails. Their wagons and other effects were floated down in family boats, to Columbia, then known as Round Bottom, five miles above Cincinnati, then called Lousantiville. My father remained there one or two years and raised some grain. He was followed about two years after by your Grandfather Jacob Sellers, and made the first purchase of land from Sims in that valley. By examining the deed that has been transcribed by order of the commissioners, from Hamilton County records to Warren County records, my father’s deed is dated January 4, 1799. Their names in the deeds are written “Celler”, in one or two places, “Sellers”. I recollect when it was very uniformly spelled with a “Z”.
About 70 years ago, 1817, my grandfather, then living on the Shenandoa River, Rockingham County, VA. (where all of that branch of the family then lived) being a widower about 72 years of age, and have a desire to free his slaves, wrote to my brother, William Sellers, to come to Virginia and super-intended the disposal of this property, and pilot them to this wilderness, as it was then considered by them. The trip was made in two four-horse wagons in about thirty days, camping out every night. They stopped one week at our house, one mile north of Lebanon.
At that time he purchased 206 acres of land of George Harnsbarger, where the old road crossed Clear Creek, on the West through the center of it, and the road from Ridgeville to Springboro running along the north bank. The house was endwise north of the road. His only daughter, Christine Null, lived one or two miles below. He freed all his slaves, (Negroes) about 16 in number, I think, and purchased land for that in Darke County, Ohio. He had to give security under the then laws of Ohio, for their support. Some of them became distinguished for wealth and morals. One of the sons graduated in one of our colleges and became a preacher in the African Methodish Church. He called to see me some 25 years ago.
Page 2
Grandfather Adam Sellers was born in 1742 and died in 1821, 79 years of age. I find a final record of the Administrators’ Wm. Sellers and Christine Null, dated June 2, 1823, and amounting to between ten and eleven thousand dollars. I was absent at that time in Virginia with power of attorney from my mother and the heirs of your grandfather by his first wife, looking after their interests in Grandfather Runkels’ estate.
This imperfectly written sketch is written in great haste, and is about the best I can do at the age of 85. You may find some items of interest to someone, in it.
Yours truly,
A. Sellers
The above is a copy. My recollection of grandfather Jacob Sellers is then he
was a man of rather less than medium height, well made and active; rather quiet
in his movements. He made regular visits to his children living near him, about
once a month, and always came on horseback. He rode a good animal; well kept,
and gentle and a good traveler, and always well groomed. He was always neatly
and clearly dressed and smoothly shaven. Hair white, with a pleasant, cheerful
countenance, and a great friend among us children. We were always in high glee
when grandfather came. He spoke very broken English, and asked the blessing
at table in German. I remember the queer sounds of his words yet. He was a zealous
active member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in Lebanon at the time of
his death, and had been for many years before.
His first wife’s name was Runkel, as you see by Adam’s sketch; and his second marriage was to a Munger, an aunt, I think, of George Munger of Clear Creek township, who died some years ago.
Grandfather came to Turtle Creek township north of Lebanon, in 1798. He remained on the same farm until the time of his death, which was in 1853 or 1854, if my memory is not at fault. He was not a great man, nor exceedingly wise. He never became wealthy, nor tried to do so, was possessed of some 160 acres of land and some money and property; but he was a good man, honest and loyal, and a good Christian, of a type not to be mistaken.
Yours, etc. –
P. Sellers.
Waynesville, O. June 9th, 1890.
The children of Jacob Sellers by his first wife, were; John, George, William R. Sellers *, and Nancy Galleher.
His children by his second wife were; Peggy (long), Sally (Sheets), Betty (Miller),
Lucinda (Miller) and one son, Jacob M. Sellers of Lebanon and the only one now
living. I think he is about 78 years old.
_____________________
COPIED by Fred A. Sellers January 6, 1960.
* Father of Ferdinand Sellers
| 30 Jan 2004 | Michael Sellers | The letter was written by Dr. Adam Sellers
to Peter Sellers and dated June 28, 1887. I'm assuming that Adam's letter
was in response to an inquiry made by Peter concerning the family history.
They were related in that Dr. Adam's father, Peter Sellers (1771 - 15
Aug 1807), was both a first cousin and a brother-in-law to Peter's grandfather,
Jacob Sellers (3 Mar 1766 - 11 Feb. 1853). They were further related in
that Dr. Adam's grandfather, Adam Sellers, and Peter's great grandfather,
John Sellers, were brothers. Both lines descended from Heinrich (17 Aug
1704 - ca. 1773) and Anna Maria (Fechter) Zeller. It appears that Dr. Adam's original letter to Peter in 1887 was typed up and then Peter's own personal notes were added to the copy in 1890. Peter refers to the letter as "Adam's sketch" which gives the idea that what Peter wrote was as a notation and was not contained in a response to Adam. It does appear that Peter was writing to *someone* with his notations about his grandfather, Jacob Sellers, and about Adam's letter, but it was not to Adam. Adam's original letter is somewhat curious in that during the first page, his descriptions and rememberances are wonderfully slow-paced, thoughtful, and full of detail. By the end of the first page and his brief discussion of grandfather Adam's freeing of his slaves, how they prospered, and how one of the sons visited Dr. Adam in the 1860s, the reader is anxious to turn the page and to continue to be lead thru the history of the family. But, instead of picking up where page one left off with the next step in grandfather Adam's journey to Warren County, Ohio, from Rockingham County, Virginia, we are met with grandfather Adam's death, age at death, and date of final record of the value of his estate (June 2, 1823). The letter lasts another three sentences and abruptly ends. At age 85 and with writing at the time being hard enough, I can understand if he had trouble continuing. But, it just ended a bit strangely in my opinion as if he suddenly became 'bored' with it. Dr. Adam mentions that grandfather Adam died in 1821 and the final record of the estate was on June 2, 1823. He states that he was absent at that time in Virginia "with power of attorney from my mother" to handle the interests of the Runkle heirs with the passing of their father, Peter Runkel. ( I have an abstract of Peter Runkel's will and know he died in 1821). Christina Runkle had married Jacob Sellers while sister Elizabeth was Dr. Adam's mother. Its unclear whether Adam meant he wasn't present for grandfather Adam's death in 1821 or that he wasn't present for the final record of the estate in 1823. Being born July 4, 1802, Dr. Adam would've been 18 when grandfather Adam died and when Grandfather Peter Runkle died as both passed in 1821. It makes me consider doubting that he would've been given 'power of attorney' in looking after their interests in Runkel's estate in 1821. I guess its certainly possible that Dr. Adam was sent to do that within the timeframe he mentions, but that's alot to ask of a then-18 or 19 year old, in my opinion. Given that older brother William was handling grandfather Adam's estate as one of the administrators, I suppose Elisabeth's sending of son Adam to Virginia to look after her interests in her father's estate isn't that much of a stretch of the imagination. |
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