Hi Marie, Well, there's certainly plenty of 'circumstantial' info about Michael Sellers, however, specifics in terms of dates (birth, marriage, etc) seem to have escaped. The earliest Michael Sellers appears in R'ham county records is on Felix Gilbert's list of tithables in Augusta County (now Rockingham county) in 1775. Gilbert's 1775 list is cited from John Wayland's "History of Rockingham County" in Chapter 4, pages 58 & 59: Name: # of Tithables Michl. Siller 1 Adam Siller 1 Peter Siller 3 Henry Siller 1 Adam, Peter, and Henry listed together and in line. Michael listed 21 households away from them, but that isn't surprising. Adam, Peter, and Henry listed in eastern Rockingham county in the McGaheysville - Port Republic area while Michael is considered to be the first Sellers to have settled in western Rockingham county in the Dry Fork and Smith's Creek area. The above is also in agreement with the earliest known Land Grant given to Michael Sellers by then VA Governor, Thomas Jefferson. Michael paid 15 shillings sterling for 106 acres surveyed on April 13, 1780, which were "on the west side of Smiths Creek adjoining Daniel Smith". The "official" Land Grant was signed February 1, 1781. Michael was certainly on the property prior to the April 13, 1780, survey date, and this all coincides with Michael's "separation" from the other "Sillers" on Gilbert's 1775 List of Tithables. Michael Sellers then patented "60 acres on the east side of the Dry fork of Smiths Creek, adjoining Bell, and Harrison's land" on October 10, 1785. He followed this by patenting "6 1/2 acres between the Dry fork and Smiths Creek adjoining Harrison, Matthew, etc." on August 15, 1797. He is also mentioned on March 24, 1796, when Christopher Depo patented 38 acres "adjoining Michael Seller, Reuben Harrison, and Solomon Mathew's land" between Dry Fork and Smith's Creek. Michael is listed on the 1787 Tax List for Rockingham county, VA, as follows: Sellers, Michal - Person charged with tax (Self) - 4 horses, 15 cattle Sellers, Michal - Person charged with tax (Michal Sellers) - No marks This indicates that Michael's son, Michael Sellers, Jr., was probably the oldest son and was the oldest brother of Jacob and James Sellers. The 1787 Tax List was unique for quite a few reasons, including that a form was given to the Tax Commissioners to list all white males over 21 years of age. Given that the younger Michael Sellers is listed, it can be assumed that he is at least 21 years old and thus born in or before 1766. This would put Michael's birth around 1746 or so ...? Michael signed the marriage bond for 3 daughters: Mary in 1778 to wed William Brooks and Christina & Sarah to both marry in 1792, respectively. I/we know that son Andrew Sellers was born in 1775/1776 (gravestone inscription states he died October 21, 1859, at age "83y 10m 21d". You can see from the above that what little is known about Michael creates more questions than it answers. No wonder there is so much unknown and/or in discussion as to whether James Sellers of 1814 Harrison county is the same James Sellers of Rockingham county, apparent son of Michael! Frank Sellers in 1984 book writes that his belief is that Michael was son of Peter Sellers, Sr., and thus grandson of Heinrich Zeller (Aug. 17, 1704 - ca 1773). Based in part on Felix Gilbert's 1775 Tax List and the 1787 Tax List for R'ham county, I'm more apt to believe Michael was a SON of Heinrich's and thus a brother to Peter, Sr., Adam, and John. Arrington in 1986 appears to lean towards Michael as son of Heinrich but was noncommital. Unfortunately, there is nothing in stone to prove either way. And, this all still leaves us with the question as to whether James Sellers of VA was same James Sellers of IN-IL-IA. If only they would hurry up with the darned time machine! Michael ----- Original Message ----- From: "marie sellers hollinger" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2006 3:58 PM Subject: Re: [SELLERS] Sellers - Harrison, Vigo & Floyd Counties, Indiana > MICHAEL, thanks. > > With the marriage in Rockinham Co., VA > Delilah born in Rockingham Co, VA (should receive obit by wed / thurs and > will post) > > This sounds very good to me. > Now this Michael Sellers could be born about 1750. > > Nothing on him? Perhaps we don't have earlier tax lists, etc. I haven't > checked my Rockingham Co, VA books, but, I'm sure you have. > marie, iowa > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of michael sellers > Sent: Saturday, September 23, 2006 1:17 PM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [SELLERS] Sellers - Harrison, Vigo & Floyd Counties, Indiana > > > Jim, Marie, et al., > > Many thanks for the great info that keeps pouring in. Its certainly a great > help not only for now but also (hopefully) for those that will read and be > looking for this line in the future. > > Per my source for Tax List info for Rockingham county, Virginia, the > following has been located in years 1789, 1791, 1792, & 1793: > > Rockingham county, Virginia, Tax Lists: > > June 19, 1789: District 10 > Michael Sellers: 1 white male over 16 in household, 4 horses > > May 21, 1791: Richard Ragan's company > Michael Sellers: 4 horses > Jacob Sellers: No marks > James Sellers: No marks > > March 14, 1792: Richard Ragan's company > Michael Sellers: 4 horses > Jacob Sellers: No marks > James Sellers: No marks > > August 6, 1793: Josiah Harrison's company (District 8) > James Sellers: 1 horse > Michael Sellers: 3 horses > Jacob Sellers: No marks > > On the 1791, 1792, & 1793 Tax Lists Michael, Jacob, and James are listed in > line and together. The "No marks" besides Jacob's and James' name in 1791 > and 1792 appears to show that they were old enough to be listed but did not > have taxable property. I think it can be assumed here that Michael was > their father. Its also interesting to note that Michael Sellers was listed > with 4 horses in 1789, 1791, & 1792 while in 1793 he was listed with 3 > horses with the 4th apparently being owned by James. I also have a reference > that a "Michael Sellers" sold land to a "James Sellers" in 1808 in > Rockingham county, Virginia. This was about 4 years prior to Michael's > death circa 1812 in R'ham county. His death may have been one of the > reasons that James headed around that time for Harrison county, IN. Will > look for 1808 land sale to see if any relationship between the two can be > substantiated. In the meantime, the above tax list information appears to > show that James Sellers was the son of Michael Sellers, Sr., of Rockingham > county, VA. If we could somehow find the "smoking gun" that shows/proves > that James Sellers of 1814 Harrison county, IN, is the same James Sellers of > Rockingham county, VA, we'd be in business. > > Jim, does the 1814 Land Grant by James Sellers in Harrison county, IN, give > any indication of where James was prior? I've seen on quite a few of the > grants where the county and/or state of prior residence was listed on the > grant itself. I wonder if the same may have been noted for James on the > 1814 Grant. > > Again, great info, many, many thanks for the help, and I hope the above is > at least a bit useful. > > Michael > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, September 22, 2006 12:38 PM > Subject: [SELLERS] Sellers - Harrison, Vigo & Floyd Counties, Indiana > > > > I went through some more land records and found the following on the > > Harrison County bunch. > > > > Vigo County, IN > > > > 21 Oct 1834 - Matthew Parks (or Parker) to Absalom A. Sellers (of > > Harrison Co., IN), 40 acres, bk 4 p.386. > > > > 30 Nov 1835 - Absalom A. and Jane Sellers (of New Albany, Floyd Co., > > IN) > to > > Joseph Lafalette, 40 acres (the grant from the U.S. Pres.) and another > > 40 acres (the deed from Parks), bk 5, p.304. > > > > Floyd County, IN (adjacent to Harrison) > > > > 13 Mar 1828 - Thomas Holmes to Daniel B. Sellers, bk C, p.419. (no > > acreage > > listed) > > > > 10 Apr 1830 - Daniel B. Sellers Heirs to Isaac Brooks, bk D, p.286 > > (described as north 1/2). > > > > 10 Apr 1830 - Daniel B. Sellers Heirs to Thomas Sinex, bk D, p.287 > > (described as south 1/2). > > > > Lastly, I made an error in a previous post. William Nance was from > > Rockingham Co., NC and not VA. > > > > ...Jim Sellars > > > > ------------------------------- > > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes > in the subject and the body of the message > > > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message