Mathew Sellers, b. 1818, Re-Visited~Where Does He Connect?

Mathew Sellers is an enigma. He was borne about 1818 based on his reported age in the 1850 Chesterfield County Federal Census.

1850 CENSUS: Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; Roll:  M432_851; Image: 290, Page: 143A(stamped); Line 10, Dwelling 683, Family 683; Mathew SELLERS, Male, age 32, born in SC; Sally SELLERS, Female, age 26, born in SC; Zilpha A. SELLERS, Female, age 6, born in SC; Jerusha L. SELLERS, Female, age 3, born in SC; Sarah SELLERS, Female, age 1, born in SC and Zilpha SELLERS, Female, age 74, born in SC.

His Mother or Grandmother might be the Zilpha SELLERS, Female, age 74, born in SC listed among the Mathew Sellers 1850 household. Otherwise, his parents are unknown. The Sellers of Chesterfield County are descendants of Hardy Sellers and Mary Cook. Mathew Sellers is believed to be part of this Sellers lineage but proof of a connection has been very elusive for many Sellers researchers.

Mathew Sellers married Sarah [LNU] about 1843. This date is calculated based on the oldest child (Zilpha Ann, age 6) listed in the 1850 census above. His wife Sarah has not otherwise been identified.

Between 1860 and 1863, Mathew and Sarah left Chesterfield County and moved their family to Choctaw County, Alabama. There, Sarah his wife, also known as Sally, passed away sometime before August 1876; leaving her husband and eight children surviving. No document has been found that proves her exact death date.

To help him with the care of his children, Mathew married Elizabeth M. Christian on 9 August 1876. No  children have been identified from this union. 

On 1 March 1896, Mathew Sellers died in Choctaw County, Alabama. His 2nd wife, Elizabeth, survived and lived another 31 years passing away on 4 March 1927. Elizabeth Christian Sellers is buried in the Providence Cemetery, Butler, Choctaw County, Alabama. No tombstone has been found for Mathew Sellers.

Mathew Sellers was borne about 1818 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. There very little doubt as to his connection to the extensive lineage of Hardy Sellers, Sr. (1757-1835) but, as of today this connection has eluded many researchers over the past years.

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1. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page: 143A(stamped); Line 10, Dwelling 683, Family 683, Household of Mathew SELLERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Viewed 12 September 2015); citing  National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
2. 1860 U. S. Census, Choctaw County, Alabama, population schedule, Northern Division, Choctaw County, Alabama, Page: 534(stamped); Line 29, Dwelling 541, Family 515, Household of M. [Mathew] SELLERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Viewed 12 September 2015); citing  National Archives Microfilm M653_5.
3. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 12 September 2015), entry for MATHEW SELLERS, Private; Company "C", 3rd Reg't Alabama Reserves; Confederate.
4. 1880 U. S. Census, Choctaw County, Alabama, population schedule, Beat 4, Choctaw County, Alabama, enumeration district (ED) 017, Page: 204D (stamped); Line 15, Dwelling NL, Family 218, Household of Mathew SELLERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : Viewed 12 Sept 2015); citing NARA publication T9, Roll: 007.
5. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 3 December 2020); Memorial page for Elizabeth Christian Sellers; (19 May 1840–4 March 1927); Find a Grave memorial # 68176663, Citing Providence Cemetery; Butler, Choctaw County, Alabama, USA.