OBITUARIES: SELL Family, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by June Weston Copyright 2003. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ SELL, Bertha (HOOVER), 1947 SELL, David D., 1916 SELL, James A., 1948 MRS. BERTHA HOOVER SELL Wife of Cyrus Sell of Woodbury, died this morning at 6.15 o'clock in the Altoona hospital, death being attributed to a complication of ailments. She was the daughter of Rudolph and Anne Hoover and was born at Woodbury July 7, 1872. Surviving are the husband and three sisters and a brother: Rudolph Hoover, of Florida, Mrs. Electa Werft, Mrs. Amanda Briggs and Mrs. Alice Barr, all of Altoona. Mrs. Sell was a member of the Woodbury Methodist church and the W. S. C. S. Friends will be received at the Byers funeral home, Woodbury, after 8 o'clock this evening and from 1 to 3 o'clock Monday afternoon at the Laughlin funeral home, Altoona. Interment in Oak Ridge Cemetery. Altoona Mirror, August 30, 1947 ________ REV. DAVID D. SELL Rev. David D. Sell, pastor of the Church of the Brethren at Leamersville, Note of whose death appeared in the second edition of the Altoona Mirror yesterday, died at noon on Friday, after an illness of more than a year, of a complication of diseases. He was born in Freedom township on July 8, 1850, and spent his entire life in that neighborhood, being engaged in farming in addition to his ministerial work. He was chosen to the ministry on April 27, 1876, and had been in charge of the Leamersville church since June 4, 1904. He was married to Miss Sarah McFarlin on Oct. 19, 1872, and is survived by his widow, one adopted son, Frank A. Langham, and five brothers, Daniel D. of Plattsburg, Mo., James A., John, Brice and Simon, all residents of Freedom township. The funeral will take place on Monday morning, with services in the church and interment will be made in Riverview cemetery. Altoona Tribune, Saturday, 19 February 1916, Page 16 FUNERAL OF D. D. SELL. Obsequies of Late Minister Attended by Large Concourse of Friends. A large concourse of friends attended the funeral of the late Rev. David D. Sell, who died Friday, and which was held yesterday forenoon in the Church of the Brethren at Leamersville of which he was the pastor. The services were in charge of Rev. Dr. William J. Swigart, professor of elocution in Juniata college, Huntingdon, who delivered an appropriate discourse from a text selected by the deceased minister. He was assisted by Rev. Walter Scott Long, pastor of the Sixth Avenue Church of the Brethren in Altoona, Rev. A. G. Crosswhite of Roaring Spring church, and Rev. John B. Miller of Curryville. Following the sermon Rev. Swigart opened an envelope, which had been sealed by the dead minister, with the instructions that it be opened and the contents read at the funeral. The message it contained, most beautiful in character, seemed like a message from the dead, and it made a profound impression. The interment was made in Riverview cemetery. The pallbearers were six ministers, all close friends of Rev. Sell as follows: Revs. George S. Myers and J. B. Miller of Curryville, James D. Brumbaugh of Martinsburg, Henry Koontz of Loysburg, W. S. Long of Altoona and L, B. Benner of Duncansville. Other ministers at the services were: Revs. F. E. Brubaker of Carson Valley, J. C. Strayer of Woodbury, W. H. Holsinger of Williamsburg, Homer S. Benton of Brookes Mills, James A. and Brice Sell, brothers of the deceased, W. H. Mattern of East Freedom and Chaplain Francis H. Weaver of Newry. ________ JAMES A. SELL, [d. 2-5-1948] DEATH COMES FOR COUNTY'S OLDEST MAN Elder James A. Sell Dies at Martinsburg In His 103rd Year After Illness Elder James A. Sell, oldest man in Blair County, died quietly and peacefully at 9.40 o'clock this morning at Martinsburg at the age of 102. Patriarch of a clan that numbers 57 direct descendants, Rev. Sell developed a blood clot several weeks ago that proved too great a strain for his body. He passed away at the Mrs. C. O. Weber nursing home. Mr. Sell's life was synonymous with that of Blair county, which was formally erected out of parts of Huntingdon and Bedford counties about a half-year after his birth on Nov. 23, 1845. He was widely known throughout his life as a preacher, author, poet, orchardist, journalist and teacher. The following biographic sketch of Mr. Sell's life was written several years ago by a son, the late Jesse C. Sell, as a member of the editorial staff of the Altoona Mirror: One of Nine Children. James A. Sell was born in Freedom township, Blair county, then Huntingdon county, Nov. 23, 1845, the son of Daniel and Rachel (Detwiler) Sell. His ancestors on the paternal side came to America from Alsace-Lorraine in 1729 and settled in Adams county. His maternal ancestors came from Switzerland. His grandfather, Abraham Sell, located in Blair township, near Brookes Mills, about 1800, and here Daniel Sell was born. James Sell was one of nine children, eight sons and one daughter, born to his parents. He was the sixth of the children and he outlived the others. Three of his brothers went west in their young manhood. With the exception of a brief period in his early life when he lived at McAlevy's Fort, his entire life was spent in Blair county. Rev. Sell lived at Leamersville for a period of 52 years, then in Hollidaysburg for 15 years, then in Altoona six years with his son, D. E., and since early in 1947 had resided in Martinsburg. Began as Teacher. Daniel Sell was a farmer and James Sell grew up on the farm. His only opportunity for acquiring an education was that available in the district school, but his constant companion was a pocket dictionary and he acquired a fine command of language which manifested throughout his life in his sermons, addresses and writings. In his early life Rev. Sell taught school for two terms. In 1866 he was tendered and accepted a position as assistant to the editor of the Christian Family Companion, a religious periodical published in Tyrone by H. R. Holsinger. He there learned the printing trade and while in the office he assisted in launching the Tyrone Herald. He was the last survivor of the original staff. On Oct. 24, 1865, when Rev. Sell was not quite 21 years of age, the old Frankstown Church of the Brethren called him to be their minister, and a few years later ordained him as a presiding elder, a position he held for more than 50 years. In his early years in the ministry he was known as the "boy preacher," and his services were in wide demand. His original charge subsequently was divided into six congregations. Helped Found Local Church. Rev. Sell was one of the founders and early pastors of the First Church of the Brethren at Sixth avenue and Fifth street, Altoona, and he served the churches at Carson Valley, Leamersville and Hollidaysburg. Always interested in the cause of education, Rev. Sell took a lively interest in the starting of Juniata college in Huntingdon, formed in the late 70's as a normal school. He was made chairman of the advisory board and served in that capacity for about 20 years. A man of high literary attainments, he wrote much throughout his life. His published works included the story of the "Lost Children of the Alleghenies" and several volumes of poems. The story of the lost brothers, George and Joseph Cox, is regarded as a classic and it has had a wide circulation. Collected Historical Data. Mr. Sell collected the data that made possible the publication of a history of the Church of the Brethren in the Middle district of Pennsylvania, and he assisted his son, the late J. C. Sell, in writing a history of Blair county which was published in 1910. He wrote largely for both the religious and secular press. His poetical works have great literary merit. Rev. Sell did not begin writing poetry until after he had passed the age of 60. His volumes have a wide distribution. Throughout his life he was an inveterate reader of the works of the great poets and his mind was a storehouse of the gems of the classical writers, for he memorized much that he read. Mr. Sell did not long follow the journalistic profession. In his early life he had learned the trade of carpenter and cabinetmaker and for some years, during the early development of the lower East side of Altoona, he was engaged in house building work here. He likewise worked for some time in the Altoona car shops under the late Andrew Kipple, then general foreman. Was Pioneer Peach Grower. He resided for 50 years at Leamersville and in 1885 he acquired a farm in Freedom township and he became the pioneer peach grower in a commercial way in Blair county. He covered what was virtually an abandoned hillside on his farm into one of the most profitable plots in the county. He continued in the business for a score of years and most of the later successful fruit growers in the county obtained their inspiration from him. Mr. Sell was frequently called upon to address the farmers at their meetings on his experiences in peach culture. During his long residence in Freedom township, Mr. Sell was periodically elected to public office by his fellow citizens and he served on the school board and as township assessor. He always took a great interest in public affairs; he was interested in the causes of temperance, education, in the welfare of the youths and of charity and historical research. His numberless public addresses were noted for their clearness and poetic coloring and his services were sought to the end of his life on various special occasions. Had Retentive Memory His memory and his ability to recite were the wonder of all who came in contact with him. He seemed to have an inexhaustible supply of poetry for every occasion. He not only retained what he committed in earlier years, but could memorize and retain the gems of literature in his advanced age. On Oct. 19, 1867, Mr. Sell was united in marriage with Esther B. Stiffler, daughter of Joseph and Mary Stiffler of Canoe Creek, in Frankstown. Their 73 years of married life covered the longest period of time in husband and wife relationship in the county's history. It terminated with the death of Mrs. Sell Feb. 11, 1941. To their union four sons were born, Matthew W., Jesse C., D. Elmer and Howard M. Sell, of whom Matthew W. of Roaring Spring and D. Elmer of Altoona survive. Howard M. Sell died in 1938 and Jesse C. died in 1947. In addition there are 14 grandchildren, 35 great-grandchildren and four great-great- grandchildren. Friends will be received at the K. R. Miller funeral home, Martinsburg, afternoon Friday and until Saturday morning at 9.30 o'clock when the body will be taken to the Leamersville Church of the Brethren where it also may be viewed. Friends are asked to omit flowers. Altoona Tribune, Page 7, Tuesday, 22 February 1916