John Wiklif Sellers was born on March 19, 1832, near Simmons Gap in Rockingham County, Virginia. He was the 5th of 8 children born to John SELLERS and Catherine BROWN. He was baptized by his maternal grandfather, Rev. John Brown, at Friedens Church near Mt. Crawford, Rockingham County, Virginia, on May 18, 1832.
On June 10, 1835, John's father, also named John, purchased nearly 500 acres of land about a mile outside of present day Churchville in Augusta County, Virginia, and the family removed there soon after. John remained on the farm in Churchville until the mid-1850s when it is assumed he either removed back to Rockingham County in the Simmons Gap area near his birthplace or through the gap itself into Albemarle County on the other side.
On September 1, 1859, John married Martha "Mattie" E. Wood, daughter of Willis Wood and Emily Y. Walton, at "Markwood", the homeplace and 1000+ acres estate owned by Willis Wood located near Earlysville in Albemarle County, Virginia.
On June 13, 1860, John and Mattie welcomed the birth of their only child, Ida Brown "Brownie" Sellers. Sadly, John died slightly less than a year later on May 20, 1861. He was buried in what has come to be known as the "Wood Family Cemetery", which is located on Markwood, the estate owned by John's father-in-law, Willis Wood.
Family tradition and rumors on both the Sellers and Wood side have stated that John possibly died during the Civil War, but no one has been able to provide proof that John was ever actually in the War much less that he died as a result of it. There is no Civil War enlistment record whatsoever for John, although one can be found for 4 of his 5 brothers that did fight, and John's name is not found on any Civil War rosters. It is my belief that John's death occurred too early in the opening stages of the Civil War for him to have actually enlisted or to have been mustered in. I believe that he likely died as the result of disease or an accident while either living on or close to the Markwood Estate owned by his father-in-law, Willis Wood.
On June 10, 1835, John's father, also named John, purchased nearly 500 acres of land about a mile outside of present day Churchville in Augusta County, Virginia, and the family removed there soon after. John remained on the farm in Churchville until the mid-1850s when it is assumed he either removed back to Rockingham County in the Simmons Gap area near his birthplace or through the gap itself into Albemarle County on the other side.
On September 1, 1859, John married Martha "Mattie" E. Wood, daughter of Willis Wood and Emily Y. Walton, at "Markwood", the homeplace and 1000+ acres estate owned by Willis Wood located near Earlysville in Albemarle County, Virginia.
On June 13, 1860, John and Mattie welcomed the birth of their only child, Ida Brown "Brownie" Sellers. Sadly, John died slightly less than a year later on May 20, 1861. He was buried in what has come to be known as the "Wood Family Cemetery", which is located on Markwood, the estate owned by John's father-in-law, Willis Wood.
Family tradition and rumors on both the Sellers and Wood side have stated that John possibly died during the Civil War, but no one has been able to provide proof that John was ever actually in the War much less that he died as a result of it. There is no Civil War enlistment record whatsoever for John, although one can be found for 4 of his 5 brothers that did fight, and John's name is not found on any Civil War rosters. It is my belief that John's death occurred too early in the opening stages of the Civil War for him to have actually enlisted or to have been mustered in. I believe that he likely died as the result of disease or an accident while either living on or close to the Markwood Estate owned by his father-in-law, Willis Wood.
John Wiklif Sellers was born on March 19, 1832, near Simmons Gap in Rockingham County, Virginia. He was the 5th of 8 children born to John SELLERS and Catherine BROWN. He was baptized by his maternal grandfather, Rev. John Brown, at Friedens Church near Mt. Crawford, Rockingham County, Virginia, on May 18, 1832.
On June 10, 1835, John's father, also named John, purchased nearly 500 acres of land about a mile outside of present day Churchville in Augusta County, Virginia, and the family removed there soon after. John remained on the farm in Churchville until the mid-1850s when it is assumed he either removed back to Rockingham County in the Simmons Gap area near his birthplace or through the gap itself into Albemarle County on the other side.
On September 1, 1859, John married Martha "Mattie" E. Wood, daughter of Willis Wood and Emily Y. Walton, at "Markwood", the homeplace and 1000+ acres estate owned by Willis Wood located near Earlysville in Albemarle County, Virginia.
On June 13, 1860, John and Mattie welcomed the birth of their only child, Ida Brown "Brownie" Sellers. Sadly, John died slightly less than a year later on May 20, 1861. He was buried in what has come to be known as the "Wood Family Cemetery", which is located on Markwood, the estate owned by John's father-in-law, Willis Wood.
Family tradition and rumors on both the Sellers and Wood side have stated that John possibly died during the Civil War, but no one has been able to provide proof that John was ever actually in the War much less that he died as a result of it. There is no Civil War enlistment record whatsoever for John, although one can be found for 4 of his 5 brothers that did fight, and John's name is not found on any Civil War rosters. It is my belief that John's death occurred too early in the opening stages of the Civil War for him to have actually enlisted or to have been mustered in. I believe that he likely died as the result of disease or an accident while either living on or close to the Markwood Estate owned by his father-in-law, Willis Wood.
On June 10, 1835, John's father, also named John, purchased nearly 500 acres of land about a mile outside of present day Churchville in Augusta County, Virginia, and the family removed there soon after. John remained on the farm in Churchville until the mid-1850s when it is assumed he either removed back to Rockingham County in the Simmons Gap area near his birthplace or through the gap itself into Albemarle County on the other side.
On September 1, 1859, John married Martha "Mattie" E. Wood, daughter of Willis Wood and Emily Y. Walton, at "Markwood", the homeplace and 1000+ acres estate owned by Willis Wood located near Earlysville in Albemarle County, Virginia.
On June 13, 1860, John and Mattie welcomed the birth of their only child, Ida Brown "Brownie" Sellers. Sadly, John died slightly less than a year later on May 20, 1861. He was buried in what has come to be known as the "Wood Family Cemetery", which is located on Markwood, the estate owned by John's father-in-law, Willis Wood.
Family tradition and rumors on both the Sellers and Wood side have stated that John possibly died during the Civil War, but no one has been able to provide proof that John was ever actually in the War much less that he died as a result of it. There is no Civil War enlistment record whatsoever for John, although one can be found for 4 of his 5 brothers that did fight, and John's name is not found on any Civil War rosters. It is my belief that John's death occurred too early in the opening stages of the Civil War for him to have actually enlisted or to have been mustered in. I believe that he likely died as the result of disease or an accident while either living on or close to the Markwood Estate owned by his father-in-law, Willis Wood.
Inscription
JOHN W. SELLERS
BORN
MARCH 19, 1832
DIED
MAY 20, 1861
"He was a true christian
and a devoted husband"
Family Members
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