Year: 2025

John Wesley Sells is my great uncle, born August 26, 1899, in Chambersburg, Clark County, Missouri. He is the youngest child of Marion Sells and Samaria Thompson. His siblings are Marion Emanuel “Uncle Manny” (1865-1928), Dorcas Anna (1867-1945), Columbus “Lum” (my great-grandfather) (1869-1932), Elijah Edward (1872-1936), Samaria Alice Mary (1874-? Amos (1876-1877), Lieu Edith Mary Lacretia (1878-1949), Dollie (1881-1881), and Grover Cleveland (1884-1943).

In the 1910 Missouri Census he was living with his sister and father in Lincoln Township, Missouri. They were living next door to Grover Cleveland Sells and his family.

1910 Missouri Census Lincoln Twp.

John Wesley Sells went to work with the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad. A lot of my male relatives worked for the railroad, seemed perfect if you didn’t want to become a farmer. It was also a good choice if you didn’t want to be a rancher in the Midwest. I’m sure the pay was good and had the potential for career advancement. Generation after generation worked on the railroad. It always helped with employment if you knew someone or a relative already working on the railroad. The AT&SF was one of largest Class 1 railroads in the United States between 1859 and 1996. Headquarters were Chicago, Illinois, Kansas City, Missouri and Los Angeles, California.

Elijah Sells my great uncle was a section foreman on the AT&SF railroad. I am sure he helped John (his brother) get the job as a track walker. During this same time, John met a young lady named Cora Belle Elder (1888-1955). They fell in love. They were engaged to be married in 1911.

Cora Belle Elder was born on September 11, 1887, in Silver Cliff, Custer, Colorado. Her parents were Andrew (Andy) Richard Elder and Catherine Lucinda Cannon. By the 1900 Missouri Census she and her family were residing in Eugene, Carroll, Missouri.

Sells and Elder Nuptials

At the First Presbyterian Church on May 21, 1911, a very pretty wedding took place. The ceremony started at 4:30 pm. Friends and well-wishers were in attendance. Mr. John Sells of Medill, Missouri married Miss Cora B Elder of Carrollton. They were united by the Presbyterian ceremony with a ring service. Dr. Wm. M. Mytle, pastor of the church, pronounced the ceremony. Mrs. George Kelly played the wedding march. The bridal party was led by attendants down the center aisle. They were presented before the altar. There, they took the marriage vows. During the ceremony, the sweet strains of the flower song in subdued tones were heard.

The bride was dressed in white satin. She used the bridal wreath and veil. She carried a large bouquet of white carnations artistically arranged in her left hand. Accompanied by the strains of the wedding march, they proceeded from the marriage altar. They went to the waiting carriage. In it, they were driven to the home of Mrs. Clover, the bride’s sister. There, they prepared to continue their journey. They planned to take the evening train to Kansas City and the west.

Miss Elder was born near Wakenda, Mo. Her parents are well to do farmers and dependable people. She has been living in Carrollton for some time. Those who know her call her an industrious, modest young woman. Mr. Sells is of a good family living in Medill, Missouri, he is a signal man in the Railroad. He’s a young man of good habits and is worthy of confidence of those with which he is associated. They will be at home in Moberly, Missouri after June 15. The richest blessings attend them.

John Wesley and Cora Belle had their whole life ahead of them. Cora was setting up their house while John went back to work on the railroad. They were settling in as a newly married couple.

Then as people in this community awoke, they learned of a horrible accident involving one of their own.

John Wesley Sells Obituary

Friday, October 27, 1911

Clark County Courier Kahoka, Missouri

This community was shocked Monday morning, October 16, 1911, by the sad news of the death of Mr. John Wesley Sells. The incident occurred three miles east of Bosworth, Carroll County, Missouri. It happened sometime Sunday night by a Santa Fe train while he was watching the track. His brother, Elijah Sells, employed him as a section hand. Elijah is the section supervisor at Dean Lake. John was sent out on the west end to watch the bad track.

The arrangement of his red and white signal lanterns and his dinner bucket suggested what happened to him. It is presumed he was sitting on the cattle guards eating his supper. He did not see the train in time to get out of the way. We understand passenger train No. 6, east bound, had no headlights, and this is the train thought to have done an awful deed.

John’s skull was crushed, neck broken, one limb broken, and bruised all over. He was thrown clear across the road and was lying on his face when found Monday morning at six o’clock. Evan Pennington flagged down passenger train No. 3, west bound. He told them to inform the agent at Bosworth to wire to Dean Lake that John Sells was killed. Operator Arthur Mangle received the message. He took it to Elijah Sells. They were putting the hand car on the track to go to work. They and other men went on out to the scene of the awful deed.

They had to wait until 9:45 till No. 20 came and brought the coroner of Carrollton to take possession of the body. The body was taken to the depot at Dean Lake where the inquest was held. He was washed and dressed, and then taken to his home, which was upstairs at the section house. It was such a shock to all. This was especially true for John’s dear little wife. She had his breakfast ready and was waiting for him. But, poor boy, he had gone to a better world, where all is joy, peace, and love.

John Wesley Sells, son of Mr. and Mrs. Marion Sells, of Medill, Missouri. He was born in Clark County, Missouri, on August 26, 1889. He died on October 15, 1911, aged 22 years, 1 month, and 19 days. He was married to Miss Cora Elder, of Wyconda, Missouri, on May 21, 1911. Then he moved to Dean Lake. He had worked on the section ever since. He was converted and joined the Presbyterian church at Medill in 1908. He had lived a good, faithful Christian life. He was a good and industrious worker. He always had a smiling face for everyone. He was ready to welcome them into his home, which was full of sunshine.

He always had a helping hand and a warm heart toward everyone. He was always ready and willing to help the sick and afflicted in time of need. He had made his home with his brother, Elijah up to the time of his marriage. He had made many friends. He was a good man, a devoted and loving husband. He leaves his bride of about five months and his brother, Elijah, at this place. He is survived by his father and brother, Grover. His sister Edie is from Medill, and his sister Marie is from Revere, Missouri. He also leaves behind two brothers from Springfield, Missouri, and one sister of Kirkwood, Illinois. Besides these, a host of other relatives and friends mourn his passing. John’s mother passed away February 25, 1902. The funeral was preached at the Dean Lake Baptist church, October 17, 1911, by Brother Dunkleberger, of Triplett. After the services, the body was shipped to Bosworth. From there, it was taken to the Cannon graveyard. A short funeral service was held at graveside by Dr. William Lytle, of Carrollton, the Presbyterian pastor who married the deceased.

John Wesley Sells was twenty-two years, one month, and twenty days old. He had been married to Cora Belle for five months. He was buried in the Cannon Cemetery in Carroll County, Missouri. On his tombstone it reads, “He Took-He will restore-He doeth all things well.”

This was not to be the end of the story between Cora Belle and John Wesley. On February 29, 1912, in Wyconda, Clark, Missouri Cora Belle gave birth to their daughter Viola Catherine Sells (1912-1933). Cora was now a widow and a new mother.

Cora Belle Elder remarried again April 8, 1916, to Walter Albertis Lynn in Keytesville, Chariton, Missouri. There were no children born to this union. Cora and Walter divorced, and she left the family.

Viola Catherine Sells grew up and married Karl Victor Drennen about 1930. There were two children born: Dixie Lee (1931-2018) and Barbara Ann Drennen (1932-2016). Viola had a heart condition that took her life on June 14, 1933, in Kansas City, Jackson, Missouri. She was just twenty-one years old. Karl was now a new father with two small children to raise on his own. Cora Belle was now forty-four years old with two granddaughters.

Cora Belle married the third time to William J Leathem (1866-1951) on November 26, 1937, in Chillicothe, Livingston, Missouri. She was forty-nine years old and returned home to Carroll County, a familiar place among friends and family.

Cora Belle died on March 4, 1955, in Carrollton, Carroll, Missouri where her adult life had begun to blossom. She is buried in the Cannon Cemetery in Carroll County. My mother, Nancy Gertrude Brumley Weik told many stories of the Sells family, but she never mentioned John Wesley Sells. My mother’s grandparents, Columbus and Gertrude Sells named their son with this same name. I am sure now I know the reason he was given that name.

Thank you for reading this blog post.