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William Dwight Sellers & Nellie Startzel

b. June 4, 1889, Pleasant Hill, OR
d. Aug. 16, 1966, Hillsboro, OR
 
m.Feb. 19, 1929
Banks, OR
 
b. Feb. 19, 1873, Bloomfield, IO
d. July 1950, Banks, OR
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The Memoirs of William Dwight Sellers

PREFACE

[Occasionally, I have added a comment into Dwight's memoirs. When I have done that it will be in italics with my initials "LE" included. Lynn Ewing I scanned these memoirs from the typed copies sent to me by Dean Sellers in 1974.]

The following Memoirs were written in pencil by William Dwight Sellers several years (mostly in the 1940's and 50's LE) before his death in 1966. They were transcribed and typed by Dean Douglas Sellers, a brother of the author, many years later in 1974 .

A great deal of care has heen taken to use the language descriptions, phrases and expressions used by the author in order to preserve the unique style and wording of the original manuscript.

The vernacular is likely typical of a person born before the turn of the century who lived a rural life and who was taken out of school when he was in his first year of high school by his father, who, though he was a school teacher, decided Dwight was "not learning enough and was having too much fun. "

The Memoirs of William Dwight Sellers

On September 10, 1888, William Thomas Sellers and Lavina Ellen Halleck were made man and wife at Monmouth, Oregon, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. A. N. Halleck (the bride's parents) of the same city. From there they moved to a nice community twelve miles from Eugene, Oregon, known as Pleasant Hill. 'Twas a nice community, like a large family. These were my parents.

The place was an 80-acre farm near the groom's father's place and owned by him. He, James Rodman Sellers, was a hard working man and believed in the whole family doing likewise. James - my granddad.

The home place consisted of 1,200 acres. A real stock ranch and a good stockman he was, a good judge of live stock and a shrewd trader. His word was considered by everyone as good as gold. He owned lots of live stock of every kind, even had a race track and pulled off many horse races. He had rules by which everyone had to abide by on his race track. Remember one time my Dad was telling of a race being held and of course there was betting going on. One fellow's horse lost and his owner would not make good. Was plenty able to. My Granddad took over, gave the fellow the thrashing of his life, saying his rules were staying. Granddad wasn't a very large man but he had extra long arms, was pretty handy with them. Those long arms always won out. The race track always drew large crowds. One day the fellow that lost his horse race came back, apologized, paid up, was a good booster on the Sellers' race track afterwards.

There were four boys and two girls in the family. Granddad had much chores for each of the boys. One time Dad said he was wakened from sleep and Granddad says, "Bill, did you bed the horses down ?" and Dad said "no". He had to get up, go to the barn and attend to such, with his father following. It never happened again. He always got up at 4:30 the year around waiting for morning to come. At noon he would always lie flat on his back on the floor for 15 minutes, then he was good for the rest of the day.

My Grandma Sellers died young. My Mother claimed she was worked to death - besides raising a family of four boys and two girls. The boys were: John, Will (our Dad), Douglas, or Dug, and Charley. I have three brothers named after them - one brother after Granddad, James R. Sellers. The four boys were of medium size. The two girls, Martha and Mary, were both above six footers. All were brought up to know hard work. All were, except the youngest, he wouldn't work if he could get out of it. He died a very poor man. His name was Charles and he never married - had no use for women.

The two girls took over after their mother died. Did a fine job. Good cooks, all-around good farm women. The Sellerses of that generation were all raw-boned people. But the girls always had admirerers from men wanting good farm wives. Granddad held them off pretty well until the right ones came along. Each married farmers.

Mary married a farmer near Cottage Grove, Oregon. They had a good farm and raised a large family. They too, were brought up to know what hard work was. When there wasn't plenty of work on the farm they would cut cord wood and haul it to the railroad for shipment. Always had good horses, good loads, good care ana made good money. Mary's husband's name was John Lloyd Hunter and the family is scattered all over the Northwest. There were three boys and three girls - one pair of twin boys, Willie and Wellie.

Aunt Mat (Martha) was a strong 6'2" raw-boned woman. She married a farmer by the name of Ganey Matthews, near Eugene, Oregon. They did well. He was a large man and a good worker. Got typhoid fever and died.

Dug (Douglas) one of Granddad's sons never married. He followed farm work and stock in Central Oregon. Was an excellent man around live stock. Having been raised with livestock on his father's farm he always had a good job. He too died of typhoid fever.

Charley the youngest was always dissatisfied. Didn't care for hard work. But being the Youngest Granddad always favored and helped him in many ways. One day Granddad told Charley that he was going to give him an 80-acre ranch near the home place, a couple of miles away. A good house and large barn were on the place.Also in the deal was a good team (Bob and Shorty), four cows a few sheep and a couple of brood sows. Granddad says, "Now Charley, you should make some money. But I am not going to give you a deed to the place because You will mortgage the place and squander the money and be a poor man again."

Sure, and Grandad Sellers was right. Charley lived on the 80 acre farm a few years, pulled up, left the place with all equipment. Uncle John heard about it and overtook him. He was headed for Eastern Oregon on horseback. John tried to get Charley to come back but he refused. Charley didn't have a coat so Uncle Jobn gave him his coat and $80.00.

Charley had heard of a cattle man buying up cattle and driving them to Eastern Oregon to sell. Sure enough, they bought up 100 head, landed in Umatilla County and sold them.

Uncle Charley knew where Dad (William Thomas Sellers) lived in Ukiah, Oregon. One day my Ma and I were out in the yard and who rode up but Chas. Sellers - Chas. and his white horse Bob - togged out cowboy style.

Charley had a strong voice. When he laughed the air shook. I liked to hear his laugh, he seemed to enjoy it so much. He always liked my Ma so much - always called her Ellen and doing good things for her. Besides he was a wonderful cook. Could put up a meal for a king.

Finally he got itchy feet and left for Morrow County, Oregon, a real cowboy - into a real stock country. Bunch grass galore. Stock grew well on the bunch grass even in wintee time when the snow wasn't too deep. In winter time the cattle would stick their noses into the snow to get some of this grass. It was nearly as good as a feed of grain.

Uncle John took over the home place, got married to a good woman who was raised on a livestock ranch. Her name was Eliza Martin. They did well raising stock. Their family consisted of two girls, Nora and Tressa, and one boy, Frank.

Nora married a large stock man in Klamath County, Oregon and they did exceedingly well. His name was Lorrin Streeter.

Tressa was an industrious girl. She was a horse fancier if there ever was one. Her father, Uncle John, always saw that Tressa had the best saddle horse in the neighborhood - and believe me she took good care of it - feeding and currying. She was a good rider. Finally, she too married a school teacher, Henry Chezem. He taught school several years, worked up to assistant manager of many Sear-Roebuck stores. Also went into the hardware business at Bend, Oregon, for several years. Sold out and retired, he lives in Sonoma, California, enjoying the rest of their lives there.

Frank Sellers, Tressa's brother took off for himself in the livestoc~ business in Lake County, Oregon and in Nevada. Worked on several of the largest stock ranches - was manager of several - had one of his own. Got crippled wrangling wild horses several times. Was in Mayos Clinic in the East, came back, sold his interest, retired, is living the life of a king on the deserts of Nevada, Oregon and Arizona - out in the open air. He never married.

Dad and Mom attended college together

Dad had graduated from the Oregon State Normal School at Monmouth. My Mother was going to school there too. It was here they met. My Mother said that Dad was very, very bashful. One Saturday he came to see her in the afternoon - after courting for months. Mom was sewing, making a dress, and Dad spoke up and says, "Ellen lets you and me get married," Mom said she was looking for something like this soon. She rather hesitated, went on sewing on the dress. Everything was quiet. FinaIly she spoke up and says, "Alright, Will." So things were settled fast and furious.

Just after Dad graduated they were married and Dad got a teacher's Life Diploma. It burned up in the big fire at my brother Bernrrd 's place years later. Dad taught school in Ukiah with only a few pupils .

[Dwight's memoirs ran to about 50 typed pages. I have put them on separate web pages by community to make them quicker to load and print. Just click on a title to read more or choose individual topics. LE]

Ukiah, Oregon

Additional Ukiah information

Pilot Rock, Oregon

Weston, Oregon

Hermiston, Oregon 1907

Ukiah, Oregon, Part 2 (1890-1901)

Banks, Oregon 1917

Additional information about William Dwight Sellers as supplied by his brother, Dean Douglas Sellers, in 1974.

After deciding to move from Hermiston, Dwight visited Faye and Lee Irvin, who had already made a trade for a farm property near Banks. He liked the area and leased a farm not far from Faye's place and continued to lead a batchelor's life. He was later married at the age of 40 to Nellie Startzel, a widow. They had no children.

Shortly after starting his farm work, Uncle Sam suggested that he join the service and he served in the Infantry during World War I and was not discharged until the war was concluded in l919. During his absence in the army, Brother Bernard took over his farm until his return.

He continued to lease various properties in the Hillsboro, Oregon area and was always proud of his fine horses from youth throughout his farming career.

In later years he was afflicted by a heart condition and he was in an out of the Veterans' Hospital in Portland. When his wife died after 21 years of marriage on July 23, 1950, Dwight began to think of retiring and he and our next brother in line, Amos, lived together in an apartment in Hillsboro for the remainder of their lives.

In the fall of 1959 Dwight visited his Brother Dean, who had moved to Mesa, Arizona, the year before. While with Dean, he had another severe heart attack and was taken to the Phoenix Veterans Hospital for several weeks. He returned to Hillsboro in 1960 by plane and made arrangements for care in a nursing home where he spent the rest of his life. He passed away on the 16th of August 1966, at the age of 77 years.

He was given a military funerrat Fir Lawn Cemeter.y, Hillsboro, under the auspices of the Hillsboro American Legion club of which he was a member.

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