Bio: Sell, John L. (1869 - 19??)

Contact: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Sell, Habeck, Hartle, Genrich, Hartwig, Curtis, Yale, Schmidt, Shoneberg, Jones, Pradel

---Source: History of Marathon County Wisconsin and Representative Citizens, by Louis Marchetti, 1913.

---Sell, John L. (24 June 1869 - 19??)

JOHN L. SELL, register of deeds of Marathon County, has been a resident of Wausau for about thirty-four years and has been identified with both city and county development and progress. He was born on a farm in Wood County. Wis., June 24, 1869, and is a son of William and Caroline (Habeck) Sell. They were natives of Germany, coming to America when about twenty-one years of age and were married in Milwaukee, Wis. By trade he was a brick maker and owned a brick yard and also was in the hotel and saloon business. He died February 27, 1905, and is survived by his widow and the following children: Emma, wife of Frank Hartle, of Wausau; John L.; Minnie, wife of R. H. Genrich, of Wausau; William, Walter and Hugo, all merchants at Wausau; and Anita, wife of George Hartwig, a carpenter and contractor at Wausau.  

John L. Sell attended the public schools in Marathon county until he was about fourteen years of age and then went to work for Curtis & Yale, later working for Schmidt & Shoneberg, merchants, and was connected with the firm at Wausau for eighteen years, then was elected city comptroller and served four years in that office. Later, for one year, he was with the G. D. Jones Land Company. In 1906 he was appointed under sheriff of Marathon County, in 1908 was elected sheriff, and in 1910 was elected register of deeds. The above offices are all of such public importance that they are seldom held by any but men who enjoy a large measure of public confidence and esteem. Mr. Sell has served in other positions of trust and responsibility, being in office for the past twenty years. For several years he was county supervisor, thereby being a member of the county board, and served also for several years as an alderman, and throughout the whole period his record is that of an able, efficient and honest public man. He has always been identified with the Democratic Party.  

Mr. Sell was married in 1892, to Miss Clara Pradel, a daughter of August and Elizabeth Pradel, of Wausau, and they have three children: Gertrude, Arnold and John. Jr. Mr. Sell and family are members of the Lutheran Church.  

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1870 Federal Census, Sigel, Wood Co., Wisconsin, 18 Jun, Post Office: Centralia

Name: John Sell
Estimated Birth Year: 1870
Gender: Male
Age in 1870: 11m
Color (white, black, mulatto, chinese, Indian): White
Birthplace: Wisconsin 
Household Members
William Sell M 25y, farmer, b. Prussia (1845)
Caroline Sell F 24y, b. Prussia (1846)
Emma Sell F 2y
John Sell M 11m
Ricka Hoback F 17y

1905 Federal Census, Wausau city, Marathon, Wisconsin

Name: John L Sell
Age: 36y
Estimated Birth Year: Abt 1869
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Head
Race: White
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Place of Birth: Parent 1: Germany
Place of Birth: Parent 2: Germany
Family Number: 293
Household Members
John L Sell M 36y
Spouse Clara Sell F 34y (1871)
Child Gertrude Sell F 11y
Child Arnold Sell M 10y
Child John Sell M 8y

1900 Federal Census, Wausau city, Marathon, Wisconsin

Name: John L Sell, salesman
Birth Date: Jun 1869
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head-of-Household: Self
Spouse Name: Clara Sell
Spouse Birth Place: Wisconsin
Father Birthplace: Germany
Mother Birthplace: Germany
Race or Color (expanded): White
Head-of-household Name:
Gender: Male
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 7
Estimated Marriage Year: 1893
Household Members
John L Sell M
Spouse Clara Sell F, b. Apr 1872, Wis., mother of 3 children, 3 living
Child Gertrude Sell F, b. Oct 1893, Wis. 
Child Arnold Sell M, b. Apr 1895
Child John W A Sell M, b. Mar 1897

 

1910 Federal Census, Wausau Ward 2, Marathon, Wisconsin

Name: John Sell
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Residence: Wausau Ward 2, Marathon, Wisconsin
Marital Status: Married
Race : White
Gender: Male
Immigration Year:
Father's Birthplace: Germany
Mother's Birthplace: Germany
Family Number: 319
Page Number: 15
Household Members
John Sell M 40y
Spouse Clara Sell F 38y
Child Gertrude Sell F 16y
Child Arnold Sell M 15y
Child John Sell M 13y
Susan Mari* F 42y
 

1920 Federal Census, Marathon, Wisconsin

Name: John L Sell
Age: 50 (1869)
Birthplace: Wisconsin
Relationship to Head of Household: Self
Gender: Male
Race: White
Marital Status: Married
Father's Birthplace: Pomerania
Mother's Birthplace: 
Sheet Number: 2
Household Members
John L Sell M 50y
Spouse Clara H Sell F 47y
Child Sell M 24y
Child John Sell M 22y