Capt. M. D. Sellars    

CAPT. M. D. SELLARS. Captain M. D. Sellars has resided in Decatur since 1883. He came originally from Moniteau County, Mo., where he was born, March 4, 1846. At the age of 13, Capt. Sellars moved to Benton County, Arkansas, with his parents, and two years later, when he was 15, joined the Confederate service, aligning himself with General Ben McCulloch’s Texas Ranger force, then operating in Northern Arkansas. He remained throughout the war, seeing service in Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana, and Mississippi. In 1878 he married Miss Laura Pearson at Fayetteville, Ark., after which he became a merchant at Bloomfield.

Capt. Sellars came to Decatur in poor circumstances, but by honesty, industry and economy, has grown successful, being now the oldest grocery merchant in Decatur. He has remained loyal to the memory of the Confederate cause, and is the moving spirit of that order in this community. He is a generous hearted citizen and highly respected Christian gentleman. One of his chiefest characteristics is cheerfulness, and this quality he succeeds in communicating to all who come in contact with him, both socially and in a business way. He is therefore popular with the majority of people and especially with that class who admire a man who proves able to see the lining of every dark cloud, especially when roseate views are shut out from their own vision.

No history of Capt. Sellars, however brief, would be complete unless inclusive of allusions to the great enterprise, energy and leadership he has demonstrated in organizing the annual reunions of the Confederate veterans in Joe Wheeler Park. It will be sufficient to say, however, that the people of Wise County are largely indebted to Capt. Sellars for their three days’ annual fun-making and holiday on this occasion.

Capt. Sellars at present conducts a successful grocery business on East Main Street,, Decatur.

Pioneer history of Wise County : from red men to railroads, twenty years of intrepid history, Decatur, Tex, 1907, pages 372-373. View the image of this page on line.   Search Hundreds of 1880s-1920s Texas History Books for biographies and historical information on your ancestors.  View the book page images on line and print them out for your genealogy file!  Try the family history collection for free for 14 days!