Brother of Michael Sells. The family mitgrated to Ohio from Pennsylvania, where
their father had practiced as a gunsmith. They were of German extraction, their
name being originally Selz.
The census of 1850 states he had $150 invested in the business and employed two
hands at $20 per month. During the year ending June 1, 1850, he purchased 20 gun
and rifle barrels at $200, 75 gunlocks at $60, 100 gunstocks at $25, miscellaneous
articles at $25 and five cords of wood at $5, a total of $315. During the same
period he produced 50 rifles valued at $600 and made repairs, etc., at $450.
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