Line 19.3, Margaret Sellman; the lesser part of the family

Margaret Sellman

Margaret Sellman was born about 1742 in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, the daughter of Charles Sellman and his wife Elizabeth Gassaway.

Married Joshua Hobbs, the son of John and Elizabeth Hobbs

The children of Margaret Sellman and Joshua Hobbs were:

1.      Eli Hobbs born about 1761 in Frederick Co., MD, married Elizabeth Hamilton on 4 October 1782 and died 1830 in Nelson Co., Kentucky

2.      Elizabeth Hobbs born 31 December 1765 in Frederick, Frederick Co.,MD, married Christopher Frederick Burkheart 16 November 1780 in Frederick, MD and died 22 October 1844 in Clinton, Henry County, MO.

3.      Anna Hobbs, also known as Nancy, born about 17666 in Maryland. She married 1. George Burkheart on 10 March 1838 in Nelson County, KY and 2. Aaron Bridges. Nancy died 18 May 1840 in Nelson Co., KY

4.      Ezekiel Hobbs born about 1767 in Frederick Co., MD, married Nancy Read 4 August 1830 in Nelson Co., KY.

2.      Joshua Hobbs born about 1768 in Frederick Co., MD, married Rachel Hobbs and he died about 1846 in Nelson C., KY

3.      John Hobbs born 1770 in Frederick County, MD, married Cassandra Briscoe 28 Feb 1787 in Nelson Co., KY and died there in 1840.

4.      Nicholas Hobbs born about 1773, married Kate Shelton in Nelson Co., KY and died 5 July 1830 in Hardin Co., KY

5.      Vachel Hobbs born 31 October in Frederick Co., MD, married 1. Mary Scott. 2. Sallie, 3. Celia Helm on 17 April 1799 in Nelson Co., KY, 4. Eleanor Marshall15 Oct 1817 in Nelson Co., KY and  5. Amelia ? on 3 March 1823. Vachel died 26 April 1847 in Mt. Pleasant, Howard Co., MO

6.      Peggie Hobbs born about 1778 and probably died young.

7.      Hennie Hobbs born about 1780 and married Samuel Brown on 22 May 1799.

8.      Sarah Hobbs born about 1782. She married twice 1. Stephen Compton Briscoe in Nelson Co., KY on 15 November 1799 and 2. Also in Nelson co., John Rogers on 20 January 1806.

9.      Lydia Hobbs born 22 December 1786 who married William Jones Bayne on 8 January  1801 in Nelson Co., KY

 

Margaret isn't a "lesser" part of the Sellman family in my mind. She is just very special to me because without her, I wouldn't be here. But by the time Margaret was born the family had "come down" in the world and no longer owned lots of land. I don't know if she grew up with a slave or two on the farm. Hopefully not but it is possible. However, she must have lived an adventuresome life having been born in Maryland and then as a married woman, moving to Kentucky with her husband and children.

Family tradition names Margaret Sellman as the mother of all of Joshua Hobbs children. In 1784 Joshua Hobbs and his wife Margaret sold their land in Frederick County, Maryland. Land deeds for Joshua Hobbs are found near the Sellmans in both Anne Arundel County and Frederick County, Maryland which makes the probability even higher that the family remembered correctly. Joshua sold land in 1785 and 1786 that set next to a John Sellman. Another family story, first reported by George N. Hobbs says that John married Margaret’s sister Ann first and had several children George reports she died giving birth to Vachel and then Joshua Hobbs married Margaret. However George also reported some family “facts” that can be proved incorrect. Also, Eli Hobbs, the eldest son of Joshua named his first daughter, Margaret and had several other daughters, none named “Anne”. Since it was common for the eldest son (as well as younger children) to name their first daughter after the father’s mother, the second after the mother’s mother, it would make since that Eli would have named a daughter Anne, which he did not.

 

There is a good chance that Margaret and her family were practicing Baptists or maybe just nominal ones. Moving to the "wilderness" took faith and strength. Margaret must have been one busy woman with nine children born in 19 years as well as leaving her home in Maryland and moving to the frontier.

***SOURCES***

1. Bob Moore, “Joseph Hobbs of Md. And KY” GenForum, 5 March 2000
2. George N. Hobbs, 25 June 1940 (Great-grandson of Vachel) to Anna M. Grisez
3. Familysearch.com Ancestral File v. 4.19