Elijah Sells (February 15, 1814 – March 13, 1897) was an American military officer, politician, and businessman.

Biography

Born in

Franklin County, Ohio Franklin County is a county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 1,323,807, making it the most populous county in Ohio. Most of its land area is taken up by its county seat, Columbus, the state capital and most ...

, Sells moved to

Scott County, Illinois Scott County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it had a population of 5,355, making it the fourth-least populous county in Illinois. Its county seat is Winchester. Scott County is part of the Ja ...

in 1833 and was in the stoneware business. He campaigned for

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

on the Whig Party ticket in the 1840 election. Sells then moved to

Iowa Territory The Territory of Iowa was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 4, 1838, until December 28, 1846, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Iowa. The remaind ...

in 1841 and settled in Muscatine, Iowa Territory. In 1844, Sells served in the first Iowa Constitutional Convention. Sells then served in the

Iowa House of Representatives The Iowa House of Representatives is the lower house of the Iowa General Assembly, the upper house being the Iowa Senate. There are 100 seats in the Iowa House of Representatives, representing 100 single-member districts across the state, formed ...

from 1846 to 1848 and from 1852 to 1854 and was a Whig. Sells served as

Iowa Secretary of State The Secretary of State of Iowa is the commissioner of elections of the U.S. state of Iowa. A constitutional officer, the officeholder is elected every four years. The Office of the Secretary of State is divided into four divisions: Elections and ...

from 1857 to 1863 as

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

. Sells served in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

during the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...

and was acting master of the USS ''Grampus'' in 1863 in

Cincinnati, Ohio Cincinnati ( ) is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located at the northern side of the confluence of the Licking and Ohio rivers, the latter of which marks the state line wit ...

. Sells served as auditor of the

United States Department of the Treasury The Department of the Treasury (USDT) is the national treasury and finance department of the federal government of the United States, where it serves as an executive department. The department oversees the Bureau of Engraving and Printing and t ...

. Sells then served as Superintendent of Indian Affairs in the Indian Territory. Sells moved to

Douglas County, Kansas Douglas County (county code DG) is located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 118,785, making it the fifth-most populous county in Kansas. Its county seat and most populous city is Lawrence. Histor ...

and served in the

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for craftin ...

in 1870, 1871, and 1872 and was a Republican. In 1878, Sells moved to

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th state. ...

and was in the lumber business. From 1889 to 1893, Sells served as Secretary of the Utah Territory and was involved with the Republican Party. Sells died in Salt Lake City, Utah.Kansas State Library-Kansas Legislators Past and Present
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Notes

1814 births 1897 deaths People from Franklin County, Ohio People from Muscatine, Iowa People from Douglas County, Kansas Politicians from Salt Lake City People of Iowa in the American Civil War People of Ohio in the American Civil War Illinois Whigs 19th-century American politicians Iowa Whigs Iowa Republicans Kansas Republicans Utah Republicans Secretaries of State of Iowa Members of the Iowa House of Representatives Members of the Kansas House of Representatives Utah Territory officials United States Department of the Treasury officials People from Scott County, Illinois {{Utah-politician-stub