Sam R. Sells

Sam Riley Sells
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Tennessee's 1st district
In office March 4, 1911 – March 3, 1921
Preceded by	Zachary D. Massey
Succeeded by	B. Carroll Reece
Personal details
Born	August 2, 1871 Bristol, Tennessee
Died	November 2, 1935 (aged 64) Johnson City, Tennessee
Citizenship	United States
Political party	Republican
Spouse(s)	Frances Rice Hayward Sells
Children	Samuel Hayward Sells Charlotte Wyman Sells Lucy McGuire Sells Frank Hayward Sells
Alma mater	King College, Bristol, Tennessee
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army
Rank	Private
Unit	Company F, Third Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Infantry
Battles/wars	Spanish–American War

Sam Riley Sells (August 2, 1871 – November 2, 1935) was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives for the 1st congressional district of Tennessee.

Biography

Sells was born on August 2, 1871 in Bristol, Tennessee in Sullivan County son of George Washington and Mary Margaret McCrary. He attended the rural schools and King College in Bristol, Tennessee from 1895 to 1890. He studied law, was admitted to the bar, and commenced practice in Blountville, Tennessee. He served as a private in Company F, Third Regiment, Tennessee Volunteer Infantry during the Spanish–American War. He married Frances Rice Hayward on April 25 1904, and they had four children, Samuel Hayward, Charlotte Wyman, Lucy McGuire, and Frank Hayward.^[1]

Career

After moving to Johnson City, Tennessee, Sells engaged in the lumber business. He served as a member of the Tennessee Senate from 1909 to 1911.^[2]

Sells was elected as a Republican to the Sixty-second and to the four succeeding Congresses. He served from March 4, 1911 to March 3, 1921,^[3] and was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1920. During the Sixty-sixth Congress, he was the chairman of the United States House Committee on Pensions. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1912, 1916 and 1932.

Resuming the lumber business in Johnson City, Tennessee, Sells also engaged in the manufacturing of shale brick and in numerous other enterprises.

Death

Sells died in Johnson City, Tennessee on November 2, 1935 (age 64 years, 92 days). He is interred at Oak Hill Cemetery.^[4]

References

1. "Sam R. Sells". Ancestry.com. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
2. "Sam R. Sells". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
3. "Sam R. Sells". Govtrack US Congress. Retrieved 2 May 2013.
4. "Sam R. Sells". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2 May 2013.

External links

• United States Congress. "Sam R. Sells (id: S000235)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Sam R. Sells at Find a Grave