In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1914) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1842
From The History of Clinton County, Missouri : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Clinton County in the late war, general and local statisti (1881), A history of northwest Missouri (1914)
GUSTAVE SELLE, farmer and stock raiser, section 8, post office Cameron, is a native of Germany, and was born on the thirteenth day of January, 1842. He came to America, with his parents, in 1854, and settled in this county He received a good education, and assisted his father in working the farm, till 1861, when he responded to his country's call, and enlisted under Captain Edgar, and re-enlisted in 1862, under Captain Thomas Doak, in Company H., twenty-ninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry. He participated at the battle of Vicksburg. and many others, and accompanied Gen. Sherman on his march to the sea. He was mustered out, at Washington, District of Columbia, on the 17th day of June, 1865. after which he returned to Clinton County and purchased a farm of 160 acres of land. Mr. Selle was married, in December, 1870. to Miss Emily- Beachner, a native of Germany. Their family consists of Emma, Lewis II., William L., Omar, deceased, and Bertha E.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
As printed in The History of Clinton County, Missouri : containing a history of the County, its cities, towns, etc., biographical sketches of its citizens, Clinton County in the late war, general and local statisti (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Gustave Selle. Among the many enterprising men engaged in farming and stock-raising in Clinton County is Gustave Selle, of Shoal Township, who has brought to his independent calling excellent judgment and good business methods, and whose labors are crowned with success. He was born, January 13, 1842, in Saxony, Germany, a son of Henry and Eva (Wagner) Selle, of whom a further account is given on another page of this volume, in connection with the sketch of Albert Selle.
Ten years old when he came with his parents to the United States, he completed his early education in the public schools of Clinton County, in the meantime assisting his father in the work of the farm, continuing thus employed until after the breaking out of the Civil War. Three of his brothers, Julius, A. H., and Frederick W., offered their services in defense of their adopted country. Julius enlisted in the Twenty-ninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry; A. H. Selle was wounded at the engagement in Vicksburg, and subsequently died in the South, his body being buried at Bridgeport, Alabama; Frederick W. Selle was commissioned first lieutenant of his regiment, and served on the staff of General Shields as a brave and gallant officer.
At the outbreak of the Civil war Gustave Selle enlisted for six months in the Missouri Militia. At President Lincoln's call for 300,000 men, he enlisted in Company —, Twenty-ninth Missouri Volunteer Infantry, under Capt. Thomas Doak and Colonel Coventer. With his regiment, he fought under General Grant, was in active service >on the field of battle before Atlanta, when, on July 22, 1864, General McPherson was killed; and subsequently followed Sherman on his march to the sea, thence through the Carolinas to Washington, D. C, where, on June 12, 1865, he took part in the grand review. Mr. Selle had several narrow escapes from death while in the army, among others having had his horse shot from under him at Rolla, North Carolina.
Returning home after his honorable discharge from the army, Mr. Selle resumed the free and independent occupation to which he was reared, and is now one of the more substantial and successful farmers and stock-raisers of Shoal Township, having landed interests in Clinton County, and in Oklahoma, and holds high rank among the esteemed and influential citizens of Clinton County.
Mr. Selle married, in 1871, Emily Beechner, a daughter of William and Mary Rosina Beechner, neither of whom are now living, their deaths having occurred in Shoal Township, which had been their home for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Selle have five children, namely: Lewis H., a farmer and stockman of Gotebo, Oklahoma; W. Logan, living near Keystone; O. O., a dealer in real estate and a veterinary surgeon, has a farm of 120 acres in Shoal Township; Roy, living on the homestead, has eighty acres of land; and Emma, a widow who has a good farm of 160 acres. Mr. Selle and his sons have title to 630 acres of valuable land in Shoal Township, and to 400 acres in Oklahoma.
Mr. Selle is a member of Joseph Hooker Post, Grand Army of the Republic, of Cameron. He is also a prominent member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows; of the Encampment; and has represented his lodge at the Grand Encampment. He has seven grandchildren, of whom he is very proud, three of them being grandsons, namely: Gustave Selle, Lloyd R. Selle, and Thurman Selle.
As printed in A history of northwest Missouri (1914). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Named in this biography: Albert Selle (b. 1849)
The printed record stops around 1881. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.