Volume 4, Number 3 - Spring 1971


The David Seitz Family
By Mrs. W. E. Roden

David Seitz, the oldest child of Michael and Mary (Reed) Seitz was born July 13, 1828 in Tennessee. He had twelve brothers and sisters. David’s Father and Mother, and children, were among the first permanent settlers of Mt. Victory School District of Tower-Hill Township, Shelby County, Illinois, for they arrived in 1831.

David Seitz had a brother, Logan Seitz, who was 1 year old when the family moved to another farm in Shelby County, Illinois. This farm stayed in that family for 95 years, from 1849 to 1944.

David Seitz married Oct. 9, 1848 to Louisa Ellen Austin of Shelbyville, Illinois. They had 3 children then left Illinois in a covered wagon because of the milk sickness. They went first to Texas and lived 2 years where their daughter Lora was born. They came to Missouri, settling around Jenkins, where their son Joe was born. Later the family moved near Mars Hill where a daughter, Sarah, was born.

David and Louisa (pronounced Lou-i-za) were married over 50 years before she passed away on May 19, 1899.

David Seitz married his second wife, Susan Merritt Hilton Lamar, on Oct. 10, 1899. David was Susan’s third husband. She first married Mathew Hilton and they had 14 children. After Mathews death, in 1875, she married Ben Lamar, who died in 1884. She was called Grandma Seitz. Susan and Mathew are buried in Hilton Cemetery near Scholten. Hilton Cemetery gets its name because it is part of the old Enos Hilton farm. Enos, father of Mathew, was born April 24, 1800, in Virginia, died Nov. 21, 1884, and buried in Hilton Cemetery.

David Seitz was a Justice of the Peace. He performed marriages and many old wills are signed by him. On Feb. 23, 1905, he was buried beside Louisa in Mars Hill Cemetery, southwest of Crane, Mo., in Barry County.

David and Louisa Seitz were parents of six children: Jim, William, Mary, Lora, Joseph, and Sarah. Sarah was my grandmother.

Jim Seitz first went to Colorado then later to Utah where he died.

William Seitz (born Nov. 21, 1853, died Feb. 26, 1906) married Mary Hemphill Neill (born Aug. 26, 1837, died July 31, 1908).

They are buried at Crane, Mo. in Old Town Cemetery.

Mary Seitz died when small. Burial in Potter Cemetery near Jenkins, Mo.

Lora Seitz (born July 4, 1859 in Texas, died Aug. 21) married William Jahew Wiley (born March 12, 1859, Barry Co. Mo., died Jan. 18, 1923). They are buried in Mars Hill Cemetery.

Joseph Joshua Seitz (born June 8, 1862, died Nov. 28, 1942) married Mary Virginia Hilton (born Jan. 8, 1868, died Jan. 17, 1958). They are buried in Hilton Cemetery.

Mary was a daughter of Mathew and Susan (Merritt) Hilton.

Sarah Isabel Seitz (born Dec. 16, 1865, died Aug. 16, 1935) married on Nov. 15, 1885 to John William "Bud" Ellis (born June 3, 1863, died Nov. 20, 1940). J. W. "Bud", was the oldest child of Nancy Hilton and James Ellis. Sarah and J. W. "Bud" had 5 children, Arvin, Birdie, H. H. "Tub", David Edgar, and Nona. Sarah and "Bud" are buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Crane, Mo.

David Edgar Ellis, the youngest son of "Bud" and Sarah Ellis (born Sept. 5, 1891, died Nov. 16, 1965) was married on Aug. 6, 1915 at Galena, Mo. to Lola Wise (born June 18, 1897, died June 1, 1953). D. E. and Lola had four children, Dorothy Mae, Blanche Bonita, Wanda Lee, and Rev. David Edgar Ellis, Jr. are buried in the Masonic Cemetery at Crane, Mo.

Dorothy Ellis, the oldest child of D. E. and Lola, married W. E. Roden. They live on Shell Knob Route, Cassville, Mo. 65625 and he is a hog and beef farmer also does carpenter work. Their son, William E. Roden Jr., was born April 21, 1950 and is presently serving in the Armed Services.

Dorothy is gathering data on all the David Seitz family and would like for any of his descendants to get in touch with her, as she doesn’t lack much having all the information ready for the book to go to the printers.

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