SIMON SELLERS: Born 21 May 1835 in Roley, Nash Co. N.C.; died 30 Apr 1915 Married Cynthia Caroline Lawson (b.25 Apr 1839 in Al) 8 Nov 1857.  Cynthia died 23 Nov 1910.  Both are buried in Blue Creek Cem. near Bessemer, Al.  Cynthia’s parents were James and Matilda (Glover) Lawson, natives of South Carolina who moved to Alabama with Gurley and Delila (See Tracing Gurley).  Simon and Cynthia had 10 children (see Family Tree).    Simon does not appear to have received land grants even though several in the family had done so.  In the 1870 census he lives in the same Township/Range as Gurley & shows Value of Real Estate as $200 suggesting he owns property.  This could have been a piece of Gurley’s grant that he bought or adjacent property.  They lost 4 children, in 1864, 1868 and two in 1873 reportedly from Scarlet Fever (although there was a severe Cholera epidemic in Birmingham in 1873 that nearly wiped out the town).  All the children are buried at Blue Creek Cem. which is approximately 6 or 7 miles east of his homestead in 1870.  Simon doesn’t appear in the 1860 census so his location in the 1860’s is unknown at this time.  In 1880 he lives in the Township & Range of the Blue Creek Cem.  That census does not reveal ownership but it’s likely that he either purchased or share cropped a section owned by Jacob Sharp, Odom Crane or Joseph Wood.  A contributor to the Heritage of Jefferson, Co. says “..the Cemetery and church (Blue Creek Baptist) occupy the land which was the front lawn of Gurley’s son Simon.”.  (See also the Land Grant Maps for more info.)   According to the Hueytown Historical Society (see Documents), Simon joined the AL 18th Infantry Co F in 1862 and served for about 2 months and then to Government Works in Shelby Co until the war ended.  Heritage tells the story that he and brother Bill were in Talladega when they went for a drink at a spring nearby.  They decided to “go home” and took off on foot hiding out in the daytime and traveling by night. Here's the Hueytown document.  Simon is #284   www.hueytown.org/historical/Military/1907_Census_of_Confederate_Soldiers_in_Jefferson_County.pdf   A newspaper report from the Independent Dec 2, 1881 tells that Simon’s oldest daughter, Mary Polly was attached by a neighbor.  When arrested the accused took strychnine and died.