Contra Costa County Biography

HARVEY ABBOTT SELLERS

Transcribed by Sally Kaleta, December, 2006.

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

 
The majority of men are content to remain in positions where circumstances or 
environment has placed them, lacking the ambition and the determination which 
would enable them to advance and become active in control of business 
enterprises or important interests. Contrary to the general rule, and therefore 
standing as a central figure among his fellows, is Harvey Abbott Sellers. Mr. 
Sellers is a native of Contra Costa County, and was born at Black Diamond (now 
Pittsburg) in 1890. His father, Stephen Abbott Sellers, is a native of 
Brentwood, this county, and his mother, Mary Louise (Wight) Sellers, is a native 
of Contra Costa County. Mr. Sellers' father followed agricultural lines for many 
years, and is now retired and resides in Berkeley. He still owns two ranches, 
consisting of four hundred and eighty acres. In the parents' family there were 
three sons - the subject of this sketch, Eugene, and employee of the Alhambra 
Mineral Water Company, of San Francisco, and Martin, who is attending school. 
Harvey A. Sellers was educated in the public schools of Pittsburg; graduating 
from high school he took up the automobile business and became connected with 
the Mount Diablo Garage in 1910. Here he remained for three years. He then 
engaged in the garage business for himself in Kingsburg, California, where he 
remained for one year. In January, 1915, he located in Richmond, this county, 
and became connected with the business interests of this city, engaging in the 
automobile business. He has had a rapid rise, and is considered among the 
substantial and representative business men of the county. He has the agency of 
the well-known Dodge and Hudson automobiles, besides having a well-equipped and 
modern garage in connection. Fraternally, Mr. Sellers is  affiliated with 
Richmond Lodge No. 1251, B. P. O. E. On May 29, 1914, he was united in marriage 
to Miss Rose Ginnelli, of Richmond. Mr. Sellers' grandfather, Randolph H. Wight, 
crossed the plains in 1849 with an ox-team, taking six months to make the 
journey. He mined in and around Placerville. Returning to the East, he married 
Orpha Durfee, and the couple made the trip to the coast via Cape Horn. The 
grandfather is still living, and is now residing in Berkeley. The subject of 
this sketch is prominent in business and equally proficient in civic and social 
affairs.
 
Source: "The History of Contra Costa County, California", Elms Publ. Co., 1917, 
pp. 524-525.