Earliest Ancestors to Texas

The Texas State Genealogical Society has a series of Heritage Certificates honoring our ancestors who settled in Texas. The Texas First Families Certificate is awarded to individuals who have ancestors who settled in Texas before 19 February 1946, which is the date Texas “relinquished its sovereignty to the United States government.”

So, I wondered if I had any ancestors who came to Texas before it was admitted to statehood. I have several who were listed on the 1850 census:

Benjamin F. Selman (1795-1873), his wife, Sarah (1798-1868), and children Greenlee B (1820-1888) and Sarah (1818- ) were living in Cherokee County.[1] Their son, Willis F. Selman, married Margaret Rebecca Evans on 29 November 1849 in Cherokee County.[2] Their daughter, Mary Ann Selman, married Calvin C. Scott on 12 September 1848 in Cherokee County.[3] A biography about Benjamin stated he settled in Cherokee County circa 1845.[4] I learned that Cherokee County was formed in 1846 after statehood and was a part of Nacogdoches County, so I need to look at records from that county.[5] Unfortunately, they are all locked, so I must view them at a local FamilySearch Center.

James Selman (1821-1850), his wife, Amanda (Oldham), and children, George and Emma were living in Cherokee County in 1850. The youngest, Emma, was six years old, and born in Mississippi.[6] The timeline fits, so they could have traveled to Texas early. His widow, Amanda, married James’ cousin, Greenlee Selman, on 23 June 1851 in Cherokee County.[7]

Nathaniel H.O. Polly (1820-1902), his wife, Lydia, and two children Nancy and Mary, lived in Dallas County in 1850. From this census, Nancy, two years old, was born in Arkansas, so perhaps they were not in the state before 1846.[8]

Well, these seem to be my only early Texas settlers. If I don’t find any record of them before 1846, I can always try for the Gone to Texas Pioneer Certificate, which includes settlers that lived in Texas before 1886. I have lots of those ancestors.

#52Ancestors-Week 31: Earliest Ancestor

This is my eighth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe.

I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or MyTrails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.


[1] 1850 U.S. census, Cherokee Co, Texas, p 887, fam 561, Benj Selman.

[2] Cherokee Co, Texas, marriage, v. A, p. 90-91, Willis L Selman to Miss Margaret Evans, 1849, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939Z-YD9X-VV : accessed 27 July 2025), IGN 004539374, image 185 of 575; citing Cherokee County Court, Rusk, Texas.

[3] Cherokee Co, Texas, marriage, v. A, p. 46, C.C. Scott to Mary Ann Selman, 1848, imaged FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939Z-YD9F-Q4 : accessed 27 July 2025), IGN citing 004539374, image 163 of 575; citing Cherokee County Court, Rusk, Texas.

[4] Cherokee County History, (Cherokee County Historical Commission : Jacksonville, Tex, 1986, 2001), p. 498, “Benjamin F. Selman Family,” imaged, The Portal to Texas History (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth354360/m1/508/ : accessed 27 July 2025).

[5] “Cherokee County, Texas Genealogy,” FamilySearch Wiki (https://www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Cherokee_County,_Texas_Genealogy : viewed 27 July 2025).

[6] 1850 U.S. census, Cherokee Co, Texas, p. 889, fam 577, Jas Selman.

[7] Cherokee Co, Texas, marriage, v. A, p. 210, Greenlee Selman to Mrs. Deborah A Selman, 1851, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939Z-YD9V-63 : viewed 27 July 2025), IGN 004539374, image 246 of 575; citing Cherokee County Court, Rusk, Texas.

[8] 1850 U.S. Census, Dallas Co, Texas, p. 93, dwelling 305, Nathan H.O. Polly.


Copyright © 2011-2025 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

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