DiscoveryVision Genealogy Project

Military Honors Given F. Sellars Was Last Veteran of War in 1898 Ritzville(Washington) Journal; December 9, 1940 Full military funeral services were conducted yesterday afternoon for Franklin C. Sellars, Ritzville pioneer, who died Saturday night (December 7, 1940) at his home on Chelan street. He was the last Spanish American war veteran in Ritzville, and the military rites were conducted by the American legion. Burial was in the Ritzville cemetery. The Reverend Richard Decker officiated at the services, which were held from the Haight Funeral Parlor. Mr. Sellars supervised the construction of several of Ritzville's largest buildings, among them the Ritz theater, Safeway store, and J.C. Penney buildings. He also supervised and built many other structures in the city. Franklin Corwin Sellars was born in Terre Haute, Indiana (August 14, 1878). He came to Washington before the turn of the century and enlisted in 1898 in the Spanish-American war, was sent to the Vancouver barracks and later discharged. He came to Ritzville in 1902 and has lived here almost continuously since. In 1905, he married Margaret Schafer, who died in 1923. Two years later he married Mrs. Lena Kautz. Besides his widow, he is survived by three daughters, Mrs. Rachel Thom, Ritzville; Mrs. Howard Wood, Spokane and Mrs. I.W. Johnson, Seattle; two sons, Billy Sellars, Washtucna, and Franklin, Jr., at home; two brothers, J.D., Ritzville, and W.R., Spokane; and three sisters, Mrs. Maybelle Breeden, Bakersfield, Calif.; Mrs. Archie Smith, Bakersfield, Calif.; and Mrs. June McBride, San Francisco, California. Note -- The above is the Obituary for Franklin Corwin Sellars (Frank) who died on December 7, 1940 in Ritzville, Washington. He is burried at the Ritzville Memorial cemetery, in section 5, block 29, lot 3.