Helen Earle Sellers

Helen Earle Sellers
Sellers in 1950
Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from Hebron
In office
1941–1943
Serving with Elton W. Buell
Preceded byMildred A. Fillmore
Walter E. Wright
Succeeded byElton W. Buell
Harold L. Gray
In office
1949–1951
Serving with Irving L. Griffin
Preceded byEdward W. Promprowicz
Fitch N. Jones
Succeeded byNatalie B. Jones
Richard Grant
Personal details
BornHelen Earle Gilbert
(1903-09-02)September 2, 1903
Hebron, Connecticut, U.S.
DiedFebruary 13, 1951(1951-02-13) (aged 47)
Carlisle, Pennsylvania, U.S.
PartyDemocratic
Spouse
​
​
(m. 1932)​
Children2

Helen Earle Sellers (née Gilbert; September 2, 1903 – February 13, 1951) was an American writer and politician from Connecticut. From 1941 to 1943 and 1949 to 1951, she served in the Connecticut House of Representatives, representing the town of Hebron as a Democrat.

Personal life

Sellers was born in Hebron, Connecticut, on September 2, 1903, to parents Horace and Anne Pendleton Gilbert. She married historian and biographer Charles Coleman Sellers in October 1932. In the 1930s, they owned and operated a secondhand bookstore. Together, they had two children, Horace and Susan.[1][2]

Sellers died in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, on February 13, 1951. She was 47.[1][3]

Career

Connecticut House of Representatives

A Democrat, Sellers was first elected to the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1940. She served one term representing the town of Hebron alongside Republican Elton W. Buell and was a member of the education committee.[4] She was not a candidate for reelection in 1942 and left office in 1943.[5]

Sellers was again elected to represent Hebron in the Connecticut House of Representatives in 1948, and she served alongside fellow Democrat Irving L. Griffin. She was assigned to the education committee. In May 1949, Speaker of the House John R. Thim announced that Sellers was ill and would not return to the current legislative session. Representative Sophie Kline was assigned to the education committee in Sellers' place.[6] Sellers was not a candidate for reelection in 1950 and left office in 1951. She and Griffin were succeeded by Natalie B. Jones and Richard Grant.[5]

During her first term in the House, Sellers worked as a special assistant at the secretary of the state's office.[7] Chase G. Woodhouse credited Sellers and Leonard C. Shefflot with compiling the 1941 Connecticut State Register and Manual.[8]

Writing

Sellers published plays, poetry, and children's books under her maiden name, Helen Earle Gilbert. At the time of her death, she was writing a biography of activist Prudence Crandall.[1][3][9] Sellers' research materials on Crandall's life were left to the Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives at Connecticut College following her death.[10]

Publications

  • Mrs. Mallaby's Birthday (Illustrated by Winifred Bromhall). Rand McNally. 1939.[11][12]
  • Mr. Plum and the Little Green Tree (Illustrated by Margaret Bradfield). Abingdon-Cokesbury Press. 1946.[13]
  • Dr. Trotter and His Big Gold Watch (Illustrated by Margaret Bradfield). Abingdon-Cokesbury Press. 1948.[14][15]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Obituary Mrs. Helen G. Sellers". The Day. Newspapers.com. February 15, 1951. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  2. ↑ "Helen E. Gilbert Weds C. C. Sellers". The Day. Newspapers.com. October 6, 1932. p. 5. Retrieved August 1, 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Mrs. Sellers, Poet, Hebron Native, Dies". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. February 14, 1951. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  4. ↑ "1941 Legislative Committee List". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. January 16, 1941. p. 14. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  5. 1 2 "City/Town of Hebron Historical Election Results". electionhistory.ct.gov. Connecticut Office of the Secretary of the State. Retrieved July 31, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Legislator Ill". Connecticut Post. Newspapers.com. May 5, 1949. p. 14. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  7. ↑ "'Meandering' Montowese Anchored To North Haven By Indian Deeds". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. May 27, 1942. p. 3. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  8. ↑ "New State Register And Manual Delivered". The Day. Newspapers.com. November 29, 1941. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  9. ↑ "Curtiss To Open Autumn Series of Book Interviews". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. October 5, 1941. p. 17. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  10. ↑ "Prudence Crandall collection". Linda Lear Center for Special Collections and Archives. Connecticut College. Retrieved August 3, 2026.
  11. ↑ "Latest Books Received". The New York Times. May 28, 1939. p. B17. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  12. ↑ Barrett, Betty (May 28, 1939). "Book Reviews Mrs. Mallaby's Birthday". Hartford Courant. Newspapers.com. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  13. ↑ Whitney, Phyllis A. (October 13, 1946). "Mr. Plum and the Little Green Tree". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Newspapers.com. p. 151. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  14. ↑ Shea, Agatha L. (November 14, 1948). "Recommended New Books For Various Age Groups". Chicago Tribune. Newspapers.com. p. 221. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
  15. ↑ Chokla Gross, Sarah (November 14, 1948). "Dr. Trotter and His Big Gold Watch. By Helen Earle Gilbert. Illustrated by Margaret Bradfield. Unpaged. New York: Abingdon-Cokesbury. $2". The New York Times. Retrieved August 2, 2026.
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