John M. Sell (October 9, 1863 – September 19, 1930) was an American house painter, interior decorator and trade union activist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin who served one term as a Socialist member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.Cannon, A. Peter, ed. Members of the Wisconsin Legislature: 1848 – 1999. State of Wisconsin Legislative Reference Bureau Informational Bulletin 99-1, September 1999; p. 105
Background Sell was born October 9, 1863, in Concord, Wisconsin.Wisconsin, Births and Christenings Index, 1801-19281870 United States Federal Census He attended the Concord and Fifth Ward of Milwaukee public schools, and Hoffman's Business College in Milwaukee, after which he learned the house painting trade. He had been an interior decorator and a member of the Painter's Union for 19 years, had been a trustee for years, and was a member of the executive board, when elected to the Assembly.
Legislative service Sell was elected in 1918, to represent the Thirteenth Milwaukee County district (the 13th Ward of the City of Milwaukee), receiving 1,057 votes to 958 for Democrat Leander J. Pierson (Dem.) and 677 for incumbent Republican Assemblyman Hugo Jeske. He was assigned to the standing committee on transportation.Hunter, Paul F., ed. The Wisconsin blue book, 1919 Madison: Democrat Printing Co., State Printer, 1919; pp. 162, 447, 495
He ran for re-election in 1920, but was defeated by Pierson (now running as a Republican; there was no Democratic candidate), who won 2894 votes to 2031 for Sell.The Wisconsin blue book, 1921 Madison: 1921; p. 232
Death He died Milwaukee in September 1930 from injuries sustained in a fall, and was buried on September 22.Associated Press. "Hold Funeral Services" Rhinelander Daily News September 22, 1930
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