George H. Selden / Seldon
Westmoreland Virginia

Also known as George Courtney, had a brother named William.  George changed his name to Seldon when the local authorities attempted to re-enslave him due to his illegal activities prior to the Civil War.  Seldon was his mother’s name.  Felicia Seldon, George’s mother was stolen from the Island of Madagascar.

George Henry Seldon along with his cousin J. P. Crabbe purchased a good-sized vessel and went into business together.  Originally from Maryland, Crabbe, according to family members was very fair, and with Seldon being darker, they pretended to be a white man with a mulatto mate.  Under this guise, they operated a profitable business up and down the Potomac, until they were finally apprehended ‘running the blockade’ during the civil war.  Under threat of death, they joined the Confederate Navy.  Seldom served as an ordinary seaman on the Allegheny, the Banshee, the Hornet and the Ascutney.

Under the same pretense, the cousins were able to bypass having their manifests signed when loading, and prohibited from roaming around the Westmoreland countryside.  Seldon managed to meet and marry Judith Hayes, owned by the Taliaferro family of Sandy Point.

'Seldom Point' is a mapmaker's error for Selden Point, named for free-black river man, Captain George H. Selden.  G. Henry Seldon purchased 10 acres on Horn Point in 1875 and additional an additional 50 acres in 1883.  Building a two story frame home on part of the first tract.