Hannah O. Seely (born Olsen)
Personal
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: November 27, 1842
Date of Death: November 27, 1934
Birth Place: Skurup, Malmushus, Sweden
Death Place: Castle Dale, UT
Hannah O. Seely
Pioneer of Utah Dies at Home on 92nd Birthday
CASTLE DALE – Mrs. Hannah O. Seely, 92, Utah pioneer and oldest resident of Emery county, died at her home here at 11 a.m. Tuesday, on her ninety-second birthday.
Mrs. Seely had been in perfect health, and arose as usual early in the morning, ate a hearty breakfast and was making plans for a birthday reception in the afternoon, when she was taken suddenly by a heart attack. Nearly all of her family were present at the time.
Mrs. Seely was born November 27, 1842, in Skurup, Malmushus, Sweden, a daughter of Kjistie Personn and Hans Olsen.
She and her mother were the first in a family of eight to join the L.D.S. church in 1855.
One year later, at the age of 19, Mrs. Seeley emigrated alone to America. She was seven weeks at sea.
After the pioneers landed in Salt Lake valley, Mrs. Seely went to Mt. Pleasant and began working at the home of Aaron Omen. On July 24, 1858, she was married to Orange Seely of Mt. Pleasant, who was a teamster in the wagon train with which she walked across the plains.
In 1878 Mr. Seely was called to colonize Castle valley, which at that time consisted of Carbon, Emery and Grand counties. He served as presiding elder here for two years and it took him three weeks to make his official calls. During this time he also ran a cooperative herd of cattle and sheep.
He moved his family to Castle Dale in 1880. They filed on a homestead southeast of Castle Dale. Mrs. Seely owned and operated the first hotel here for 23 years. Mr. Seely owned and operated the first grist mill here.
Mrs. Seely was an ardent L.D.S. church worker. She was first counselor in the first Relief society organization of Castle Dale for many years and always a teacher in the organization and at the time of death was on the honor roll. She also was an honorary member of the local camp of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers.
Mrs. Seely had been a widow many years and for the past five years had lived with her daughter, Mrs. Gertrude Winters.
Six sons and daughters survive: Orange Seely Jr., Mrs. Sarah S. Larsen, Mrs. Chasty Frandsen, H. Alonzo Seely, Mrs. Winters and David R. Seely, Castle Dale; also 60 grandchildren, 99 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren.
Friends may call at her home prior to the funeral services, which will be conducted in the L.D.S. chapel here Saturday at 1 p.m. Interment will be in the Castle Dale City cemetery.
Published in The Salt Lake Tribune, Friday November 30, 1934 page 13
