CHAUNCEY SEELEY, who was long at the head of the Seeley & Upham Building Co., of Waterbury, was born in 1845, in Southbury, New Haven county. His father, George Seeley, and grandfather, Elijah Seeley, were born in Wilton, Fairfield county. Elijah Seeley was a farmer by calling, and passed his life in Wilton. He was a patriot of the war of 1812.

George Seeley was a shoemaker in early life, but later became a farmer. He married, in New Milford, Conn., Phebe Ann Buckingham, a native of that town, and their children were ten in number, viz: Sarah Ann is deceased; Levina is the wife of John Squires of Southbury, Conn.; Elizabeth married George Robertson, a merchant of New Milford; Harriet is the widow of William Oliver, of Bethel, Conn.; Chauncey is the subject of this sketch; John is a resident of Waterbury; Charles is deceased; Henriette is now Mrs. William Worrington, of Watertown, Conn.; Miss Georgiana is a resident of New Haven; Frank is a farmer in Southbury. Both parents are deceased.

Chauncey Seeley grew to young manhood on his father’s farm, and until seventeen years of age attended the district school and the high school at South Britain. The Civil war having broken out, he made affidavit that he was eighteen years of age, and thus succeeded in enlisting, Sept. 11, 1862, at Woodbury, in Company I, 19th Conn. V.I. He served until mustered out, at Fort Ethan Allen, Ca., July 7, 1865, and during this period participated in all the battles, skirmishes, sieges, engagements and marches in which the regiment took part.

At the termination of the war Mr. Seeley returned to Southbury, where he learned the carpenter’s trade, and remained until the spring of 1869, at which time he came to Waterbury. Here he followed his trade as a journeyman until the spring of 1888, when he engaged in contracting and building on his own account for about five years, after which he formed a co-partnership with George A. Upham, under the style of Seeley & Upham. This firm had an existence of about five years, at the end of which period was formed a corporation known as the Seeley & Upham Building Co., which conducted a lumberyard, steam planingmill, etc., and did a very extensive business in the building line. Early in 1902 Mr. Seeley sold his interest and withdrew from the presidency.

Mr. Seeley was married, in 1872, to Miss Samantha A. Nash, who died without issue May 15, 1875. In May, 1879, he married Sarah S. Osborn, daughter of Noah Osborn, of Seymour, Conn., and the union has been graced with three children, Arthur O., Wilbur C. and Raymond C. Out subject and his family attend the First Congregational Church and their social relations are with the most refined residents of Waterbury.

In politics Mr. Seeley is a stanch Republican. He has been elected to the city council several times, and in that body served on the Law committee and the committee on Lamps and Gas. He is a prominent member of the American Mechanics, with whom he has been identified since 1875, and in which body he is an ardent worker. He has also been a member of the G.A.R. about twenty years, and is now commander of Wadhams Post, No. 49. Mr. Seeley fraternizes with several other societies, in which he holds offices exalted and responsible, such as treasurer, etc. As a business man he is classed with the most progressive and enterprising in the city. His integrity has never been impeached, and his transactions have always been characterized by perfect candor and openness.

Page 1124, “Connecticut: New Haven: Commemorative Biographical Record Of New Haven County, Connecticut containing Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families, published 1902.