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Lewis S. Seeley

Personal

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: May 8, 1863

Birth Place: Grattan Township, MI

Lewis S. Seeley, one of the best-known and most substantial farmers of Otisco township, this county, owner of a fine place of two hundred and thirty-one acres in sections 25, 26, 35 and 36 in that township, his pleasant home being located in section 25, on rural route No. 1, out of Belding, is a native son of Michigan, having been born on a farm in Grattan township, in the neighboring county of Kent, on May 8, 1863, son of Rinaldo C. and Catherine M. (Waggoner) Seeley, the former a native of Vermont and the latter of Ohio, who spent their last days in Otisco township, this county.

Rinaldo Seeley was but a boy when his parents moved from Vermont to the state of New York, where they remained until 1844, in which year the family came to Michigan and located in this county. Grandfather Seeley entered a claim to a tract of land in Otisco township, but the family remained there a short time only, presently moving over into the neighboring county of Kent, and it was there that Rinaldo C. Seeley grew up and was married. He bought a farm in Grattan township, and made his residence thereon until about 1865, when he returned to Ionia county and bought an eighty acre tract, a part of the present farm of his son, the subject of this sketch, to which he later added an adjoining tract of twenty acres, and there he and his wife spent the rest of their lives. Rinaldo C. Seeley died in 1898 and his widow survived him until 1904. They were the parents of seven children, namely: Caroline, wife of Zach Choate, of Easton township, this county; Frank, who died at the age of eleven years; Nellie, who makes her home with her brother, Lewis S., the immediate subject of this biographical sketch; Samuel J., who lives in the neighboring county of Montcalm; Otis B., who lives on the old home place, and Charles J., a graduate of the Michigan Agricultural College, now living at Kalamazoo, this state, who is superintendent of greenhouse at the asylum. Lewis S. Seeley was about two years old when his parents moved from Kent county to this county and all his active life has been spent in Otisco township. He has prospered in his farming operations and now owns a fine farm of two hundred and thirty-one acres, one of the best cultivated places in that part of the county. On November 16, 1904, Mr. Seeley was united in marriage to Mrs. Blanche (Joslin) Davis, widow of Thomas Davis and daughter of Charles W. and Adelaide (Campbell) Joslin, the former of whom was born in Smyrna, this county, and the latter in Macomb county, this state, who were the parents of eight children, of whom Mrs. Seeley is the eldest and all of whom are still living, the others being as follow: Cora, wife of Frank Davis, of Otisco township; George, of Eaton Rapids, this state; Frank of Smyrna, this county; Marian, wife of George Wiseman, of Otisco township; James, also of Otisco township; Elva, wife of Edward Tower, of Belding, this county, and Joyce, wife of John Ashley, of Coral, Montcalm county, this state. To Mr. and Mrs Seeley three children have been born, Marjorie N., who died at the age of four years; R. C., born on September 10, 1912, and an infant son. Lewis Seeley is a member of the Gleaners, as is his brother, Otis, the latter having been vice-chief of that order. Both are Republicans and Lewis has been a member of the board of reviews since 1903 and a member of the school board since 1895.

Page 114-115, “History of Ionia County, Michigan : her people, industries and institutions, with biographical sketches of representative citizens, and genealogical records of many of the old families,” by Elam E. Branch, published by B.F. Bowen, Indianapolis, 1916.

[Lewis S. is SGS # 2881 – Lewis Seth; Rinaldo Clark; Seth Clarke/Clark; Seth; Joseph; John; Nathaniel; Robert]

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