Mary P. Seely
Personal
Gender: Female
Date of Birth: February 31, 1822
Date of Death: April 23, 1911
Birth Place: Hempstead, NY
Death Place: San Bernardino, CA
Mary P. Seely
Useful Life Ends
Pioneer of Valley Passes Quietly Into Beyond.
Mrs. Mary P. Seely Claimed by the Grim Reaper Early Last Night.
A long and peaceful life came to a beautiful close last evening when Mrs. Mary P. Seely quietly passed to the great beyond in the home at the northwest corner of Arrowhead avenue and Sixth street in which she had lived for 57 years. Death came at 8:45 o’clock, the end of a gradual decline covering the last two weeks, the reaper lightly wafting away the spirit which had been animate for 89 years, and comforting the aged woman with the presence of all her children to bid her farewell as she left to claim her reward.
Mrs. Seely had had no disease, she had lived a long and useful life, and the end in its freedom form pain came as a fitting culmination of a life that had done so much toward the remolding of the history of the San Bernardino valley, and the city which accords her the honor of having helped in its founding. She had been a widow for several years, her husband, David Seely, having died some time ago.
Mrs. Seely was born at Hempstead, Long Island, on February 31, 1822, and having been married in Burlington, Iowa, on February 18, 1846 [sic should be November 18, 1845], came here June 11, 1851, the years that the city of San Bernardino was founded. She was therefore one of the first settlers of the valley and a pioneer in more ways than one. For years she has been a beloved member of the San Bernardino Society of Pioneers. In 1854 the Seelys moved to house at the corner of Arrowhead avenue and Sixth street and there lived to the present time.
She with her husband had been the first to plant orange trees in the Highland district which has since become famous for its products.
The survivors of Mrs. Seely are her four children, Mrs Mary A. McDonald of Los Angeles, D. R. Seely of Highland, Mrs. J. H. Barton of San Bernardino, and Mrs. Isabelle Corbett of Butte, Montana.
The funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the chapel of the J. W. Barton company. The interment will be in the old city cemetery. Rev. Eli McClish will officiate.
Possibly published in the San Bernardino Index, April 24, 1911.
At San Bernardino, Calif. April 23, Mary P. Seeley, a native of New York State, age 89 years. Funeral services will take place from the Chapel of Barton and Company at 2 o’clock this afternoon, Rev. Ei McClish officiating. Interment in the old city cemetery.
Published in the San Bernardino Sun, April 25, 1911.
Pioneer Society News —On motion of past president Sheldon Stoddard the sympathy of the society was extended to the children and relatives of our late sister, the well beloved mother Mary Seeley, widow of David Seeley, so well known to all the pioneers of San Bernardino when the old fort was established in 1851. The clippings of “The Sun” and “Index” were ordered made a part of the minutes of the meeting as giving an account of her life.
Published in the San Bernardino Sun, April 30, 1911.
[Wife of SGS # 2339 – David (#2339); Justus Azel (# 836); Justus William; Joseph; John; Benjamin; Nathaniel, Robert]
