Query Number: 0102-1 February 2001
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Requested Information:
Debbie is searching for a link to her ancestors. The death certificate for her greatgreat grandmother Nancy Jane (Seeley) Mangus (b. 1840 in Blair County, PA, d. 1907 in Cambria County, PA) lists her father as Samuel Seeley and his place of birth as Crawford County, PA (Northeast corner of PA). Nancy Jane Seeley’s mother is listed as Catharine Benner (no birth place listed). From Nancy Jane’s obituary in the newspaper, her parents came to Johnstown, Cambria County, PA between 1857 and 1867. (In a follow-up email, Debbie reported:) I have located a Samuel Sealy and his wife in the 1870 census for Millville Borough, Cambria County, PA, and despite the difference in spelling, I assume they are my ancestors. The census information is:
Sealy, Samuel, 62, M, W, Laborer
Sealy, Kathrine, 54, F. W, Keeping House
James, 17, M, W, Laborer
Samuel, 12, M, W
______, S. J., 9, M, W.
I hope this information will help someone discover some links for me. Any links would be appreciated.
Requester: Debbie Kempf
Initial Response Information:
Dan Seelye responded that he had no information on Samuel Seeley (Sealy), Nancy Jane Seeley or Catharine Benner. Additionally, Terry Tietjens responded that he could find no information on Samuel Seeley or Kathrine either. No Nancy Jane Seeley with a father Samuel was found in the three SGS Publications.
Responder: SGS Query Editor
Updates
Update to Query #0102-1 // February 2009 // Re: Samuel Seeley b. 1810 PA
Debbie Kempf (debbie.kempf@verizon.net) had contacted us about the lineage of her g-g-grandmother Nancy Jane Seeley Mangus, born 1840 Blair County, PA whose death certificate named her parents as Samuel Seeley b. Crawford Co. PA and Catherine Benner. We had reported that we didn’t have information on this couple. In researching the ancestors of Richard J Seeley who died in 2008 in Johnstown, PA I found Samuel and Catherine in the 1850, 1860 and 1870 censuses. They were in Wheatfield, Indiana, PA in 1850, in Jenner, Somerset, PA in 1860 and in Millville, Cambria, PA in 1870. Their children include Nancy age 9 in 1850 and age 18 in 1860. We do not know the lineage of this Samuel Seeley. Please contact me if you recognize this couple.
Responder: SGS Query Editor
Update to Query #0102-1 // May 2011 // Re: Samuel Seeley b. 1810 PA and his wife Catherine Benner
Another descendant of this family has contacted us.
Michelle Sterye DiFiori (difioris@sbcglobal.net) writes: “My gt-gt grandparents are John Seeley and Jane Benson Seeley. My gt grandmother is Mary Seeley and she married William Sterye. The family is from Johnstown, Cambria Co. Pa. Do you think I am part of this Seeley family? Who can I talk to about this family?”
I found the following information to document Michelle’s line:
1900 census Youngstown, Mahoning, OH
- Stery, William b. Aug 1859 PA, parents b. PA, teamster, md 19 yr to
- Stery, Mary M b. Oct 1861 PA, parents b. PA, 7 children, 5 living
- Stery, Charles E b. Apr 1884 PA, parents b. PA, teamster
- Stery, Velbin (son) b. Oct 1886, Nellie M b. June 1887, Florence F b. July 1893, Myron C b. Mar 1899, all b. OH, parents b. PA
1880 census of Allegheny, Allegheny, PA
- Mollie Seeley age 20 and William Starry age 22 are both working as servants for James and Rebecca McCutcheon. I imagine that Mollie is probably Mary M Seeley, soon to be married to William.
- Note that Allegheny Co. PA is between Cambria Co. PA and the OH border.
1880 census Millville, Cambria, PA
- Ceely, John, age 45, laborer, b. PA, PA, PA
- Ceely, Jane , age 40 b. PA, PA, PA
- Ceely, John age 12, Annie age 2, both b. PA, PA, PA
1870 census Millville, Cambria, PA
- Sealy, John, age 33, laborer, b. PA
- Sealy, Jane, age 28 b. PA
- Sealy, Mary age 12, John age 3, Samuel(?) age 10, all b. PA
1860 census Wheatfield, Indiana, Pennsylvania
- Seely, John, age 24, coal miner b. PA
- Seely, Jane, age 22 b. PA
- Seely, Mary, age 2 b. PA
- Benson, Enoch, age 21 b. PA
1850 census: Wheatfield, Indiana, Pennsylvania
- Samuel Seely age 40 Laborer born PA
- Catharine Seely age 36 born PA
- John Seely age 15 born PA
- Maria Seely age 12 born PA
- Nancy Seely age 9 born PA
- Susan Seely age 6 born PA
- Pamelia Seely age 4 born PA
- Michael Seely age 0 born PA
- Frederick Sellers age 22 Laborer born PA
1850 census Conemaugh, Somerset, PA
- Benson, Samuel S age 40, stone mason, b. MA
- Benson, Anne, age 40 b. PA
- Benson, Levi age 16, Angeline age 14, Jane age 12, Enoch age 10, Cynthia E age 8, Theodore age 5, Wm K or H age 3, all b. PA
Michelle would love to contact other descendants of this Samuel Seely and to find proof (a marriage certificate?) that the Mary/Mollie who married William Sterye is really from this family.
Responder: SGS Query Editor
