Query Number: 1405-3 May 2014
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Requested Information:
John writes, “I recently discovered the Seeley Genealogical Society website and what a treasure it is! I knew very little of my family heritage, and now I am on my way to what I hope will be a rich and more complete picture for me, my 2 older brothers and 2 younger sisters.
“I found an obit for my grandfather, John Seely, on the SGS site” (http://www.seeley-society.net/obits-ly/obit-johnseely2.html). John says his father was William Clair Seely, and his father was John Seely (as in the obit). He has not been able to trace John’s father William H., back beyond the 1870 census to verify the line we show. He says, “I have been an American History student since the 8th grade and never knew that I may have had Seely family members going back potentially to the pre-Revolutionary era. I also had NO CLUE that there were so many Seeleys!”
Requester: John Seely | seely-john@usa.net
Initial Response Information:
The obit shows that John Seely’s line is son of William Henry; Grandson of SGS # 3504—John Meyers (# 3504); Daniel Joseph (#1588); John; John; Samuel; Jonas; Obadiah (immigrated in the 1640s).
1850 census Waterloo, Seneca, NY
– Seely, J M, age 29, b. NJ
– Seely, Rebecca, age 20, b. NJ
– Seely, Wm H, age 1, b. NJ
1860 census Waterloo, Seneca, NY
– Seeley, John M, age 37, farm laborer b. NJ (written after his name is 6 feet 7 inches—I have not seen a note like this before.)
– Seeley, Rebecca, age 30, b. NJ
– Seeley, William H, age 12, b. NJ; Andrew C, age 5; Malissa J, age 3; both b. NY
1870 census Waterloo, Seneca, NY
– Seely, William H, age 21, farmer and carpenter, b. NY
– Seely, Jane, age 23, b. PA
In the house before William is Seely, Milissa J, age 13, a domestic servant for the family of Orville and Sarah Maynard
The house after William shows
– Seely, Henry, age 43, b. NJ, farmer and carpenter
– Seely, Lydia J, age 49, b. NY
– Seely, Andrew, age 15; Allie age 8; both b. NY
The next family is that of Nathaniel Seely, age 53, b. NJ, and his wife, Laura, age 46, and their children. The Nathaniel and Henry above are both brothers of John M, father of William H. Nathaniel is SGS #3503, John M is SGS #3504, and Henry is SGS #3506.
In the 1860 census Henry, age 32, and Lydia Seeley, age 35, are in Waterloo with Jane Avitt, age 17.
In the 1900 census Henry and Lydia are still in Waterloo. She has had no children, so Andrew and Allie with them in 1870 are probably both children of John and Rebecca, who both died before the 1870 census. This is confirmed by the 1880 census where Henry and Lida J. Seeley, ages 53 and 59, have Allie, age 18, niece, b. NY, parents b. NJ, living with them.
The SGS Database shows Andrew and Allie as children of Henry and Lydia Seely. We have changed that to show that they are children of John and Rebecca Little Seely.
Responder: Query Editor
