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Query Number: 1508-2 August 2015

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Requested Information:

Chris found the following obituary:
MRS. G.L. HAMPSON DIES SUNDAY EVENING
Well Known Church and W.C.T.Y. Worker Passes Away From Gall Bladder Trouble and Erysipelas
Mrs. Mary Hampson, wife of George L. Hampson of 1108 Edgar avenue, passed away at the family residence at 7:15 o’clock on Sunday evening. Death was due to erysipelas and gall bladder trouble. Mrs. Hampson had been in failing health since the first of the year, but did not become bedfast until three days ago. On Sunday afternoon, a few hours before her death, she appeared much improved and members of the family expected her to recover.
Arrangements for the funeral service cannot be made until after word is received from relatives living at a distance. Services probably will be conducted from the Methodist Episcopal Church. Burial will be made in Dodge Grove cemetery.
Mrs. Hampson was born in Pennsylvania. She had been a resident of Mattoon since 1895. Surviving in addition to the husband are several children, including Joseph L. Hampson, Indianapolis; Ray Hampson, New York; Clifford Hampson, Mattoon; Herbert Hampson, Rantoul and Miss Ether Hampson, Morris, Okla. Miss Lizzie Seeley and Miss Margaret Seeley, residents of Morris, are sisters.
Mrs. Hampson was an active member of the Methodist Episcopal Church and also of the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union.
Published in The Daily Journal-Gazette (Mattoon, Illinois) Monday February 4, 1918
Chris found a death record for Margaret Seeley (she was b. 17 Feb 1863 at Morris, Grundy Co. IL and died there 18 Feb 1941. Her parents are listed as Ezra Seeley and Adelia Wilkes.
Looking at census records she found
1850 census Morris, Grundy, Illinois
• Ezra P Seeley age 40 Lawyer born NY
• Adelia H Seeley age 26 born NY
1870 census Wauponsee, Grundy, Illinois
• Adelea H Seely age 45 born NY
• Mary Seely Age 12 born IL
• Lydia Seely age 9 born IL
• Maggie Seely age 7 born IL
1880 census Morris, Grundy, Illinois
• Adelia Seeley age 50 b. NY, NY, NY
• Lizzie Seeley age 19 b. IL, -, NY
• Maggie Seeley, age 17 b. IL, -, NY
1900 census Morris, Grundy, Illinois
• Adelia H Seeley head age 77 wd, b. Feb 1823, mother of 4, 3 living, born NY NY NY
• Margret Seeley daughter age 37 b. Feb 1863, born IL CT NY Dressmaker
• Eliza Seeley daughter age 39 b. Sept. 1870, born IL CT NY Cashier Grocery
(Note that it can’t be 1870 if she is 39; cemetery records indicate birth year of 1860)
Chris also found photos of matching cemetery stones in Evergreen Cemetery, Morris, Grundy, IL around the Seeley monument for Eliza (1860-1927), Hattie (1856-1859), Mother (1823-1903) and Father (1810-1862). Who is Ezra P.?

Requester: Chris Havnar | chris.havnar@gmail.com

Initial Response Information:

I found a Rootsweb entry about Evergreen Cemetery indicating that Hettie Seeley d. 1 Mar 1859, Ezra Paul Seeley d. 18 Jul 1862 and Adelia Harriet Seeley died 8 Apr 1903, all moved to Block 16 26 April 1904.
There are several references to Ezra P Seeley as a lawyer and office holder in Morris in the History of Grundy County, IL, Baskin and Co. 1882 but nothing indicating his ancestry or provenance.
In The Bench and Bar of Illinois, vol. 2, I found the following reference to Ezra in the Grundy County section:
Ezra P. Seeley was our next lawyer, and came from the state of New York in 1845. He was a well-read lawyer, but not apt in his application of the law to the facts, and was very
abusive to the witnesses who testified for the “other fellow;” hence he was by no means a successful lawyer before a jury. He represented his ward in the village council, and
served one or two terms as justice of the peace.

If anyone has more information on Ezra please contact me.

Responder: SGS Query Editor

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