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News of the JUSTUS AZEL SEELYE FAMILY ORGANIZATION Objective: To "turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers." - Malachi 4:5-6 A LEGACY OF LOVE |
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| Volume XVI | May 2005 | Number 2 |
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President's Message on
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(2) keeping in touch with each other through newsletters.
(3) writing individual and family histories. (4) participating in family reunions. We invite all of Justus and Mehittable's descendants to gather with us on June 25th for a grand event. We will learn about and honor the life of Robert Seely, who was Justus Azel Seelye's great, great, great, great grandfather. Robert (1602-1666/67), was born in England and at the age of 28 gathered his wife Mary and young son, two year old Nathaniel, and came to America. We have no journals of his life and don't know his thoughts as he left his native country for the New World, but we do know what the political and religious atmosphere was like and what many others have written who left England and settled in the New England area at that time. We will have activities for all ages and informative mini-classes as well as a presentation on the life of Robert Seely. Come "gather" with us to jolly olde England, June 25, in Mt. Pleasant. See you there! Camille Seeley Bell P.S. Robert Seely was a Cordwainer, someone who worked with fine leather. Is there anyone in the family who works with leather and could bring his handiwork to display at our conference? Please contact Camille at 801-298-0279 or bellfam77@msn.com. |
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to meet in Orangeville and Castle Dale, Utah, July 29-30-31 We will be camping at Orangeville City Park, where water and restrooms are available. Attend the Castle Valley Pageant Friday evening. Saturday will be spent touring places of interest in Castle Dale: [Contact person: Christine Challis (913) 764-1178] 1) Tour the Montell Seely house, see the water wheel, and let the young people go on a 1-mile, 1-hour handcart trek, out on the hills behind the house. 2) Go to the Orange Seely house, built in 1893, of adobe. Walk through the house with a guided tour. Look at the nearby site of the Eagle Flour Mill, which burned to the ground in 1943. 3) Stop on the street by Bertrude's childhood home. It is not available for tours, so all we can do is look at it. 4) Tour the Justus Wellington "Wink" Seely house, built in 1889, of red brick. This is optional. The house was completely remodeled in 1947 and modernized. 5) Go to the cemetery. Locate the graves of the ancestors: Orange Seely and wife Hanna; Orange Seely Jr. and wife Elizabeth; two sons who died as infants; Mable and Jim Hayward and infant daughter; Angeline and Lew Hayward; David Seely; little Cleo, who died when she was 7; and Lee Seely. And others, of their children and grandchildren. Great-great-grandmother, Maren Anderson, is also buried in Castle Dale. 6) Visit the "school" where Bertrude first attended elementary school, also known as the Court Saloon (because it was next to the old court house - which was later replaced by a residence); later known as Dr. Nixon's office and home; and, later still, as Dr. Turman's office and home. 7) Visit the Pioneer Museum, upstairs in the school house where Bertrude and Bertha attended through 8th grade, and Bertrude later taught 4th grade in 1921-22. 8) Visit the Museum of the San Rafael (museum of natural history). Those who didn't attend the Pageant on Friday night will want to see it on Saturday. And lots of folks will attend BOTH nights! Stay overnight and attend Church in Castle Dale at 9 a.m. or 11 a.m. to meet for family cookout in Sandy [contact person: Narvol Hanson, Sandy, Utah] will meet in Castle Dale, Utah, to attend Castle Valley Pageant, August 5-7 [contact person: Judy Downey, (919)562-6904] |
will meet in Castle Dale, Utah, August 6 9 to 10 a.m. Assemble at Stewart's (grocery store) parking lot, on the east end of Castle Dale's Main Street, to register and get in the County Fair Parade line-up. Those who want to just watch, come early enough to register and then find a place to sit in the shade and watch the parade. [Contact person: Montell (435) 381-2195] 10 to 11 a.m. Parade: We'll have our covered wagons and handcarts. Our people need to be dressed in pioneer clothes if they walk with the handcarts or ride in a wagon. After the parade, our wagon train and handcarts will continue on up the road and go to the farm, a distance of about 1 2 miles. We'll take a shortcut and go up the creek bottom. There is no road in the creek bottom, but that's no matter-with teams and wagons, we'll just make our own road. This might be "the mostest funnest" part of the day! We'll go to the old farmhouse, which is down near the creek bottom. Grandpa Wink built this farmhouse in 1881. That means it's one of the earliest buildings in the County, at 124 years old. 11-1 p.m. After arrival at the farm, we'll have a bite to eat. 1 p.m. - ? We'll have games and a variety of "outdoor" activities for every age group. Come in clothes and shoes that can get dirty. Oh yes, and wear a hat! Maybe bring an umbrella! No shorts, tank tops, sandals or other "city-fied" apparel. You're gonna be on the farm! We'll divide up into groups and go on a tour of places of historical family significance. (1) The location of the original dugout that Wink and Orange built in 1875. (2) The section corner marker from which Grandpa Wink staked out his homestead claim of 160 acres in May of 1877. (3) The location of the bowery where the first settlers held their church services and where the Stake Conference was held when the Apostles Erastus Snow and Brigham Young Jr. divided the Sanpete Stake and created the Emery Stake and designated the lower settlement to be called Castle Dale and the upper settlement to be called Orangeville, after Orange Seely. And where the first elections were held, in which Justus Wellington Seely was elected as one of three Selectmen-now called County Commissioners. . . . Then we'll walk: (4) to Boulden Wash, to the location where Grandmother Anna had the buggy accident that proved fatal; (5) to the location where Grandpa Wink and his partners built the Twin Cities Creamery; (6) to the location where Will accidentally shot his cousin, Marion, with a .22 rifle. The shot was not fatal, but Marion carried the chunk of lead under his skin, near his right ear, the rest of his life. The Castle Valley Pageant will be going on, so you can come on Friday and see the Pageant-or see it on Saturday as the climax to the reunion. [The Pageant will be produced eight nights: July 28,29,30, and August 2,3,4,5,6.] Local motels (1) Village Inn in Castle Dale (435) 381-2309; 2) Village Inn in Huntington (10 miles north) (435) 687-9888; (3) Gilly's Inn in Ferron (10 miles south) (435) 384-3333. In Price (30 miles north) (4) Best Western Carriage House Inn (435) 637-5660; (5) Greenwell Inn Toll Free 800-666-3520; (6) National 9 Inn (435) 637-7000. |
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Anniversary in North America The Seeley Genealogical Society will hold its next International Seeley Reunion in Abilene, KS from 14 to 18 September 2005. Founded in 1965 in Denver, Colorado, by the Rev. Garner Osborn, the Society numbers nearly 400 members from the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Argentina. The theme of the 2005 Reunion is The Seeley Family as Pioneers. We believe immigrant Robert Seeley (1602-1667) was the first member of our family to arrive in the New World. A Puritan and cordwainer (worker of leather), he and his family arrived in Salem, MA, with the Winthrop Fleet on about 12 June 1630. The Seeley Family is also celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Seelye Mansion at 1105 North Buckeye in Abilene, KS. The current owner, Terry Tietjens or a member of his staff, will give mansion tours and tours of the museum where Dr. A.B. Seelye developed and produced medicines for families of the Midwest around the turn of the century (1900). Terry and SGS have established a Seelye Research Center on the mansion grounds where family documents are preserved. The Reunion program includes local tours (e.g., The President Dwight D. Eisenhower Center) and educational presentations on family history and genealogy by both members and professional genealogists. A business meeting will be conducted on Saturday 17 September 2005 where new officers will be elected and the site of the next Reunion in 2007 will be selected. All Seeley (spelled a variety of ways) family members and interested researchers are invited to attend. [ Registration fee is $12 per person, + lunches @ $7-$7.50 each and dinners, Thursday @ $12 each; Friday @ $17 each; Saturday @ $18 each; Abilene Trolley Tour @$3 each; and souvenir book @ $25 each.] Please pre-register and pay ahead for lunches, dinners and Trolley Tour. Registration form at <www.Seeley-Society.net> For more information on the Reunion or SGS membership, contact SGS President, James R. Seeley at jrseeley@aol.com or jrseeley@adelphia.net. To read articles of interest in the SGS Newsletter, and to download a membership application form, visit our website at http://www.seeley-society.net. The 11th International Reunion of the Seeley Genealogical Society, September 14-18, 2005, will be "an enormously good time" for all who attend. There will be a number of speakers, presentations, and opportunities to exchange information as part of the schedule of events. But why come to an SGS Reunion? For Kathie Olsen, who has attended numerous SGS Reunions, and plans to attend this one, the answer is simple. "It's just plain fun!" she said. "There is something so special about being together with people who are somehow connected to you-even if the connection is distant. It is an opportunity to meet people you haven't met before |
and learn things you haven't learned before," she continued. "The reunion organizers always work hard to provide a worthwhile schedule of activities, and besides that the company is good, and so is the food!" she said. Ruthetta Hansen has also attended SGS Reunions in the past. "Every reunion is a once in a lifetime event," said Hansen. "It's not just any reunion, because of the quality of the events, the genuine spirit of fellowship, the attention to detail, and the over-all air of excitement and friendship prevalent throughout the reunion. All the SGS committees are working for you, so learning is an important part of our reunion, along with excellent speakers that provide us with useful information." In addition to all that, there's also plenty to see and do while visiting Abilene, such as the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, the Great Plains Theatre Festival, and you can feed that sweet tooth at the Russell Stover Candies factory outlet. So mark your calendar now for Sept. 14-18, 2005, and we'll see you in the country's heartland - Abilene, Kansas - at the the reunion. Reunion Presentations Planned - The following presentations are planned during the SGS Reunion Sept. 14-18, 2005. See the overall reunion agenda on page 8 for more details. Our Guest Speaker is Mary Jane McIntire form Salina, Kansas. She will give a presentation on Friday afternoon and an after-dinner presentation on Friday evening. The reunion schedule is filling up. However, if you would like to give a presentation, contact Jim Seeley as soon as possible at jrseeley@adelphia.net. |
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Our cousin, Ona Earl, who, along with her husband and son, was seriously injured in an auto accident last August 7 on her way to the Family Conference, is keeping us informed on her family's recovery since that time. McGill, Nevada April 14, 2005 Dear Montell and Kathryn, We received your Legacy of Love. We really enjoyed it. I hope Kenny [my son] and I can make it to the reunion this year. Kenny is doing quite well. He still has to use a cane. His color is good now, and he has gained back some of the weight he lost. I still have quite a few problems, but I guess it will take time. It has been eight months since the accident. My husband, Jesse, is still in the care center in West Jordan. He can't walk by himself yet. He is having therapy five days [each week] and can walk with a walker and two of them helping to hold him up. He still doesn't know where he is or what happened. We go in to see him when we can. With the price of gas now, it probably won't be as often. . . . Hope to see you this summer. Ona. TO A GREAT CAUSE! by Kathryn Seely Unfortunately, we live in a world where we have to pay for goods and services.. Every year we ask you to support the JAS Family Organization by contributing just $10 per family. It's a Bargain! Your dues help to keep our organization running smoothly and efficiently. Thanks for your help. If we didn't have some faithful dues payers, we could not function. In addition, your organization would gladly accept tax-deductible donations. Thanks for your support. You may want to pay during registration at the upcoming Family Conference in Mt. Pleasant, on June 25th. Or, do it right now-by mail! If you can't be with us on the 25th, please send dues and donations to: Charles Astle, 620 East 3990 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107 Please, rather than writing your check to an individual, make check payable to JASFO. Charles is an A-1 Treasurer. Did you know that before retirement, he was business manager for Latham and Watkins--one of the largest law firms (more than 300 lawyers) in California, and one of the most prestigious in the US? |
Evelyn and Lyman Moody Evelyn [Oaks] is the daughter of Stella Harris Oaks, daughter of Chasty Olsen Harris, who is the daughter of Hannah Seely Olsen, who is the daughter of Orange Seely, son of Justus Wellington Seely I, son of Justus Azel Seelye. So that makes Evelyn a great-great-great-great granddaughter to Justus Azel and Hettie. Evelyn Moody served as President of JASFO for a number of years. Then she asked to be released because she and her husband Lyman had accepted a call to serve a 2-year mission in Madrid, Spain. Last year they returned. During their time at home, they decided to sell their large, lovely home on Old Willow Lane in Provo and buy a smaller, more modest house on a small lot. With less home maintenance and yard care, they could devote more time to the Lord's work. After a year at home, now they have embarked on a second mission. Lyman is a medical doctor who helps with the medical problems that arise in the missions. Frankfurt,Germany May 20, 2005 The Moody's are on the ground and running, literally. The last two mornings Lyman has jogged the five or so miles to downtown Frankfurt. As he stood on a bridge over the river Mein, he reminisced about the one day he spent in this city, which was the day he was released from his mission in 1960. Now he is back to spend at least 18 months and he is ecstatic. We are very comfortably located in an apartment on the ground floor with windows that look out across two narrow parking lots to the Europe Central Area Office building with an attractive chapel attached. We've been here since May 7. Our mission to Europe Central Area will be to do basically the same work we did in Madrid, but it will also be very different because there is no MTC here. Here we are at the hub of all that is going on in the Church in this Area as well as, to some extent, all that is going on in the whole of Europe. Elder L. Tom Perry is the Area President with Elder Hafen and Elder Zwick as his counselors, and we see them frequently, at least to exchange greetings across the parking lot. Most of the time Lyman is on the phone with mission presidents, their wives, and missionaries diagnosing and treating at a distance, reassuring them that they are going to live. So much of his interaction with these young people is a nurturing function, to rather fill in for the mothers they are missing (but they would never admit it)! As for me, like it was in Madrid, it is up to me to discover through prayer and probing where my talents and skills can best be utilized. I am in the process of doing that. A part of our responsibility caring for the health of the missionaries includes some light office work keeping records and I can manage that. This afternoon we plan to make our second trip to the Temple since we arrived here, a distance of about 15 miles. A large part of the joy that we feel in serving a mission is found in our association with other missionaries, both young and Senior. All are trying to do their very best, which best is enhanced by the Spirit. The joy of serving a mission is rarely duplicated in this life. Love and best wishes, Evelyn |
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by Montell Seely Kathryn and I had been to Torrey to speak to a group of Institute students from College of Eastern Utah in Price. We spoke to them about the San Juan Mission experience of 1879-80. The next morning they had planned to drive to Dancehall Rock, some 40 miles out on the Escalante Desert, and have lunch-and I was going to call some square dancing, so they could experience some old-style dancing at said place. But the weather turned out to be rainy, and they changed their plan because the road from Escalante to Dancehall Rock is a dirt road; getting mired in the mud after all the rainstorms was not their idea of fun-so they changed their plans. As an alternative, they asked me to speak again and tell them some of our experiences when we went along the San Juan Mission Trail back in 1998. I told them about our broken axle-and how we managed to fix it out in the wilderness, by cutting down a cedar tree with our pocket knives! I told them about the rainstorm we had "prayed against," and how the rain had provided us with drinking water; how we drank rain water out of "tanks" (potholes in the slick rock)-and why we called it "bug water." The Institute group went on its way, and Kathryn and I headed for home at about 9 a.m.. The change in plan was a great blessing to us, for now we could get back home and still put in a day's work-whereas, if we had gone to Dancehall Rock, it would have been late in the day before we arrived home--plus, we might have missed the Frenchmen. . . . We were going over Hogan's Pass when we passed two young men on bicycles going up the road. I pulled over so I could talk to them. They are from France, but they speak broken English. Their names are Florian and Pascal. They have a goal to ride their bicycles from Mexico to Alaska, and it will take them a year to do it. They have been on the road four months. I asked, "Where are you planning to stay tonight?" They said, "We're headed to Castle Dale." I said, "What a coincidence-that's where we live." I gave them my calling card, which is a bank deposit slip with our names and address imprinted on it. I invited them to come to our house, and told them we'd feed them a home-cooked meal and have them stay with us overnight. We drove on home. I put on my work clothes and went to the farm. I took care of the irrigating. At about 6 o'clock Florian and Pascal arrived. Mark had just come home from work. We had a short visit, and then I explained that we had to dock our lambs, and I told |
them what happens when we dock lambs. [The "censoring committee" wouldn't let me tell how I castrate the lambs. She's kinda Victorian.] I showed the French boys how to do it and then asked,
"Do you want to try it?" They both said, "yes." It was memorable for them-they had never before heard of such things. They each had one of these new digital cameras, that will do everything except brush yer teeth, so while one was doing the job the other one took his picture. (When they get home and they're showing their pictures to friends, which photos do you think will be the most unique?)
Then we fixed supper-and had a good visit while we ate. We explained about Utah and about the Church and how Brigham Young had led his people here so they could escape persecution. In the process we told a brief history of the Church, including the Joseph Smith story. I asked if they had ever heard of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They answered no. I asked if they had heard of the Mormon Church. They answered yes-that when they were in Escalante they met some people who said they were Mormons. They said, "We didn't know what that meant-'we are Mormons.'" Then they asked us-Mark and me-to explain, so between the two of us, we did. In the process of this we told about the church members being persecuted and driven out of New York and Ohio, and Missouri, and finally Nauvoo, Illinois; and then to Salt Lake City; and then we told briefly about our handcart treks from Nauvoo to Council Bluffs in 1996 and our trek from there to Salt Lake in 1997. This further helped them comprehend the history of the Church. Florian and Pascal thanked us for helping them understand about who the Mormons are. They had been perplexed when they had met people in southern Utah who said, "We are Mormons." . . . We bedded down for the night. I got up at 6 a.m., went to the farm, tended the water, then came home. Kathryn fixed breakfast for Pascal, Florian and me. We had more good visiting. I wrote a note to them, asking them to write a brief autobiography in my journal. Here's what I wrote: "I would like you to each write a brief history of yourself, such as name; birthdate; where born; how much education; occupation; religion; where this current bicycle ride began and will end; and anything else you want to add. Someday I want you to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Write down a permanent address where we can write to you. Thank you sincerely for writing this for me." Pascal wrote: "I am PascaL SERGE', and I was born the M/14/1977 in Poissy close to Paris in France. I studied until 23 years old to become |
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mechanical engineer. Next, I worked 3-4 years in an office of naval architecture in South of France, in Marseille. I don't like big cities. I prefer to live in country. I like outdoor sports; mountain bike, climbing (bouldering), running . . . I have not religion. I think the best thing is help someone if he needs. About our bike trip, we began at Cancun (Mexico), we crossed Beliz and Guatemala and all Mexico. From Cancun to here we did about 4000 miles. Now we have the same thing to do until Alaska. I don't know if someday I want to become a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. SERGE' Pascal, 10 rue du Coteau, 42251 St Pierre de Boeuf, FRANCE"
Florian wrote: "My name is Florian FONTAN. I was born in Lyon the 3/7/79. Actually, I have a formation of technician in water, but I will probably change to become a carpenter. I worked 3 years after my studies, in a private office in the Alpes. But I stopped my job to make this trip by bicycle. I decided to ride a bicycle for one year because I wanted to live a more simple life. We can travel very cheap and meet a lot of different persons from different countries. In fact, I don't have any religion. I just like to live with the nature, protect her, help someone when he need - I think that I don't need a religion to use my earth and my head. "Our trip began in Cancun, Mexico, and will stop on the top of Alaska (if the weather is with us). If we made a good calculation, we can travel with the sun and the summer in all our trip. Sometimes it's very hard, sometimes so beautiful; it's one of the best life's school I think. And it's so good to meet some people like you. Now, we have to do the same things and have the same hospitality that you had for us. Thank you so much! FONTAN Florian, Les platanes, 69 310 St Niyier FRANCE" Then they bade us farewell and headed up the road. Will I ever see them again? I hope to someday receive a letter from them-announcing that they have been baptized. Side note: I don't go around telling everyone I meet that I want them to join the Church, but when I'm prompted by the Spirit to do it, I'm not afraid to do it! DECEASED LOVED ONES Editor's note: We are passing along the news of the deaths of some of our beloved "cousins." Any time we receive a notice of one who has passed away, we will include it in a Newsletter; we welcome such notices. Please give us the benefit of your thoughts. And by all means, if we need to honor someone, please write up the tribute and |
send it along to us. We'll be glad to publish all the news. Please keep us informed. [We might need to edit the stories in order to make them fit into the available space.]
Reta Jones Christensen passed away 9 August 2004 in Shelley, Idaho, at age 99. Reta was born 5 July 1905 in Price, Utah, a daughter of Lottie (Charlotte) Sybil Seely and Joseph Jones. She grew up in Price and graduated from Carbon County High in May 1924. She remembered happy summertime visits to her grandparents, Don Carlos Seely and Hannah E. Reynolds Seely, in Castle Dale. In September 1926 Reta began her Nurses' Training in the Idaho Falls LDS Hospital. She graduated as an RN in September 1929. In Idaho Falls she met her future husband, Leland Christensen. They were sealed together 25 September 1929. They became parents of nine children, five boys and four girls. Two of the boys died at birth. They raised their family in the small community of Goshen, Idaho, near Firth. Reta worked for many years as a nurse at the Idaho Falls LDS Hospital. She and her husband also worked for many years as officiators at the Idaho Falls Temple. She and Leland marked their 50th wedding anniversary in September 1979, by gathering all their living children and their spouses for an endowment session at the Idaho Falls Temple. That was followed by a family dinner and open house at the Goshen Ward Cultural Hall. Her companion, Leland, preceded her in death some years ago, and Reta had continued her temple work and her pursuit of family history records as a widow. Reta's son, Raymond Grant Christensen, preceded her in death last year. He died 23 February 2004, of cancer. Her surviving children are: Elwood J (JoAnn) Christensen; Richard L (Jan) Christensen; Elaine (Wayne) Merrill; Marilyn (Ned) Crofts; Shirley Rae (Carlyle) Bowers; and Bonnie Lou (William) Gorney. [Reta's lineage is Charlotte Sybil Seely Jones, Don Carlos Seely, Justus Wellington Seely I, Justus Azel Seelye.] John "Jack" Leonard Little, husband of our faithful member, Dian Wilcox Little, completed his earthly journey on March 21, 2005. Jack was born February 28th, 1923 in Seattle to Leonard and Agnes Larson Little. In 1934 the family opened a Richfield service station in the area, providing automotive and truck repair until 1984. He joined the Naval Reserves in 1940 and was activated before the outbreak of the war. He served in the Pacific on the Winged Arrow a troop transport ship, with landings at Saipan, Tinian, Leyte Gulf, and Iwo Jima. During the last several years he was president of their ship's retirement group. |
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After the war he returned home to the family business. Later he returned to the Naval Reserve at the submarine base located on Lake Union, finally retiring in 1974. He was a manager for the Thunderbird's Drum and Bugle Corp. He enjoyed boating on his retired tug boats and moved to Anacortes after retirement. He was a member of the Anacortes Chapter of Kiwanis Sunrisers acting as the leader of the Anacortes Low Vision Support group. When his health began to decline he moved back to Shoreline, near where he grew up.
He was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving in a variety of positions including Bishop of the University Second Ward. Jack is survived by his wife Dian, son John Patrick (Margaret) and step-son Richard Samp (Pamela). Grandchildren, Nathaniel Little and Amy Little, Robert McGowen, Laurie Siegrist (Tom), Stacey (Joe) Cannizzaro. Also Kristopher, Elizabeth and Theron Samp. Four great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his daughter Cindy, parents and brother Clint Little, and his former wife Margaret (Jan) German. Services were held March 28, 2005, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Shoreline. Dian's son, Richard Samp, wrote a very nice tribute to Jack-that should be included here: "As many of you know, my Step Father, Jack Little, has been ill for some time. This morning, March 21, at 5:30 AM he finished his journey here on earth. My mother and I were with him, and his passing was peaceful. My mother, who has demonstrated the highest level of commitment to him, has cared for him for several years on an ever increasing level. I have been blessed to have been able to spend the last week or so with her, to help her. Jack and my mother were married when I was 9 years old, and he decided to take on the task of raising another son. As I have gotten to know my step brother, I have found that Jack gave me every thing he had to give. Jack grew up in Seattle and went into the navy just before the US became involved in WWII. He came home from the war and raised a family. In 1970 he and my mother were married. In 1973 he joined the church and eventually became the Bishop of the Seattle University Second ward, a single adult ward, which became his third family. Of all the uniforms he wore in life, Naval, Mechanic, Suit (church service), Santa's (after his belly got big enough), his scout uniform was to me the most important. In that uniform he found a way to pass on life's instructions to me through someone I would listen to." [Dian's lineage is: Theron Jack Wilcox, John Carlos Wilcox, Mary Young Wilcox, Elizabeth S.Young, J. A. Seelye.] Leith M. Seely, 1919 ~ 2005, passed away May 14, 2005 in Salt Lake City. Born October 9, 1919 in Castle Dale, Utah, the son of Levi Earl and Willmertha Moore Seely. Married Verna Beth Christensen April 1, 1950 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. They adopted two daughters, Barbara Ann and JoAnn Allison. His wife, Beth, preceded him in death January 26, 2002. |
He was in the CCC for six months; worked as a coal miner another six months; and served in the US Air Force for 3 years during World War II, with action mostly overseas in Australia, New Guinea, the Philippines, and Okinawa.
He earned a BS degree in engineering at Utah State University. He worked as a union carpenter and built two homes in his spare time. Leith was an active member of the LDS Church, serving in many capacities. He and Verna served a building mission for the church in Cambridge, England, and Portadown, Ireland He worked for the State of Utah, as resident Building Inspector at the U of U, and later for the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation as Project Estimator, then Landscape Architect, and finally Parks Planner. He was a Boy Scout leader for more than twenty years, as committeeman, Cub Master, Assistant Scoutmaster, and simply "the guy with the pickup"! During retirement years, Leith and his wife had memorable travel experiences with cousins, Cloyd and Zada Seeley, when they went to British Columbia, Canada, and later to Australia. Survivors, daughters, Barbara Seely and JoAnn Lopez; grandchildren, Erinn (Shannon) Sorge, Jason Sorge, Jeffon Seely, Alyse (Denver) Dillon, and Justina Lopez; great-grandchildren, Stephanie, Mia, and Jaimon Sorge, Genesis Dillon; brother, Elvin A. (Edna) Seely. He was also preceded in death by parents; brothers: Drannan and Levi "E"; and sisters: Sybil Young (Porter) and Vernell Worthen Boulter. Funeral services Thursday, May 19, 2005, 1 p.m., East Millcreek 15th Ward, 3750 So., Hillside Lane, Salt Lake City. Interment, Larkin Sunset Gardens. [Leith's lineage: Levi Earl Seely, Don Carlos Seely, Justus Wellington Seely I, J.A. Seelye] by Montell Great balls of fire! Once in a while you stumble onto a great piece of writing, and it's just what you need. That's what happened to me this morning, and I'm gonna share it with you, but first read my side note: I had on my mind "Trusts," so I was thumbing through a bunch of folders under that topic and came upon a folder which said, "Letter/send your story/1984" The folder had been mis-filed in "Trusts." This particular letter came under the heading of family alright; and Trusts come under the heading of family*, but they're not the same. However, a family Trust and a family history are sure enough related. Which one is the most important? That's a rhetorical question, because both are of vital importance. If you truly love your family and you have your "ducks in a row" (priorities set right), you'll have both. Do you realize that there are people who religiously go fishin', and golfin', and thumb-twiddlin', who have neither? Heaven forbid that anyone who is readin' this newsletter is in that golf cart. |
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Anyway, now read the letter that I sent to "your parents and grandparents" back in 1984, when Volume I was our goal! I've bold-printed the changes I had to make to update the requirements for the NEW Volume III.
[Quote:] Dear _____. We are in the process of writing a portion of your history-that portion that involves your Seely line. This history will begin with your first Seely ancestor, Robert, who came to America in 1630, and will end with you. It will cover each of your Seely ancestors in between-providing you do your part. The book will have three sections: (a) Main history; (b) Branch line histories; and (c) Living family histories. (a) Main history: This section will include a history of the following ancestors: (1) Robert; (2) Nathaniel; (3) Benjamin; (4) John; (5) Joseph; (6) Justus; (7) Justus Azel; (8) Elizabeth Seely Young, William Stewart Seely, Justus Wellington Seely I and David Seely. (b) Branch line histories: This section will include histories of all the deceased descendants of Justus Azel Seelye. The living descendants and relatives of these persons will be responsible to buy the number of pages required to accommodate the material they write. Example: My father, Karl A. Seely, and my brother, Thomas H. Seely, have both passed away. My mother, my brothers and sisters, and I will each make contributions and compile their histories. And we will go together and buy enough pages to accommodate what we write. My grandfather is Justus Wellington Seely II, deceased. All of his descendants will be invited to make contributions to his history and will also be asked to make cash contributions so that enough pages can be purchased to accommodate what is written. The same will hold true with my grandmother's history. (C) Living family histories: Each living family unit will be given, free of charge, space for an 800-word story and one photo. Extra space can be purchased at the rate of 30 cents per word. Each living family unit will write their own history. Each married couple and their children living at home (including missionaries and college students,) is a family unit. A single person who has his/her own living quarters is considered a separate unit. If each living family unit includes its history, and then if the living descendants of all deceased persons will write these histories, and if these are all included with the history of our previously-named ancestors, then this will be a remarkably complete and comprehensive history of our Seely family. This will be a once-in-a-lifetime book, and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to get your family history all the way back to Robert, all under one cover. If you miss this opportunity, you will kick yourself for the rest of your life. This is what you should do: (1) Write your own living family history NOW, and send it in. (800 words are free; 30 cents each for extra words; do not count single-letter words like I and a; include one photo if you choose; your story |
must be typed and double-spaced. IBM-compatible computer, please-WordPerfect or Microsoft Word. If you send it on email or disc, we will not have to retype it.)
(2) Order a book. The book will be hard back, approximately 600-800 pages, 8 ˝ x 11" in size. It will have lots of photos and illustrations, and an index. It will be a limited edition, a family heirloom and a treasure. No other family history book in existence will compare with the quality and contents of this one. It will cost $50 for those who submit their story and send in their order and money before December 31, 2005. After that date, it will cost $60. All monies received will be deposited in a Seely History Book savings account, where it will earn interest, which in turn will be used to help pay the cost of the book. We have to know how many living family stories to allow for and how many books to have printed (We will print only the number that are paid for in advance) before we can determine how much to charge per page for the Branch line histories. We published a history of Emery County using the above system, so we know it works. We guarantee that you will not lose. The secret of the success of this project is that you do it now! (3) Get involved in writing the Branch line histories. More time will be allowed for writing Branch line histories, since they will require more research and more people will be involved. These histories will be called for sometime next year-before the end of 2006. Each family is free to write their own Branch histories any way they choose. Suggestion: (1) Get together and appoint a committee and a chairman. (2) Give everyone in the family the assignment to write a history of the person in question, or at least make contributions to the history. Then have the committee compile and condense, if necessary, the material into its final form. Keep in your family records a copy of all original contributions. This will give you a wealth of information on the person in question. The Savior said to the woman at the well, If you drink this water, you will thirst again, but if you drink of the water I will give, you will never thirst again. With this in mind, I say, If you take $50 to the grocery store and buy bread, milk, eggs, and potatoes, in a few days your investment will be gone and you will have to go again. But if you spend $50 on a copy of this book, it will increase in value every day of your life and on into the Millennium. [End of quotation] So, what do you think? We sent that letter-plus a few additional prodding letters, and finally we compiled Seely History Volume I, in 1988. A bunch of years went by, and we published Volume II in 1996. Now it's been nine years, and we are going to launch into Seely History Volume III. It will be a long, hard journey, but definitely worth it! Did you "read the fine print"? Did you notice that you're being offered something for FREE? You have an opportunity to see your life story and photo published in a hardbound book-at no cost. Of course, you'll want to have your own copy. There's ample time fo save your loose change and get your order in for a book that you will treasure forever! |
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by Montell Our families should become organized; and each family organization should carry out specific functions. I would like to see a family organization at every generation level. I DO NOT mean a family reunion being held for every generation level. In my way of thinking a family organization and a family reunion are two separate items. Sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably, but in this epistle they are separate items. A family organization may choose to hold a reunion-or they may choose to have some other type of gathering, such as a seminar, or ancestor's birthday dinner, or a commemorative trek-or the officers just meet and make plans, etc. I would like to see an organization for the James and Elizabeth Seely Young family. We should have an organization for the William Stewart Seely family, and another organization for the JW Seely family. Remember, these organizations do not replace our JASFO. They are enhancements and refinements of the parent organization. They can be so beneficial in accumulating materials for the forthcoming Volume III of Seely History. We need an organization for each of the families on the next generation level. This would be the level of Moroni, Mary Young Wilcox, Orange, Sarah, Don Carlos . . . J. Wellington II . . . John Henry, Joseph, etc. And likewise, on the next levels, we need organizations for their children and grandchildren, and so forth. There should be a family organization. The officers hold meetings. Their objectives are many, and I'll list some: 1) See to the writing of detailed histories of ancestors. 2) Promote family gatherings on each level. 3) Encourage each one to be active in family organizations. 4) Encourage the descendants to write family histories, and journals, and communication letters as appropriate. 5) Promote genealogical research and temple attendance. 6) When the officers feel it will be beneficial to their cause, they can hold a family reunion where their roots are. The key is that they have an organization. If there are people in a formal organization, they will be guided by the spirit to know what they should do. When there are multiple organizations, then there are many people holding offices. Most of the time, if a person holds an office, he/she will do something. With more people doing something,, more family history work is being accomplished-and more hearts being turned to each other. |
JASFO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
Visit our Wesite: JASFO.org Castle Dale Pageant Dates for 2005: July 28, 29, 30; August 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 |
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