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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 XV | September 2004 | Number 3 |
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President's Message:
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We had pre-planned for everyone to wear a yellow bandana, so we had ordered them by the hundreds. But right away our supply of yellow bandanas "sold out." We should have ordered twice as many of those!
Inasmuch as the Emery County Fair parade was held that day, and I always have some covered wagons in the parade representing the Castle Valley Pageant, I invited our family members to dress in pioneer costumes and participate in the parade with us; and rather than just walk along with the covered wagons, I gave them the option to pull handcarts. Families who pulled handcarts were the children and grandchildren of LaVerna Tanner of Sandy; her sister, Mary Eldredge of Sandy; and their sister, Nita Workman of Layton. Also Toots Brundage of Ogden, Karl Weiler of Fresno, CA, and David Seeley's group from Las Vegas. The folks who pulled handcarts in the parade had a great time. Lowry Seely and family members (from Moab and LaSal) brought their horses and rode horseback in the parade. The two covered wagons were driven by Henry Seely and Glen Jensen from Castle Dale. Many of our JASFO members enjoyed watching the smalltown parade. Then the folks enjoyed a light brunch at the Stake Center before going to the cemetery, where we enjoyed getting acquainted with some of our relatives who were early settlers in Castle Dale. The presenters were all dressed in period costumes and introduced themselves in first person. Each gave a short narrative and answered questions. Arthur and Shannon Olsen, of Castle Dale, portrayed Arthur's ancestor, Orange Seely, and his wife Hanna. |
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Brock Seeley, of Springville, and his cousin, Melanie Braathen, from Everett, Washington, were proxies for their ancestors, Don Carlos and Hannah Elizabeth (Lizzie) Seely.
Jerry Jeffs, of Castle Dale, and Enid Cox, who lives in Salt Lake City, descendants of James Arthur and Lucinda Seely Jeffs, told of "their" experiences in Castle Valley. Mark Seely, of Castle Dale, and his sister, LeAnne Seely, of Provo, portrayed JW "Wink" Seely and his wife Anna Eliza. Their cousin, Mary Otterstrom Danzig, who lives in Levan, took the part of her great-grandmother, Wink's second wife, Mary Jorgensen Seely. Following our visit at the cemetery, we had the home tours, with guides at each home. Arthur Olsen, of Castle Dale, was host at the home of Orange and Hanna Seely, his ancestors. Tracy and Sandra Jeffs, of Castle Dale, showed their home place, featuring the homesite of James Arthur and Lucinda Jeffs, including the old blacksmith shop, the original silo (the first one built in Emery County!), and other improvements dating back to the early days. Craig Otterstrom, who lives in Salt Lake, hosted the tour at the JW "Wink" Seely home, where he grew up. Just a block to the east, Maxine Newman, of Salt Lake City, and Dianne Higgins, from Las Vegas, who are descendants of Don Carlos and Lizzie Seely, told about the homesite where Maxine's father, Azel Ward Seely (Dianne's grandfather) was raised. Montell and Kathryn Seely, and son Mark, of Castle Dale, hosted at their rustic and unique home and showed the old-fashioned waterwheel built by Montell and Mark. Next, we met at the Castle Dale City Park for our JASFO Lamb Fry, complete with scones and honey butter, coleslaw, corn on the cob, drinks, and melons from Green River. Ray and Carolyn Jorgensen, Ann and Gale Jorgensen, Don and Mary Ann Jorgensen, and John Jorgensen, all from Castle Dale, prepared, cooked and served the lamb. Karl Weiler and Thom Wilcox and wives, from Fresno, California; Karl's sisters Charmaine Matthews from Helper and Toots Brundage from Ogden, and Charmaine's daughter, Katheryn Taylor from Payson, prepared and served the scones and the corn. They all were wonderful cooks! It was a first-rate dinner. Thanks to all who helped. We had many helpers who are not named here. Thanks for helping with setting up chairs and tables and for helping with serving and clean-up. Then we went to the Pioneer Village and the Castle Valley Pageant. It was a beautiful, calm evening for the 2004 final performance. The JASFO members enjoyed participating in the activities, and experiencing the Pageant. "You don't just attend this Pageant. You have a Pageant experience." |
A freak accident at about 9 a.m. prevented Ona Ekelund Earl and her husband Jesse and son Kenneth from attending our 2004 Seely Family Conference on August 7th. They were within two miles of Castle Dale when it happened. If you don't know Ona Earl, you have missed knowing one of the finest persons who has walked this earth, in my opinion. She is a great lady. I'm not the one who will be tellin' people where to sit in the Celestial Kingdom, but if I were, I'd have Ona sittin' on the front row. Ona, Jesse and Kenneth live in McGill, Nevada, and were on their way to Castle Dale. They stayed in Price Friday night, and Saturday morning were headed for Castle Dale, with Ona driving. She was in the right hand lane when they came to the Wilberg junction. This lane "peels you off" onto Highway 29, which goes to Orangeville. This caused Ona to conclude that she was on the wrong road and needed to turn around and go back to Highway 10. So she instinctively slowed down, looking for a place to turn around. As she approached the lane that leads into the Jack Jones farm, she signaled to make a left hand turn. Three cars had come up behind her. The first two slowed down. The driver of the third car, a woman from Orangeville, became impatient. She pulled out and accelerated in order to pass all three vehicles. Ona turned left. The Orangeville lady slammed on her brakes but could not stop. She crashed into the driver's side of Ona's car and hit it in the rear wheel area. The Earls were taken by ambulance to the Castleview Hospital in Price. Jesse was flown by helicopter to Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. Ona had a head injury that bled "like a stuck pig," saturating her blouse before the EMTs could stop it. (In the hospital they gave her three pints to replace the blood she had lost.) She also suffered a broken rib and multiple bruises. Ona's son, Kenneth, suffered a ruptured spleen and other bangs and bruises. Her husband Jesse, age 80, was thrown into the back seat and suffered multiple injuries and was knocked unconscious. At the time of this writing (August 26, 2004), Ona is almost back to normal and is staying with her son Mike and family in South Jordan. Kenneth is doing physical therapy at an extended care facility in Salt Lake. Jesse is out of intensive care and in stable condition at Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo. |
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Ona was not at fault. The Orangeville lady was at fault and was cited for reckless driving. She and two children who were traveling with her, had only minor injuries. Her insurance company will have to pay all the expenses of this whole ordeal.
But the accident "put the kibosh" to the Earl family's plans to attend the family conference. And they will have a long road to recovery ahead of them. They were innocent victims. (Life is not fair.) You might want to send a get-well greeting to Ona Earl, Box 936, McGill, NV 89318. I'm including Ona's lineage, so you can figure out how you are related to her: Justus Azel and Mehittabil Bennet Seelye JW Seely & Clarissa Jane Wilcox Orange Seely I & Hanna Olsson Orange Seely II & Elizabeth Christine Petrine Andersen Pearl Seely & Lester E. Ekelund Ona Ekelund Earl By the way, can you write from memory your lineage back to Justus Azel and Mehittabil? If not, I wish you'd get it memorized. Here's another "by the way": Some time after our red Seely book came out, I was talking to Elder Dallin Oaks, and he said something like this: "Before the Seely book was published, I very seldom had Seely relatives come up to me after a speaking assignment out in the world. But since the book came out, I seldom go on a speaking assignment where people don't come up to me and introduce themselves as Seely descendants. It pleases me when this happens. Sometimes they don't know their Seely lineage - only that they have a Seely ancestry." Now back to Ona. For as long as I can remember, Ona and Jesse and Kenneth have been attending our Seely conferences. Ona is an avid family history researcher. I'll close with this note from Ona dated February 27, 2004: "Dear Montell and Kathryn, Thanks for continuing the Legacy of Love. I really enjoy reading it and do so many times. I keep all of the issues. I took the one with the time line [Time Line of the Seelyes during the Nauvoo Era] to a DUP meeting. Everyone was interested in it. They said there were things that they didn't know about the early history of the Church. We are looking forward to the get-together in March. See you next month. Ona PS. Lester Stevens passed away Dec. 30, 2003." Editor's Note: The next article you are about to read tells about homesteading in Idaho. It was written by Alvin H. (Dick) Seeley, whose story you may read on p. 554 in Seely History Vol. II. I've made a chart here so that you can figure out your relationship to Dick: Justus Azel Seelye and Mehittabil Bennet JW. Seely & Clarissa Jane Wilcox Hyrum Seely & Mary Amelia Goldsbrough Alvin W. Seely & Martha Wightman Hyrum W. Seeley and Mildred Garver Alvin H. (Dick) Seeley & Jan Hill |
Last year, in August 2003, Kathryn and I took all of our children and grandchildren to Rexburg, Idaho, to commemorate our 40 years of marriage. Kathryn was born in Rexburg, and we were married 27 August 1963 in the Idaho Falls Temple.
It just happened that one of my sister Dorothy's sons, Joshua Barlow, from Bountiful, was marrying a girl from AshtonBCarly Egbert, and their reception was on August 15th at a beautiful outdoor location called Egbert Point, near Ashton. Well, naturally, since we were already in Rexburg, we decided to take the whole clan and drive up to the reception. While we were there, we met our cousin Dick Seeley. [We had not met before, but he is on our mailing list and always receives our newsletter.] When Dick told me about his grandfather homesteading in the Ashton area and that the original log cabin was still standing-well, I was chompin' at the bit to drive over and have a look. So Kathryn and I got in with Dick and his wife, Jan, and they took us over to the homestead. I was enthralled with the whole event. Shucks! I'd rather see a Seely homestead and the original buildings on it than-well, I'd just rate that #1 over all the other choices! Anyway, I asked Dick to write up an account of the homestead, and here it is: IN ASHTON, IDAHO by Alvin H. (Dick) Seeley Alvin Wellington Seeley was born March 16, 1885, at Indianola, Utah, the son of Hyrum and Mary Amelia Goldsbrough Seeley. He had six brothers and four sisters, being the seventh child in the family of eleven children. He spent his childhood days at home and attended grade school in Indianola in a one-room log schoolhouse, graduating from the eighth grade in Mt. Pleasant, Utah. He received no further formal education. Alvin worked at several different jobs throughout the area before he came to Idaho on February 19, 1906. He stayed with his sister, Sarah, and her husband Charlie Scow, who had previously moved to Ashton, Idaho, and filed on a homestead north of the Snake River. When he came to Ashton, there were only two buildingsBa livery stable and a "red light house." The main town was Marysville, a mile east of Ashton. There were no bridges across the Snake River to their property, so it had to be forded by horseback or by team and buggy. Since he liked the country around Ashton and Marysville, Alvin started to file on a homestead of 160 acres of rangeland on March 26, 1906. His homestead bordered on the homestead of his sister, Sarah, and her husband Charlie Scow. He started breaking up the ground so that it could be cultivated. His first crop was 20 acres of oats. At the same time, he worked at other jobs to make ends meet, and he was building a house on the homestead (as was required by law). Originally, it was a one-room, square log house, approximately 225 square feet. The house was finished in the summer of 1908, and Alvin moved his new wife, Martha Wightman, whom he had married January 8, 1908, to the homestead. At this time Fremont County covered a great deal of territory, and the General Land Office was located at Blackfoot, Idaho, approximately 75 miles away. It took several years to finalize the homestead filing, and when the county was divided and the county seat was relocated in St. Anthony, the deed was recorded at the courthouse on January 17, 1913. |
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During this time, along with developing the homestead, Alvin worked at other jobs some of the time to help provide for his family. He and his wife reared five children, all born in the log house that they moved into in 1908. The children were Clyde Wanda, Hyrum Wightman, Mildred Sovina, and twins Kathryne M. and Kenneth W. Alvin's wife, Martha, passed away August 7, 1921, from complications of giving birth to the twins.
The family continued to live on the homestead, and Alvin later married Minnie Garver, a widow who had two children, Mildred Irene and Dortha. Mildred later married Hyrum Wightman, her stepbrother. Alvin and Minnie later had two sons of their own, Harold Joseph and Raymond Earl, making a total of 9 children living at the homestead. Because of the severe winters, and because they lacked suitable transportation, Alvin would move to town in the winters and move back to the ranch in the spring. When Alvin and Minnie quit farming, their son Hyrum and Mildred and their family lived in this same house, until they retired in 1972 and moved to Ashton. They raised five children: Delma, born May 22, 1933; Mildred, born November 2, 1934; Alvin (Dick), born April 16, 1936; Arnold, born January 11, 1940' and Ernest, born May 4, 1947. The five children were all raised in this same house. The log house built in 1908 still stands today, and it is used as a storage building. [Hyrum, age 93, and Mildred, age 89, are still living in their home in Ashton.] Because of the additions to the family at different times, a kitchen and bedroom were added to the original log building. These two additions were constructed from sawed lumber rather than logs like the original part. Two separate non-attached additions (bunkhouses) were later pulled into use as bedrooms for Hyrum and Mildred's five children. One of these bunkhouses still remains. Electricity was not added to this home until 1956. The home never had running water or indoor plumbing, as water was carried from the creek and heated on the wood stove. The home is the same as it was many years ago, except for a tin roof that was put on after the family moved out. It was put on to preserve the building, as there are many fond memories associated with this homestead. |
Fond memories include the summers that the cousins would come and spend on the homestead. Great times were had roaming the foothills, playing games, and fishing in the two creeks flowing through the homestead. Today, family reunions are held periodically at the homestead, and they are well-attended by the descendants of Alvin Wellington Seeley. They look forward to coming home where their ancestors settled.
The farm now consists of 640 acres of farm and grazing ground. During the depression, the original 160 acres was foreclosed on and lost because of back taxes and expenses. My father (Hyrum W.) and grandfather (Alvin W.) bought back the original 160 acres, plus another 480 acres from the Union Pacific railroad and several insurance companies that had acquired the ground. In 1972, Hyrum and Mildred retired and moved to town. They sold the ground to their three sons, Alvin (Dick) Arnold, and Ernest. They own the ground today, and two of them have built homes and reside on the original homestead. Three generations of Seeleys have owned and lived on this ground since 1908. It is a wonderful place to be, and a special thank-you needs to be given to our forefathers for the burden they had to bear to give us what we have today. As referred to earlier, the home that was built 96 years ago (in 1908) still stands today as a memorial to Alvin Wellington Seeley and his pioneering in Idaho. It has been and is home to three generations of Seeleys. We hope it will always remain a "Seeley Home."
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[In 2002, on Hyrum and Mildred's 70th wedding anniversary, a local paper printed this article.]
to Ashton Couple by Don Sparhawk, staff writer On the northeast edge of Ashton live a humble couple who will quietly celebrate their 70th wedding anniversary Sunday. Like the simple and content lives they have lived, Hyrum and Mildred Seeley wanted absolutely no fanfare. In fact, their story is told at the insistence of their children, who believe their parents' good lives are worthy of being noted. They have been together day and night for most of their lives and today seldom leave each other's side. "My mother dotes over my dad 24 hours a day," says Dick Seeley, retired principal of North Fremont High School. "I have never heard them say a cross word to each other. If it happened, it happened away from me." Their relationship had a unique beginning that started in their childhood. Hyrum and Mildred were raised together as stepbrother and sister after Mildred's mother married Hyrum's father. Their parents had sadly lost their spouses. Hyrum and Mildred's longtime friendship turned to love, and they were married at the courthouse in Rexburg on December 22, 1932. They had five children: Delma White, Dick Seeley and Ernest Seeley, all of Ashton; Mildred Grieve, of Thermopolis, Wyoming; and Arnold Seeley, of Blackfoot. They also have 10 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. For many years the Seeley's farmed on the north side of the Henry's Fork west of US Highway 20. This was the original homestead of Hyrum's father, Alvin, and the land was flood irrigated with water from a nearby creek. Until the 1940s, when the first tractor was purchased, the work was done by horses. "It is a place where autumn created a picture that many artists have tried to duplicate as aspen and maple blend their changing colors with the pine, fir, and cedar on the mountainside that joins the ranch," they once wrote in a Seeley family history book. "It is also a place where spring brings the wild flowers and the bloom on the buck brush with a fragrance that is hard to describe." The farm was a good training ground for their children. "They taught us to work," Dick says. "When we did something, it was done right." Mildred always raised a big garden and canned the produce. "If the grocery stores had to depend on people like my folks," Dick said, "they'd go broke." Livestock provided the meat, and cows provided milk. |
Delma says they'd go to the store only to buy staples like salt, pepper, matches, and sugar.
For many years there was no electricity or running water at the farm. Water was fetched by bucket from Willow Creek that ran behind the house. "That creek was as pure as you'll ever find," Dick says. Light at night came from kerosene or gas lanterns, and food was cooked over a wood stove. "We were very independent and self-sufficient," Delma says. Even today Mildred continues to raise a garden and can produce, giving away much of her bounty to her friends and neighbors. "The Depression was tough on my folks," Delma says. "It left an impression on them. I've always said that's why they're so frugal." The Seeleys were well-educated parents and wanted the very best for their children. "Dad went one year to Utah State but didn't have the finances to continue. It was the Depression," Dick says. But his parents continued to be lifelong learners and readers. For many years before the road was plowed, they moved into Ashton during the winter months so the children could go to school. "We got good grades because it was demanded," Delma says. "We also would spell words by the hours." Even today, Mildred keeps a math book lying around the house and keeps herself sharp by doing math problems. "I would never have gotten through geometry if it hadn't been for my mother," Delma says. Today, Mildred continues to do traditional work like crochet and garden, and Hyrum loves his Western music. But they also keep up with the latest technology. For someone who lived without electricity for many years, Mildred loves her computer and keeps in constant touch with her grandchildren via email. She also reads the daily news off the Internet. Editor's note: Just as we were preparing the Newsletter, we heard from Kathryne Newcomb, a second-cousin of Dick and Delma, that Hyrum Seeley had passed away, at age 93. His funeral was held August 26, 2004, and burial was at Pineview in Ashton. Life has loveliness to sell, All beautiful and splendid things, Blue waves whitened on a cliff, Soaring fire that sways and sings, And children's faces looking up Holding wonder like a cup. -Sara Teasdale, "Love Songs" |
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UPGRADED! Did you know? WE have a website. And soon you may be reading your newsletter on the Internet instead of getting it in your mailbox! You'll want to check this out! Our own computer wizard, Thom Wilcox, has set this up for us. And it's so easy to go there: You should see it! He has photos of Justus Azel and Mehittabil, along with their birth and death dates; a copy of their family group sheet; and he is updating the site regularly, so that it always has a copy of the LATEST newsletter. There's a photo gallery; a listing of the executive council, and a guest book, where you can make comments and declare your relationship to the organization. Check it out! Notice: Would you like to read the Legacy of Love Newsletter on the website, and discontinue receiving it in the Snail Mail? If you would, we can discontinue sending yours in the mail, and thereby we could save some printing/mailing costs. Drop us a line, by email, if you wish to participate in this new experiment. janseely@etv.net We will have your email address then, and we will be able to send you a short message by email to let you know that a new newsletter has been posted on the website. The message will remind you to read the new issue. Of course, this is only for computer users who have Internet access. This is not for everyone! We will continue to print and send out the issues to those who do not have access to the Internet. Actually, the responses can help us measure a trend in our "mini-society." We already know the number of names on the mailing list. With the number of responses, we will be able to calculate the percentage of our members who get their news from the Internet! Stay tuned for more adventures; the results will be announced in a future edition of the Newsletter! The Nauvoo Temple was dedicated so they could do endowments on November 30, 1845. The first endowments were given on December 10, 1845. The Seelyes received their endowments on February 4, 1846. The last endowments were given on February 7, 1846. The total number done was 5669. |
FAMILY SEALING SESSIONS The endowments we completed at the SL Temple on March 6th of this year, opened the way for sealings that need to be performed to complete the work in those families. So our Genealogical Committee has made arrangements at three different temples on three Saturdays. Please plan now to join us for one or more family sealing sessions this fall. Saturday, Oct. 9, '04, 3 p.m. (sealings) Provo Temple; Saturday, Oct. 23, '04 3 p.m. (Sealings) Salt Lake Temple; Saturday, Nov. 13, '04, 3 p.m. (Sealings) Manti Temple. Those who are interested can meet afterwards at a local restaurant for a "Dutch Treat" supper. Any questions, comments or concerns, please contact Kathie Olsen 801-355-0301. GIFT SUBSCRIPTIONS for family members For those who have loved the Newsletter over the years, we've come up with an idea for you to be able to share it with your grown children, with the hope that they will learn the names, hear the stories and love being a part of this family. You can give each of your children a "gift subscription" to the Newsletter for two years. The JASFO officers are eager to sign up new, young members to lend their strength and support to the work at hand. We have devised a plan to motivate our current members to buy low-priced gift subscriptions to get their children's names on the mailing list. We'll send the newsletter to them for two years, for just $5!! You may send your request in the mail to our Treasurer: Charles Astle, 620 East 3990 South, Salt Lake City, UT 84107. Please write checks to JASFO. |
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Madeline Helene Merrill Mills passed away July 24, 2004, at age 88. She was born in Salt Lake City June 16, 1916, the fifth of seven children of Albert and Zella Seely Merrill. Madeline married Alanson Soper Mills December 27, 1937, and they were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple September 8, 1955. Al and Madeline were lifelong sweethearts, enjoying 66 years of togetherness in preparation for eternity. Madeline had a zest for life and learning. She was an active member of the Church and a faithful member of Daughters of Utah Pioneers. She had a passion for family history work. She was a dedicated member of the executive councils of both JASFO and the national organization, SGS. She was co-author with her daughter Kathie of three SGS books that trace the first seven generations from Robert Seely. There's only one Madeline. A truly great lady has passed from our midst. We offer our sympathy and condolences to Al and his family: David and Lana Mills, Lynda and Mark Simmons, Kathie and the late David Olsen, Margaret and Ken Petersen and John and Barbara Mills; 21 grandchildren; and 39 great-grandchildren. Contributed by Belle H. Wilson [The author is unknown] We are the chosen. My feelings are, In each family there is one who seems called to find the ancestors. To put flesh on their bones and make them live again, to tell the family story and to feel that somehow they know and approve. To me, doing genealogy is not a cold gathering of facts, but, instead, breathing life into all who have gone before. We are the story tellers of the tribe. All tribes have one. We have been called as it were by our genes. Those who have gone before cry out to us: "Tell our story." So, we do. In finding them, we somehow find ourselves. How many graves have I stood before now and cried? I have lost count. How many times have I told the ancestors, you have a wonderful family, you would be proud of us? How many times have I walked up to a grave and felt somehow there was love there for me? I cannot say how many. It goes beyond just documenting facts. It goes to who am I and why do I do the things I do? It goes to seeing a cemetery about to be lost forever to weeds and indifference and saying I can't let this happen. The bones here are bones of my bone and flesh of my flesh. It goes to doing something about it. |
It goes to pride in what our ancestors were able to accomplish. How they contributed to what we are today. It goes to respecting their hardships and losses, their never giving in or giving up, their resoluteness to go on and build a life for their family.
It goes to deep pride that they fought to make and keep us a Nation. It goes to a deep and immense understanding that they were doing it for us. That we might be born who we are. That we might remember them. So we do. With love and caring and scribing each fact of their existence, because we are them and they are us. So, as a scribe called, I tell the story of my family. It is up to that one called in the next generation to answer the call and take their place in the long line of family storytellers. That is why I do my family genealogy, and that is what calls those young and old to step up and put flesh on the bones. (SGS #1) Prepared by Katherine M. Olsen August 27, 2004 Note: Several members of JASFO are going to have the marvelous opportunity of joining members of the Seeley Genealogical Society on a tour of England to visit sites relevant to the life of Robert Seeley, our ancestor. We wish you could all be there with us, but we hope to be able to give you a great report later. There are many variations of the Seeley name. The records of St. John's Parish, Huntingdon spell the name, Seley. The original records of St. Stephen's Church, Coleman Street, London spell the name, Seely. 4 Jul 1602 Robert Seley christened at St. John Parish Church, Huntingdon, Huntingdonshire, England. Son of William Seley (christened 23 Feb 1563/4, Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England; buried Bluntisham cum Earith, Huntingdonshire, England) and Grace Prett Seeley (buried 5 June 1614 Bluntisham cum Earith, Huntingdonshire, England). William and Grace were married 30 Sept 1584 Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England. It seems likely that William Seeley was the son of Thomas Seeley (buried 6 Oct 1579, Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England) and Elizabeth Mitchell/Michell Seeley (christened 11 July 1539; buried 24 Feb 1563/4 Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England). Thomas Seeley was the son of William (buried 8 Dec 1565, Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England) and Elizabeth Seeley (buried 6 Sep 1650, Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, England). |
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10 Mar 1623 Apprentice record is recorded for Robert Seley in the Cordwainers (originally one who worked with cordovan leather
-- a shoemaker) Company Records. (Now at Guildhall Library, London) Normally an apprentice was about 14 years old, but it appears that Robert was older and experienced because he served only three years instead of the customary seven.
1 Aug 1626 Robert Seley was released from apprenticeship by payment of silver spoon. He was authorized to work in London and also to become a citizen of London. 15 Dec 1626 Robert Seely was married at St. Stephen's Church, Coleman St., London, England, to Mary Mason (died between 10 Mar 1646 and 1651, New Haven Colony, Connecticut). Possibly Mary (born about 1590) was a widow having previously married a Mr. Heath and Walter Mason (buried 1 Sep 1625, St. Stephen's Church, Coleman St., London, England). This Mary had at least ten children, all of whom were dead before or during 1626. 16 Sep 1627 Robert's son Nathaniel was christened at St. Stephen's Church, Coleman St., London, England. 29 Mar 1630 Robert left London. 8 Apr 1630 Robert sailed from the Isle of Wight as a part of the John Winthrop Fleet. It is not known if Mary and Nathaniel accompanied him or came at a later time. 12 Jun 1630 Winthrop Fleet arrived at Salem, Mass. Jul 1630 Robert was one of forty organizers of The First Church of Watertown, Massachusetts. 18 May 1631 Robert admitted as a freeman in Watertown, Massachusetts. 1636 Robert joined a small group that colonized Wethersfield, Connecticut. 1637 Robert appointed a Lieutenant and second in command in an expedition against the Pequot Indians. 26 May 1637 Robert was severely wounded with an arrow to the eyebrow. He carried the scar for the rest of his life. Fall, 1638 Robert joined the "Quinpiac" or New Haven Colony. Jun 1639 Robert was one of the church members to sign the Fundamental Agreement for the New Haven Colony and appointed Marshall of the Colony. He was reappointed to the office for 1640, 1641 and 1642. Feb 1646 Brother Seeley was assigned to sit in the 4th seat in the middle row and Sister Seeley was assigned the 6th seat in the women's seats in the middle row of the New Haven Church. 3 Aug 1651 Robert gave his son, Nathaniel, his house and lands. Since Mary Mason Seeley's name was not mentioned, she may have died before this transaction. 23 Mar 1652 Robert was present on Long Island, N.Y., when Indian Chief Yokes gave possession of Shelter Island. |
1654 Robert appointed Captain of New Haven forces fighting against the Dutch and the Indians on Long Island.
1655-61/2 Robert apparently returned to England. Feb 1662 At a town meeting in Huntington, Long Island, it was ordered that a boat be sent to Connecticut to bring Captain Seely to Long Island. 28 Apr 1662 New Haven General Court requested encouragement for Capt. Seely to settle among them. 14 May 1663 The Court ordered the Town of Stratford to pay Robert 25 pounds in exchange for him giving up all rights and titles to land holdings there. At the same session, Robert was appointed commissioner for the town of Huntington, Long Island. 1665 Robert and several others settled Elizabeth, N.J. About 1666 Robert married Mary Manning Walker. It is believed that they lived on the Manning Estates on Manning=s Island off the coast of New York City. 11 Oct 1667 Robert died intestate in New York City. It is believed he was buried at Manning Estates. 19 Oct 1668 Letters of administration were given to his widow, Mary Manning Walker. 2 Nov 1668 Property in Elizabeth, New Jersey, sold. 15 Jul 1669 Land holdings in Huntington, Long Island, New York, sold. by Montell Seely Now that I'm gettin' my bags packed to go to Jolly Olde England, it puts me in mind of the time our family visited New York City, twenty years ago, back in 1984. We were in New York lookin' for the tracks of Robert Seely. And this journal entry also tells of my visit to the World Trade Center. Wednesday, June 20, 1984: I'm at this moment sitting in our blue Chevy van on the end of the Manhattan peninsula which is just across the bay from the Liberty Island, whereon stands the Statue of Liberty. Stop! Can you quote from memory the lines that are inscribed on the base of the Statue? Do you know who wrote those lines? Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free. The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me. I lift my lamp beside the golden door. --Emma Lazarus |
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This is New York City. There are cars and busses and people and skyscraper buildings. The traffic is bumper to bumper; the people, shoulder to shoulder; and the buildings, wall to wall! I have never seen anything like it before in my life and doubt that I will ever see anything like it again-and won't really care. But I am glad we came. It is a good experience to have.
We left Capsons' (our friends) house in South Windsor, Connecticut, at 5:30 a.m. I wanted to leave at 4 a.m.- to beat the rush hour traffic and thus alleviate some of the problem of driving in the New York City traffic; but the alarm did not go off. Anyway, we were in heavy, congested, bumper-to-bumper traffic from New Haven, Conn., the rest of the way to Manhattan, New York. After only one wrong turn, which was not too serious and was soon corrected, we arrived at this location at 8:30 a.m. There is no free parking anywhere in New York City. Most of the time there is no place to park--period. By arriving at 8:30, we found a parking lot that was not yet full. But the cost was $9. We wanted to stay only for 2 hours-long enough to go out to the Statue of Liberty, but the price was still $9. I said, "No deal," and we left. I found a parking meter just across the street from the park that leads to the ferry, which goes out to the Statue, but it was one-hour parking only. Mark and I walked down to the ferry boat ticket office and inquired how long it would take to go out and see the statue. It would take about two hours. The cost for the ferry ride was $2 for each person. We could see the statue from the shore; I decided it was not worth it to me to pay $9 for parking and $2 for the ride, just to see the statue up close. But I wanted the rest of the family to go. So I told them that I would stay and feed the parking meter. They reluctantly agreed. I put two quarters in the meter, which gave me an hour of time, and then I went sightseeing on my own. Before leaving, however, I had a little chit-chat with the policeman who was patrolling the area. I made friends with him. I told him I was a sheepherder from Utah and that I wanted to walk up to the World Trade Center. He said to not worry about getting a parking ticket if I was late getting back. He knew my car, and he would not give me a ticket. I had a good experience walking through the narrow one-way streets and visiting the World Trade Center buildings. They are the tallest buildings in the world. It is hard to fathom how high they are unless you actually see them and stand on the street and look up. It is phenomenal how they could build such tall, tall buildings. It is amazing. When I got back to the van, I really felt like I had been in New York City, and I was satisfied and ready to leave. The family returned, and I insisted that they take a walk through the streets. I knew they too would then know that they had been to New York City. I took Mark (then 9 years old) with me. We were walking up a narrow street and came upon a real traffic jam-the kind you see in the movies, with everyone honking. A delivery truck was stalled in the middle of the street. The driver was trying to direct traffic out around, but there was such a congestion that no one could go any place. A group of bystanders had stopped to watch. Mark and I stopped. |
The delivery van was about the size of a huge cattle truck, and I guess everyone just assumed that it was too large to be pushed out of the way. [What should I do? What would YOU do?] I felt like a stranger, and I felt a little timid to step forward and tell these New Yorkers what to do. It was not my problem!
Cars were jammed up for two blocks in all four directions. Horns were honking, and taxi drivers were cussing. Finally, I stepped out into the street and said to the driver, "Do you mind if I get men and we push your truck out of the way?" He was very grateful that someone would come to the rescue, and said okay. I motioned to some men and said, "You, you, and you--come help." And they did. Mark and I and three men had enough manpower to push it over to the curb. Then I directed traffic for a few minutes and got the traffic moving again. That was a fun experience, and I saw another side of New York City. After we all assembled back at the van, we drove on around through Manhattan and over the Brooklyn Bridge and out to Long Island. Robert Seely owned land out on Long Island and lived there during his later life, so I wanted to find it-the land where he lived. Long Island is 130 miles long and an average of 40 miles wide. It could very well be a separate State. It is so large you completely lose the concept that you are on an Island. We drove to Huntington, Long Island, to the Huntington Historical Society, and there located a map and much other pertinent material. Rufus Longhaus is the Town Historian, and he was very helpful. We then drove out onto Eaton's Neck. This is a 1550-acre tract that Robert owned. It is connected to Long Island by a narrow neck of land, that, in one section, is only wide enough for a two-lane highway. Then it spreads out and there are 1550 acres. We drove around on "Robert's land." Now it's full of "millionaire homes." There's no evidence that Robert, a humble shoemaker, ever walked here. Someday I'm going to have a good visit with the Immigrant Robert Seely. Among other items of discussion, I'm gonna thank him for comin' to America. And I suspect he'll thank me for my part in "not letting him be forgotten." |
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Inasmuch as we are in the Fall harvest season, and Mark and I just finished combining our field of oats, this letter is of interest. It is a letter from Brigham Young to William Stewart Seely, Bishop of the Mt. Pleasant Ward, dated October 26, 1863. Pay attention to the date: 1863. (That would be 141 years ago.) Copied from Film #026-202 in the Family History Library. Dear Brother, In view of the scarcity of grain and the increased demand . . . we are induced to write to you . . . on the subject of gathering in . . . all the grain due the Church on tithing . . . in your ward and with all possible dispatch forward it to the general Tithing Reserve Store . . . so that we can feed those depending upon us for bread. To further the accomplishment of the end desired you should visit every member of your ward and learn the amount of grain . . . raised and made, and see that the tenth is duly paid in and punctually forwarded. If any one refuses to pay his proper tithing . . . it should we think be made a matter of fellowship. Your brother in the Gospel, /s/ Brigham Young Well, what do you think about that? Tithing grain. One-tenth of their yield was given to the Church. If a man refused, his membership was on the line. Those must have been hard times if Brigham Young was out hustling up the tithing wheat in this manner. Contrast that with the wealth of the Church today. |
JASFO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL
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