Whiteside County IL Archives Biographies.....Seely, Col Ebenezer 
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com December 2, 2007, 10:59 pm

Author: Portrait & Bio Album, 1885

COL. EBENEZER SEELY, the oldest living resident of Whiteside County, living 
upon his farm in Portland Tp., was born in Onondaga Co., N. Y., Nov. 6, 1802. 
He is a son of Jeduthan and Sally (Gibbs) Seely. His father was a native of 
Washington Co., N. Y., a farmer by occupation, and died near where Col. Seely 
now resides, Sept. 4, 1836, and was the first man buried in the county. His 
mother was a native of Utica, N. Y., and died in Olin, Iowa, in 1841. They 
were united in marriage in Onondaga Co., N. Y., and afterwards moved to 
Genesee County, that State. They were the parents of six children, five sons 
and one daughter, three of whom yet survive, and one of whom, Col. Seely, 
subject of this notice, is the eldest. Horace is now residing at Oxford Mills, 
Jones Co., Iowa. Mary is the wife of Rev. Lowry, a Congregational minister in 
Olin, Jones Co., Iowa. In 1806, the parents of Col. Seely. moved from Onondaga 
to Genesee Co., N. Y., and in the latter county Mr. Seely was reared on a 
farm, receiving the advantages afforded by the common schools, and developed 
into manhood. On attaining adult age he continued to follow the vocation of 
farming and lumbering, and soon after entered into a copartnership with Marvin 
Frary in the saw-mill business. They erected a saw-mill in the latter county, 
which they continued to operate for five years, when Col. Seely sold out and, 
taking his share of the lumber that was on hand, constructed a raft on which 
he placed his family, consisting of wife and five children and father and 
mother, and rafted down the Ohio River to Louisville, Ky. He sold his lumber 
at that place and took a boat to St. Louis, accompanied by his family, and 
went from the latter city to Rock Island. At the latter place he hired a team 
and brought his family to what is now Prophetstown Township. He had 
nevertheless been to this county before. In September, 1834, he came here and 
located 320 acres of land on sections 6, of Prophetstown Township, and of 
Portland Township. He broke some land and made some other improvements on his 
place, and in March, 1835, returned to New York, and in April, 1836, brought 
his family as stated. He at first moved into a little house his brother Norman 
B., now deceased, owned at that time, and soon erected a log house of his own, 
22x22 feet. The following year he erected another building, 22x22 feet in 
dimensions, twelve feet from the building which he first erected, and placed 
them both under one roof. In 1839 he erected a frame house, 22x30 in 
dimensions, and one and a half stories, in which he kept "hotel" for the 
accommodation of pioneer travelers, having brought with him a good supply of 
bedding, provisions, etc. He continued to act as "mine host" on his farm for 
32 years, the same being known as a farmers' home. He had at one time 220 
acres under the plow, and a fine farm. Col. Seely also erected a steam saw-
mill on his farm, in company with several other pioneers, and they ran it for 
about ten years, when he bought them all out, which he did one at a time, and 
became sole owner. The mill was finally run for two years as a grist-mill. 
Afterward Col. Seely sold the machinery, which was shipped away. Mr. Seely 
tells many interesting stories of his early settlement in this county. The 
first grist that he had ground he took to Aurora, 100 miles distant, and was 
some eight days making the trip. He has drawn a great deal of wheat to 
Chicago, and has had at a time two and three teams on the road at once. He has 
seen a string of teams three miles long loaded with wheat, and on their way to 
the now great metropolis. At one time he went to Chicago with three loads of 
wheat, and was spokesman for the wheat "drawers" that day and controlled the 
price of that article there, and bulled the market from 75 cents to $1.10. At 
present he could hardly accomplish the wonderful feat he performed at that 
time. The Colonel also saw the first two-story building erected in Chicago, 
which was in September, 1834. This was the Tremont House, which afterward 
burned, and was replaced with another fine stone building. Mr. Seely receives 
his title of Colonel from having been the Colonel of the militia of New York, 
and also in this State. Col. Seely was united in marriage, in Alexander 
Township, Genesee Co., N. Y., Jan. 25, 1824, to Miss Dolly Maynard, who was 
born in the State of Connecticut, Feb. 27, 1803, and died Jan. 6, 1875. They 
raised seven children, six of whom survive. Solomon, a resident of Sterling: 
Sarah, the wife of Alexander Hatfield, a resident of Sterling. Andrew J., a 
farmer in Portland Township. Martin V., a resident of Prophetstown. Caroline, 
wife of Stephen H. Beardslee, a resident of Cadillac, Mich.; and Jennie, a 
widow, residing in Brooklyn, N. Y. David is deceased. Col. Seely has been a 
member of the I. O. O. F. 30 years. He was the first President of the Pioneer 
Society of this county, and has held the position ever since. The first 
meeting was held in January, 1853, in the Wallace House, Sterling, and Col. 
Seely has never failed to attend the meetings of the society since, with but a 
single exception. The meetings are held at Hamilton's Bluffs, in Lyndon 
Township, this county. He has a remarkable memory for a man of his age. His 
mind is as clear and strong as men usually are at 60. Mr. Seely is a gentleman 
worthy the distinction of having his portrait placed in the honorary position 
in this album, and especially so when he was been living in this county longer 
than any other man.

Additional Comments:
Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Illinois, Containing Full-
page Portraits and Biographical Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens of the County. Chicago: Chapman Brothers, 1885.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/whiteside/bios/seely1833nbs.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/

File size: 6.3 Kb