JAMES E. SEELEY
A shock of sorrow and surprise of more than ordinary moment passed through the city as the story was spread abroad toward noon on Friday that Mr. James E. Seeley was dead. Few, in fact, knew that he was seriously ill, and no one expected his death. Mr. Seeley attended to his business up to Saturday night, through he had a very severe attack of indigestion about three weeks ago. On Sunday he was unable to attend to his duties in the Presbyterian Sunday School and church, and from then until his death he rapidly failed. Pneumonia developed in its worst form, with pleurisy and typhoid complications, and in spite of the best efforts of Dr. Tuthill, who visited four times each day, he passed away on Friday between ten and eleven o’clock.
Mr. Seeley was born of missionary parents July 10th, 1851, at Futchpur, India, and spent his boyhood there until the time came when his education demanded a return to this country. His father, Rev. A.H. Seeley, with his family, located in the Presbyterian Church at Smithfield, in this county, near Amenia, and there he grew to manhood. In his business career he was first land agent for the Burlington road, and disposed of its land grant, and then he went into the loaning business to the parties who had purchased the land. At one time this business was a very large and profitable one, but the failure of crops so frequently in some parts of Nebraska and Kansas has reduced it in later years, as a less amount of eastern money has gone that way.
When Mr. Seeley first came to this city, some twenty years ago, he immediately identified himself with the Presbyterian Church, and was from the first a recognized power in that church. He has had a class in the Sunday school for nearly all that time, and when in the city was never absent on Sunday morning, not was his pew in the church vacant either morning or evening. He was elected a trustee of the church in May, 1883, and served since continuously, and he has been treasurer of the church for many years. His loss will be one very hard for the church to fill. Mr. Seeley was also prominently identified with the temperance movement of modern times. He was a member of the Prohibition party, and the Law and Order League, of which he was the treasurer, and was prominent in every move for the bettering of the city and for saving young men from intemperance and vice. He was also a member of the order of Masons and of the Royal Arcanum. His death will be a great loss to the city, and well as to his church and to his family.
Mr. Seeley leaves a widow and one son, Paul, who is at Riverview, and is expecting to enter college next year. His father, Rev. A.H. Seeley, is also living, and has made his home with him for several years. There is one brother living in Texas, who is older than James E. Seeley, and a sister. The sympathies of the public will go out to these in their great bereavement.
The funeral will take place from the family residence, 51 South Hamilton Street, on Monday at 2 p.m.
Published in the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, Saturday, February 22, 1902 page 5
Mr. James E. Seeley’s estate, instead of relating wholly to personal property and not at all to real estate, is very largely to the contrary. His property consists almost wholly of real estate.
Published in the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, Friday, February 28, 1902 page 5
ESTATES OF THE DEAD
Will of James E. Seeley Admitted to probate – Two petitions filed
The will of James E. Seeley was admitted to probate by Surrogate Hoysradt on Monday afternoon and letters testamentary granted Affa Celinda Seeley, executrix of the estate. The value of the estate is not made known.
The will is a short one and reads as follows: “To my dearly beloved wife, Affa Celinda Seeley, I give the use of all my property, being real or personal or mixed, as long as she remains unmarried. In case she marries I desire it divided equally between my brother, George A. Seeley, and my sisters, Elizabeth J. Seeley and Susan M. Hutchinson, reserving therefrom to my brother, William B. Seeley, all my library and the sum of five hundred dollars.
“The above is only to be in force and effect in case I die without any child or children. In that case they shall have all my property subject to my wife’s dower interest.” The deceased left one son, which puts the last clause of his will into effect. The instrument was executed March 3, 1882, and was witnessed by Peter Hulme and _____ Card.
Published in the Poughkeepsie Daily Eagle, Tuesday, March 11, 1902 page 5
[Grandson of SGS #1958 - James Ezra; Augustus Horton; Ezra (#1958); Nehemiah (#610); Hezekiah; Nathaniel; Nathaniel; Nathaniel; Nathaniel; Robert]
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