| Notes |
- Nathaniel Seeley was first of Cornwall, Orange Co, NY.
In Cornwall town records, April 1765, Nathaniel and Bazaleel Seeleyarementioned overseers of roads.
Nathaniel served in the Westchester Co, Militia, 3rd Regt. underCol.Thaddeus Crane.
He removed to Southport 1791-1795, settling near Seeley Creek,inPennsylvania, where his son Nathaniel Jr. had located as a pioneer.
Seeley Creek is in Tioga County, South west of Elmira, NY
Bradford Reporter Articles 1884 - 1885- Wells Township Bradford Reporter, Towanda, Pennsylvania, December 18, 1884 We will give some of Mrs. Sabra Seeley's recollections. Mrs. Seeley(MissSabra Ingalls) was born at Cooperstown, Otsego county, N. Y., Sept. 19th, 1796. At the age of six years shemovedwith her father's family (James Ingalls) to Homer, N. Y., and there resided until she was twelve years old, whenthefamilymoved to South Creek township, and lived at or near Fassetts for something over a year. Then movedtoElmira, and lived there until about 1822 or '23, when her father moved to Wells. She married Strong Seely, a residentofthe township, who died in August 1872, at the age of eighty-six years. Mrs. Seely is yet living, abrightinteresting old lady. She says: "About 1818, I took my brother William's wife and children to Wells from Elmira. I had ahorseand light lumber wagon, the first single conveyance ever passing through the township. We came the JudsonHillroad, the same as now traveled, but then almost impassable, and doing our very best we upset once. Mybrotherscame on the Bird Creek road, the first one by which settlers reached the southern part of the town. In thesamesummer in which father moved into Wells, (1822 or '23) I taught a school at Aspinwall's Corners, in a log buildingwhichhad been erected for a dwelling, and stood near where David Corey's barn is. Our benches were basswood steps,flatside up, on legs. I taught reading, spelling and writing. The goose quill was used for a pen, and our ink made ofsoftmaple bark, with some copperas added. For my services I had a dollar a week and boarded myself. I had abouttwentypupils, asome of whom came nearly three miles. This was the first school taught in Wells township. Two ofthepupils attending this school are yet living. Mrs. M. M. Carr (Claracy Knapp) of Gilletts, and Mrs. JonesWebster(Susan Beers) of Pine City, N. Y. I taught the school for two successive summers. A common punishment in those dayswasthe dunce block. When a pupil got into mischief, I would place him on the dunce block; then put a paper capuponhis head, decked with feathers. Sometimes I would set the boys with the girls and the reverse. The firstframehouse, to my recollection, was put up by Samuel Edsall, and is yet standing upon the Edsall place." Mrs. Seely makesthefollowing interesting comments on the Seely family: "Nathaniel Seely came from Orange county, N. Y.,andpurchased several hundred acres of land on Seely Creek, - so named from him - laying between South Port Cornersandthe Beckwith Farm. When Mr. Seely came in he paid the cash for his land, and the same pocketbook, in whichthismoney was carried, is held by his great great grandson, William Wilson, as an heir-loom. Mr. Seely erected thefirstframed house in Elmira, and when a little girl I remember attending school in one part of it." Israel and JamesSeelyalready mentioned in the history of the township, were his sons. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Sabra Seely were born:WilliamH., who died in Wisconsin; Hiram H., residing at Southport, N. Y.; Millie, the wife of H. Wilson, residinginthe township; Rosalie, living in Wayne county, Pa.
|
1732 - 1799 (67 years)
