Seelye
Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
ELEAZER M. SEELY is the postmaster
at Fletcher, Washington, where he also is proprietor of a thriving mercantile
business. He comes of old Pennsylvania Quaker stock, a remote descendant
of William Penn and was himself raised in the Quaker church. He was
born in Knoxville, Pennsylvania, February 18, 1834, the son of Henry and
Emily (Stephens) Seely, the father a native of Pennsylvania and the mother
of Connecticut. The latter was a nephew of the famous Commodore Stephens.
The parents early in life settled in Knoxville, where the mother died at
the age of forty-two and the father at sixty-six years. The grandfather
of our subject was among the first of the pioneers to settle in the state
founded by the illustrious Penn. The brothers and sisters of Mr.
Seely are: Luke L., Harriett, Albert, Jiles C., and Emma.
Mr. Seely received his early education in
the Deerfield Union academy in Pennsylvania, to attend which he walked
one mile each day. At the age of nineteen he went to Indiana and
began teaching school. He followed this occupation for two years,
then learned the trade of mill wright, which has furnished him a livelihood
the greater part of his life since mastering it. In 1861 he enlisted
in the Indiana State Militia and served as a private two years, when he
was commissioned a lieutenant, which office he held until later when he
removed to Illinois to engage in work at his trade. In 1865 he returned
to his native state to settle the estate of his deceased father and remained
there until 1869, when he returned to Pike county, Illinois. In 1888
he came to Washington and located at Ellensburg, where he engaged in contracting
until 1893 when he came to Adams county. He did some contracting
here until 1895, when he was appointed postmaster, which office he has
held continuously ever since, although politically he is an active Democrat.
He took a homestead in the vicinity of Fletcher soon after coming to the
county, which he still retains and he also owns the building containing
the postoffice, which is his home.
In 1860 Mr. Seely was married to Miss Louesa
A. Huffman, daughter of Barney and Lucretia Huffman, natives of Virginia.
The parents of Mrs. Seely came west in 1888 and located in Adams
county, where they still live, the father at the age of eighty-two and
the mother one year his junior.
On June 24, 1888, Mrs. Seely departed this
life, leaving a family of nine children, Albert A., Henry B., Ed M., L.
L., Mary A., Emma, Belle, George, and William. Another child died
during infancy.
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