The first settler of the Sealy family in America was a native of England. He settled in Canada and left two children:
1. William J., mentioned below.
2. Harriet, married Oliver Austin.

(I) William James Sealy, was born at Black Friar Bridge, near London, England, 1814, died at Potsdam, New York, 1878. He came to Canada with his father when he was seven years old, and was bound out from the age of seven to fourteen. All the education he had was received in the course of fourteen weeks in a Canadian night school, though he supplemented this by earnest application to his books, and he was an ominivorous reader. He came to Potsdam from Canada and found employment in the Perrin tannery, when he was seventeen years old, learning the trade of tanner and currier. In 1862 he went to Parishville to work in a tannery and remained four years. He then settled on a farm that he bought in Potsdam, and continued there the remainder of his days, building a tannery of his farm and conducting it in addition to his farming.
In politics he was a Republican. He was a school trustee at one time and also road commissioner. He was a member of the Catholic Apostolic church.
He married Lucy, born in Potsdam, 1821, did 1898, daughter of Phineas and Dica Autsin.
Children:
1. Charlotte, died in infancy.
2. Emily Melissa, deceased; married Hosea Bicknell (deceased); son Herbert lives in Potsdam.
3. Olive, married Jasper Barnum, of West Potsdam, farmer; they have a son George.
4. William F. P., mentioned below.
5. Elizabeth, married Royal Eastman, real estate dealer, Boston.
6. Walter Nelson, mentioned below.
7. Annie, married Simon Garlough, farmer, of Potsdam.
8. George Oliver, born April 23, 1857, farmer, Parishville; married, Feb. 12, 1878, Ella Martha Manzer;; children: i. Glenn Allen, principal of the high school and justice of the peace in Santa Clara, Franklin county, N.Y.; married Ella Root; ii. Emily R., married David Morrell Riggs, and has a son Robert Riggs; iii. Wilda.

(II) William Frances Phineas, son of William James Sealy, was born at Potsdam, 1846, and was educated there in the public schools. He worked on his father's farm until he was of age, then went west and was employed for five years in the railroad business. Upon his return to his native place he was employed by the Potsdam Lumber Company at Potsdam, later transferred to Hewittville for nine years, when, in 1889, he was appointed superintendent of the water-works at Potsdam and held that position for the next eighteen years. He then engaged in business at the Island mill; after one year formed a partnership with Bertram Snell, which obtained for one year, when the business was sold to the A. Sherman Lumber Company and he is superintendent of their Island mill.
In politics he is a Republican. He is a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church, and is priest in charge of the society in Potsdam, having been ordained by Coadjutor Heath in 1878. Mr. Sealy is chairman of the board of water commissioners of Potsdam.
He married, in 1870, Amanda, daughter of Charles and Elizabeth Ginkinger, natives of Allentown, Pennsylvania, both residents of Sterling, Illionois.
Children:
1. Bertha, married Harlan Parmeter, of Hanawa Falls, a farmer.
2. Elizabeth, married Frank Weed, clerk in a hardware store at Potsdam; chld, Muriel.
3. William Charles, now with the Fore River Ship Building Company at Quincy, Mass.; married Caroline Hutchins.
4. Clarence, clerk in the post office at Potsdam; resides on the homstead.

(II) Walter Nelson, son of William James Sealy, was born in Potsdam in 1852. He attended the district schools of his native town, and the State Normal School at Potsdam for two years. He worked on his father's farm and in the tannery until about 1888, when he engaged in the meat and provision business in Potsdam. He has been very successful in business and is one of the best known and most popular merchants of the town.
He is a Republican and has served on the board of trustees of the incorported village of Potsdam for nine years. He is a member of the Catholic Apostolic Church and is a deacon of that church.
He married, Oct. 7, 1884, Lorena, daughter of Alexander and Nancy (McGowen) Wright, of Potsdam.
Children:
Emily and Bernetta.

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