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John B. & Annie Seeley

John B. Seeley, Carriage and wagon-maker, Brooklyn. Was born in Malaquanatch, Island of Cape Breton, December 5, 1843. Was there raised until he attained the age of twelve years, when he moved with his parents to Canada. When he was 15 years old, he walked from Ontario, Canada to Illinois. He told his son that along the way he killed 7 deer and when his pants fell apart, he was given leather leggings from an Indian he met along the way.

In 1861 he tendered his services to the Union cause, enlisting in company H, Twelfth Illinois infantry, participating in many of the leading battles of the Civil War, among which were Ft. Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, first and second engagements, Ball's Knob, Jonesboro, Bentonville and others. At the second battle of Corinth he was severely wounded in the thigh and still retains in his person the lead. He was honorably mustered out as sergeant at Louisville, Kentucky, August 5, 1865. He was married, in 1869, to Miss Anna Wasson, of Washington county, Iowa. They have four children: Elsie Maud, Jennie, James Austin & Ellen.

After living in Illinois, Iowa, and South Dakota, he came to the Olympia area in about 1911, where he lived until his death in 1926. His wife Annie passed in 1939. Many of his descendants can now be found all over Washington State.

Excerpted from Pages 849-850, The History of Poweshiek County, Iowa Des Moines IA: published by the Union Hist. Co., 1880, Bear Creek Twp.