My Genealogy Hound

Andrew Seeley, one of the prominent farmers and substantial citizens of Rose township, Oakland County, residing upon his well improved farm of 174 acres, situated in section 4, belongs to one of the leading pioneer families of the county. He was born February 19, 1859, on the homestead farm in Rose township, and is a son of the late Daniel and Mary A. (Terbush) Seeley.

Oakland County is indebted to New York for a large number of her best and most thoroughly representative citizens, and among the sons of the Empire State none were more valued in Oakland County than was the late Daniel Seeley. He was born in Ulster County, New York, December 9, 1821, and was a son of Daniel and Sallie (Green) Seeley, the former of whom came with his family to Michigan in 1840 and settled on a farm in section 4, Rose township, Oakland County, which came into the possession of his son Daniel in 1843. The latter came to the farm in 1843 and remained upon it until 1854, when he returned to New York, where he was engaged for three years in a mercantile business with his brother-in-law, at Wilson, Niagara County. He returned to Michigan at the time of his second marriage, in 1857, and lived on the farm until 1893, when, on account of failing health, he bought a home in the village of Holly, where his last years were passed. He died September 5, 1900.

Daniel Seeley was married first to Hannah Brown of Wilson, Niagara County, New York, who died in July, 1856, leaving three children, viz.: Mrs. Helen Montgomery of Rose township, Oakland County, now deceased; Mrs. Mary Taylor of Holly township, Oakland County; and Wallace, who died in 1858, at the age of 19 months. In 1857 Mr. Seeley was married to his second wife, Mary A. Terbush, who was born at Flushing, Genesee County, Michigan, in 1838, and is a daughter of Alexander and Eliza (Davis) Terbush, who came to Michigan in 1835 and resided some years in Genesee County, later removing to Springfield township, Oakland County, in the vicinity of Davisburg, where Mrs. Terbush died in 1869, and her husband in 1870. Mr. and Mrs. Terbush had a family of 11 children, namely: Sylvan, a merchant of Pontiac, who lost all his property in the great Chicago fire of 1871; Davis, of Rose township, Oakland County; Mrs. Mary A. Seeley; Mrs. Sarah A. Burch, of West Bay City, Michigan; Pliny, of Chicago; Homer, of Pontiac; Lina J., of Jackson, Michigan; Harvey, of Akron, Ohio; and Solon, Ovander and Myron, who are deceased.

Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Seeley reared a family of seven children, as follows: Andrew, our subject; Sarah, who married J. W. Patterson of Holly, Oakland County, and has one daughter, Willah E.; Clyde C., who resides in Holly village; Grace, the wife of W. T. Wilson, a contractor and builder of Port Huron, Michigan; Lillian, who married C. W. Mosher, a jeweler of Holly, and has one son, Seeley; Burton, a farmer of Rose township, Oakland County, who was married to Elizabeth Baker; and Daniel, a farmer of Springfield township, Oakland County, who was married to Hattie Van Dusen and has three children. Daniel Seeley was from principle a stanch Democrat, but never permitted the use of his name in connection with public office. For years he was active in the Masonic bodies and was long a member of Fenton Commandery, Knights Templar. He attended religious services at the Methodist Church. For a long period he served on the directing board of the Monitor Insurance Company of Oakland County, but some years prior to his death sent in his resignation. He was a man who deserved the high esteem in which he was held by all who knew him, and he left a family which has inherited many of his sterling traits of character.

Andrew Seeley was educated in the schools at Holly and was reared on the farm which has been his home all his life, with the exception of seven years which he spent on the farm in section 13, Rose township, which is now owned by Burton Seeley. Mr. Seeley is one of the enterprising and progressive farmers of his section of the county and in the successful operation of his farm uses modern methods and machinery which he has found best calculated to bring satisfactory results. He has given time and means to the improvement of his land and owns one of the most attractive homes in the western part of the county.

Mr. Seeley was married in 1886 to Addie E. Fillingham, who was born in Rose township, Oakland County, Michigan., and is a daughter of William Fillingham.

Politically Mr. Seeley is identified with the Democratic party; he has served as township treasurer with great satisfaction to the tax payers. Fraternally he is connected with the Knights of the Maccabees Tent at Holly. Both he and his estimable wife are prominent members of the Methodist Church at Holly.