My Genealogy Hound

A. B. SEYBOLT, of the firm of Ketcham & Seybolt, dealers in groceries, provisions, crockery, etc., Chenoa; was born in Otisville, Orange Co., N. Y., April 25, 1829. He followed farming, with the exception of two years in the engineering corps on the New York & Erie Railroad, until 1853, when he engaged in the grocery business, in Chemung Co., N. Y., whence, in 1857, he removed to Illinois, locating in Washington, Tazewell Co. The next six years were passed in in surveying, on the line of the Tonica & Petersburg Railroad. June 10, 1862, he enlisted in the 70th Ill. Vol.; was made Orderly Sergeant of Co. H, and served his term of enlistment, three months. He then went to Cairo, Ill., as clerk in the Paymaster’s Department, and, after remaining there a year, went to Nashville, in the same capacity. Six months later, he entered the secret service of the Government, as Inspector of baggage, stores, contraband goods, etc.; his duties in that capacity requiring him to travel constantly over the military railroads in the South. He came to Chenoa on the close of the war, and entered his present business. On the 15th of September, 1869, he was appointed Assistant Assessor of Internal Revenue, under Col. E. L. Baker, of Springfield, and, on the 11th of November following, was commissioned U. S. Internal Revenue Detective, under Gen. I. J. Bloomfield, and served till June 6, 1871. He assisted in working up the crooked whisky cases in this State, and, during his term of office, closed up and confiscated a large number of illicit distilleries. He has been Chief Engineer of the Fire Department, and Fire Marshal of Chenoa for several years past, and has served one term as member of the Board of Aldermen. Mr. Seybolt was married May 2, 1850, to Miss Sarah A. Jackson, of his native town, and has three children. His eldest daughter, Arrietta C., now wife of Dr. D. C. Everson, of Cawker City, Kan., was for several years of the fifth generation, in the maternal line, then living; her great-great-grandfather being then alive. The others are: Florence H., now Mrs. Elton Clapp, of Chenoa, and Cora J.