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Below is a family biography included in History of Union County, Iowa published by S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., in 1908.  These biographies are valuable for genealogy research in discovering missing ancestors or filling in the details of a family tree. Family biographies often include far more information than can be found in a census record or obituary.  Details will vary with each biography but will often include the date and place of birth, parent names including mothers' maiden name, name of wife including maiden name, her parents' names, name of children (including spouses if married), former places of residence, occupation details, military service, church and social organization affiliations, and more.  There are often ancestry details included that cannot be found in any other type of genealogical record.

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Ira Seeley became well known in Union county as a successful agriculturist and, moreover, was a prominent factor in official circles. He was several times called to public office, the duties of which were discharged with a promptness and fidelity that left no room for question as to the sincerity of his purpose or his loyalty to the public good. Mr. Seeley was born in Tioga county, Pennsylvania, October 8, 1829, and his life record covered the intervening span of years to January 7, 1904.

His parents were Gideon and Eunice (Townsend) Seeley, who were natives of New York and Connecticut respectively. He attended the common schools, the first temple of learning in which he pursued his studies being a little log cabin with puncheon floor, slab seats and other primitive furnishings. The methods of instruction, too, were very crude as compared with those in vogue at the present day. Later he had the opportunity of continuing his education in an academy in his native state. He was a young man of twenty-five years when he came with his parents to Union county, Iowa, in 1855, the family home being established in Platte township. Here he taught the first school of the township in 1856 and from that time until his death almost a half century later he was closely associated with the county in its development and progress along material, intellectual and political lines.

Mr. Seeley was married in Platte township, July 29, 1858, to Miss Martha Anderson, who was born in Virginia, January 4, 1837. They became the parents of six children, of whom one died in infancy. The others are: Helen, at home; Angie, the wife of A. J. Reeves, of Custer county, Nebraska; R. W., of Amorita, Oklahoma; and Frank and Carl, at home. The last named married Hattie Harden.

Following his marriage Mr. Seeley engaged in farming and in 1869 removed to Dodge township, where he purchased land. He continued actively in general agricultural pursuits until 1876, when he removed to Afton, where for a year he conducted a paper called the Afton Tribune but, becoming convinced that farming was to him a more profitable field of labor, he resumed his work in the fields and in the course of years became a prosperous farmer. As his financial resources increased he added to his possessions from time to time and at his demise left an estate of several hundred acres.

His success as a business man would alone entitle him to mention as one of the representative citizens of the county but in public life he proved his worth and ability. In 1858 he was elected county sheriff and capably served for two years. In 1866 he was again called to office, being elected for a four years’ term to the position of county treasurer. He was likewise county commissioner and township assessor and also township school treasurer. He regarded a public office as a public trust and was most faithful in meeting the duties that devolved upon him, making an official record over which there falls no shadow of wrong nor suspicion of evil. He was a soldier in the late Civil war, enlisting in the three years’ service in Company H, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry, and he participated in the battles of Helena, Little Rock, Spanish Fort and others. He was home recruiting from November, 1863, until May, 1864. He entered the service as a private, was promoted to first sergeant and commissioned lieutenant November 10, 1864, and mustered out of service in August, 1865. Fraternally he was a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Grand Army of the Republic. He died January 7, 1904, and his wife passed away July 28, 1907. Thus the county lost one of its most honored, representative and worthy pioneer couples. They had enjoyed to the full extent the esteem and confidence of those who knew them, their many good qualities of heart and mind gaining for them a large circle of warm friends.

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This family biography is one of 247 biographies included in The History of Union County, Iowa published in 1908.  For the complete description, click here: Union County, Iowa History and Genealogy

View additional Union County, Iowa family biographies: Union County, Iowa Biographies

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