My Genealogy Hound

JAMES R. SECKMAN is one of the best known and most highly respected farmers of Kearney county, Nebr. He was born in Scott county, Ill., January 14, 1842. His father, Jonathan Seckman, was born April 14, 1812, while his parents were moving from Pennsylvania to Ohio. His mother having died when he was but four years old, he was reared by his maternal grandfather, Wright, in Perry county, Ohio. In August, 1828, he emigrated to Illinois, locating in Scott county. In March, 1841, he was united in marriage to Nancy P. Taylor, sister of Judge W. L. Taylor, to which union were given seven children, viz. — James R., our subject; Kate J., Charles, John F., George D., Josephus and Archibald. He was one of the pioneer settlers of Scott county, and a man much beloved by all who knew him. He died August 8, 1884. Nancy (Taylor) Seckman, mother of our subject, was born in Kentucky in the year 1813, and is still living. The paternal grandfather, William Seckman, was a native of Pennsylvania, a United Brethren preacher, and lived to the ripe age of four-score and four years. He was noted for his extreme vigor in his unusually old age, and is said to have walked fifty miles the week before he died. Of the paternal grandmother, Susan (Wright) Seckman, little is known, she having died in 1816, while in the prime of life. The maternal grandfather, James Taylor, was a native of Kentucky, born September 7, 1791. He was a farmer by occupation, and emigrated in 1833 to Illinois, locating on a farm in Scott county three miles southwest of Bethel, were he resided until his death, December 2, 1880. He was one of the early pioneers of Scott county, and during his long residence there was a useful and exemplary citizen.

James R. Seckman, the subject proper of this memoir, attended the neighboring school and helped his father on the farm until he reached maturity, when he began farming on his own account in Brown county, Ill., having moved thither with his parents when two years old. During his residence there he was elected to the offices of tax collector, constable, and school trustee of his township and school district. In the spring of 1863, he acccnnpanied a train across the Western plains; coming via Omaha and following the Platte river westward, he passed through this section of Nebraska, where the face of a white man was rarely seen, and the broad plains, which have since yielded so bountifully to the unwearying tiller, served only to satisfy the hunger of the teeming buffalo. His journey took him by the way of Salt Lake City and Virginia City, Nev., at which latter place he left the train and engaged employment at fifty dollars per month. He continued working there until August, 1864, when he returned, reaching home September 22. He emigrated West in March, 1879, and entered a homestead of eighty acres in section 18, township 5, range 15, on which he still resides. He built a sod house twenty by thirty-six feet, and was soon quartered after the fashion of early pioneers. There were few settlers in his immediate neighborhood at the time of his arrival, although the country was rapidly settled soon thereafter. Antelope and smaller wild game common to this region were abundant, but soon disappeared with the continued appearance of the settlers. He had but little to start with, but has since succeeded admirably, and in place of the old sod house of the pioneer period, there now stands a neat frame dwelling. Mr. Seckman was married March 5, 1865, to Sarah L. Davis, who was born in Brown county, Ill., Sep-tion besides a quarter section in Thomas tember 14, 1843. Their union has been blessed with the birth of six children, viz. — Laura B., Mary C. (deceased), Damie E., William E. (deceased), Nancy E., and Willis J. R.

Mr. Seckman, like all his ancestors, adheres to the Democratic party. He has held the office of school trustee in his district ever since the school was organized. In 1882 he served as county commissioner. He has served six years as supervisor of his township, and has been and is at present, chairman of the county board of supervisors. In 1886 he ran for county representative in the State legislature, and although his party was in a minority of some four hundred votes, he was defeated by only thirty two votes. He likewise was nominated in 1887 for county treasurer, and again defeated by the large majority on the republican side.