William Stewart Seely (1812 - 1895)

Born 18 May 1812 in Whitby, Ontario, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Elizabeth (DeHart) Seely — married 23 Dec 1836 in Pleasant Grove, Utah County, Utah, USA

Husband of Ellen (Jackson) Seely — married 24 Nov 1868 in Salt Lake City, Salt Lake, Utah, USA

Descendants

Died 16 Sep 1895 at age 83 in Mt. Pleasant, Sanpete, Utah

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William became a member of the LDS Church between 1830 - 1848.

William Seely was a Latter Day Saint pioneer.

Biography

Burial

Burial:

Date: Sep 1895

Marriages

1st wife: Elizabeth DeHart 1815 – 1873 children: Elizabeth Seely-Stevens 1837 – 1916 George Seely 1839 – 1841 Mary Seely 1841 – 1841 Jane Seely 1843 – 1845 Emily Seely-Averett-Coates (1845 - 1924) William Moroni Seely 1848 – 1930 Emeline Seely 1851 – 1944 Joseph Nephi Seely 1853 – 1934 Lucinda Seely 1859 – 1925

2nd wife: Ellen Jackson Carter 1815 – 1908 children: Justus Lehi Seely 1857 – 1920 William Stewart Seely 1858 – 1923

3rd wife: Ann Watkins 1847 – 1927 Children: William Alfred Seely 1875 – 1933 Anna Seely

Biographical Notes

Seeley, William Stewart, the first Bishop of Mount Pleasant (Sanpete Stake), Sanpete county, Utah, was born May 18, 1812, in Pickering, Home District, Upper Canada, the son of Justus A. Seeley and Mehittabel Bennett. Becoming a convert to "Mormonism" under the instruction of John Taylor, he was baptized in 1838 and migrated to Nauvoo, Hancock county, Illinois, where he resided until 1846, when he became an exile, like his co-religionists, and departed into the western wilderness. He came to Salt Lake Valley in 1847 and lived for some time in Salt Lake City and afterwards in Pleasant Grove, Utah county. When Mount Pleasant, Sanpete county, was re-settled in 1859 he became one of the founders of that place, where he spent the remainder of his years and where he was active in everything pertaining to the growth and welfare of that commonwealth. When Mount Pleasant became an incorporated city, William S. Seeley was elected its first mayor, and he acted as Bishop of Mount Pleasant about thirty years. He took part in all the military movements during the Black Hawk war and also filled two missions to Canada, one in 1873 and the other in 1878. In 1868 he went as captain of a Church train as far east as Laramie after immigrants. Bishop Seeley married three wives, two of whom survived him. His first wife was Elizabeth De Hart, who died April 6, 1873, after bearing her husband several children, of whom Elizabeth, Emily, Moroni, Emmeline, Joseph N. and Lucinda were still living in 1898. His second wife was Ellen Jackson, whose children are Justice L. and William S. The Bishop's third wife was Ann Watkins and her children are William A. and Anna R. Bishop Seeley was not only a prominent citizen in local affairs, but was well and favorably known throughout the Territory of Utah. He died at Mount Pleasant, Sept. 17, 1896.

The Seeley family immigrated to Utah together as part of the Edward Hunter/ Jacob Foutz Company. In some sources, the family's surname is spelled "Seeley." In 1868, William S. Seeley was Company Captain of the William S. Seeley Company.

Early LDS Church/Temple Ordinances

• Baptism on February 15, 1838 (Reference: LDS Biographial Encyclopedia. Jenson, Andrew. 1951, Volume: 3 Page: 507-508)
• Endowment at the Temple in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States on February 3, 1846 (Reference: Family Group Sheet-Self; Family Group sheet-Father; Nauvoo Temple Endowment Register 1845-46)
• Sealing-to-Spouse 1 at the Temple in Nauvoo, Hancock, Illinois, United States on February 3, 1846 Reference: Family Group Sheet-Self)

Sources

• http://www.seeley-society.net/bios-ey/bio-williamstewartseeley.html
• http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=139912
• https://history.lds.org/overlandtravels/pioneers/1120/william-stewart-seely
• Membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints 1830-1848, Volume 38, RUS—SHE Compiled by Susan Ward Easton Black, Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University. https://www.familysearch.org/search/catalog/334417?availability=Family%20History%20Library
• LDS Pioneer Overland Travel 1847-1868 web site: https://history.lds.org/overlandtravel/pioneers/1120/william-stewart-seely
• https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/KWN2-1M6