Biography: Aaron J. S. SEELYE

From Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan..., Chicago, Chapman Bros., 1892, pp. 799 - 800:

AARON J.S. SEELYE. It is not every man, even in a country so rich in resources as Michigan, who can start in poverty and make a financial and social success in life; but the list of those who have done this is a remarkably long one, and even among these we find a very considerable number who have added to this success the attainment of intelligence and a rich store of information, besides the acquirement of an influence which makes them marked men in the community. Such a man is Mr. Seelye whose sketch we now give, and whose beautiful home in Davison Township, Genesee County, is an ornament to the county.

Our subject was born March 7, 1831, in Charlton Township, Saratoga County, N. Y., to which his father, Abel Seelye, a native of Connecticut, had come at the age of twenty-one. He was a maker of spindle wheels, but followed farming most of his life and came to Michigan in 1837, where he located nearly six hundred acres of Government land in Atlas Township. His son, Andrew J., the first white settler in this township had preceded him the fall before, and the father moved into the house which that son had built. Their coming here was soon followed by the settlement of other families, and they began to have other neighbors besides Indians, deer, bears and wolves. The father, who helped to organize the township and was its first Justice, died in 1863 at the age of eighty-one. He was a highly respected and well-known man, a great student of the Bible, and was connected with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

The Seelye family is descended from five brothers who came to America from England prior to the beginning of the eighteenth century. The mother of our subject, Abigail Seelye, did not change her name in marriage, as she was connected with a distant branch of the family. She died in 1861 in her seventy-fifth year. Eight of her ten children grew to maturity, and two are now living.

All the schooling which Aaron Seelye received was in New York before coming here at the age of seven, with exception of fourteen days when he studied in the log school house at the age of fourteen; and his truly excellent culture and intelligence are the result of his persistent study. At the age of twenty-two he began independent work, taking a season at carpentering. He then opened a general store on section 34, on the 10th of November, 1853, it being the first store in the township. For eight years he thus carried on a successful business, combining with it the manufacture of potash, and at the same time cleared and improved forty acres of land which he had purchased. He closed out his mercantile business in 1861, but continued his potash manufacturing for thirty years, and in 1860 purchased additional land.

In 1856 Mr. Seelye was united in marriage with Grace Thomas, a native of England, who came with her parents to America in 1837. Their one child, Elizabeth A., is the wife of Freeman Sweers, who is a farmer in this township. The early political preferences of Mr. Seeyle brought him into the Whig party and later he became a Republican. He has served some three years as School Inspector, and for three terms served as Township Treasurer, and besides being Highway Commissioner for several years, he is now Justice of the Peace. For two years he was also on the Republican County Committee. He is deeply interested in the Pine Grove Cemetery Association, and has served as its President, Treasurer and Clerk. Upon his fine farm of four hundred and thirty acres he raises all kinds of stock, making a specialty of fine wool sheep and Short-horn cattle. The attention of the reader is invited to the lithographic portraits of Mr. Seelye and his estimable wife, which appear in this connection.

[Note: I was unable to locate any lithographs of either Aaron or Grace (Thomas) Seelye in the digital version of this book. It is possible that they are missing, or that they are located on text pages (making it an extremely time-consuming and difficult task to locate).]

Biography: John RHODES

From Portrait and biographical record of Genesee, Lapeer and Tuscola counties, Michigan..., Chicago, Chapman Bros., 1892, pp. 1035 - 1036:

JOHN RHODES. After a life spent in usefulness and in helping to perfect each bit of nature with which he came in contact, he whose name appears above was borne to his long home, but has left behind in the hearts and memories of his friends a record that is worthy of emulation by the young and that is an encouragement to the middle aged. Having for some time been a resident of Atlas Township, Genesee County, our subject was born in Orange County, N. Y., August 12, 1820. He is the son of William and Mary (Carr) Rhodes. The latter died when our subject was but a child.

When thirteen years of age John Rhodes with his father and stepmother removed to Western New York and when sixteen years old continued on the crest of the Westward wave to Huron County, Ohio, where he was reared to manhood. He there received a common-school education but was not the recipient of High School advantages. He has devoted himself throughout life to farming. His domestic life began September 28, 1843, when he was married in Ohio to Miss Huldah Hanley, who was born in Huron County of the same State, August 3, 1821. She was a daughter of John and Roxanna (Beebe) Hanley, and both parents were natives of Connecticut. Her grandfather Beebe settled in Lorain County, Ohio and thither Mrs. Rhodes' mother accompanied him although she had previously been married in her native State. The men of the family were patriots whose services were always offered in the time of their country's need.

To Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes six children were born, four of whom are now living--Mary J., Frances, Mrs. Oscar Sweers; Calvin L., and Ella M. Sarah and Adel are deceased, the latter dying in infancy. In 1843 our subject started with his wife to Michigan, coming via the lakes, and his parents accompanied them, but took the overland route. They made a settlement in Genesee County, now owned and occupied by Mrs. Rhodes. They settled in the woods, building a log cabin in which they resided for several years, erecting their present residence later. He cleared up a farm which was in a wild condition, using oxen in the work for a number of years. He died March 4, 1888. In his death Atlas Township loses one of her early pioneers and most esteemed citizens. He was a member of the Congregational Church of which he had been Trustee for many years. In his political views he was a Republican. At his death he left a valuable estate which was the result of his life labor. His widow resides on the home farm and she with her children make one of the most highly esteemed families in this portion of the county.