Neal was in touch with us to “try to bridge the gap between his grandmother’s great-grandfather, Samuel Seeley, and the ‘legendary’ Robert (1602-1667).” Neal descends from Samuel’s son Lyman James, b. 1821, d. 1901, both in Cambridge, Lamoille, VT.
To begin with, Samuel is not a descendant of Robert, according to a DNA test done by a descendant. See http://www.seeley-society.net/sgs-research-SeeleyDNAResults.html, note 21 under those not matching the Nathaniel nor Obadiah DNA profiles. I did some more research on this family to expand upon earlier efforts. I found the following children for Samuel and his wife Charlotte, based on census records, birth, marriage, and death records, obituaries, and a biography: Abel Hildreth, b. 1820, Alford M., b. 1829, Laura A., b. 1842, Lyman James, b. 1821, Miriam M., b. 1839, Sarah J., b. 1835, Spellman Samuel, b. 1833, and William Henry, b. 1824, all b. Cambridge, Lamoille, VT. There is confusion over Charlotte’s last name: a biography of Alford M. has his mother as Charlotte Moore; a marriage record for William Henry calls her Charlotte Morey; his death record lists her as Charlotte Mowry; Spellman’s death record calls her Charlotte Macre.
Here is the information on Samuel:
1840 census Cambridge, Lamoille, VT
Samuel Seley: 1 male age 5-10, 1 male age 10-15, 2 males age 15-20, 1 male 20-30, 1 male 40-50; 2 females under 5, 1 female age 20-30, 1 female age 30-40
1850 census Cambridge, Lamoille, VT
Seeley, Samuel, age 57, b. VT, farmer
Seeley, Charlotte, age 48, b. VT
Seeley, Samuel S., age 17, Sarah J., age 15, Marium M., age 11, Laura A., age 8, all b. VT
1860 census Cambridge, Lamoille, VT
Seley, Samuel, age 65, b. VT, farmer
Seley, Charlotte, age 58, b. VT
Seley, Solomon S., age 26 b. VT, farmer (In later census and Civil War records this is Spellman S.)
Findagrave.com
S M Seley, d. 23 Feb 1870, age 77, bur. Jeffersonville Cemetery, Jeffersonville, Lamoille, VT
In two obituaries Samuel and Charlotte are noted as being among the first settlers of Cambridge. A biography of Alford states that they were both born in NY, although a census record shows them born in VT. I found a death record for Gilmore Seeley, b. Cambridge, d. there 5 Nov 1865, age 74, single. He is listed in Cambridge in 1860 as Gilman Seeley, age 73, b. VT, one of four paupers living with Hartson and Emily Perry. He is listed as a private from Jericho, Chittenden, VT, during the War of 1812. I do not know how (or if) he is related to Samuel, but Jericho is only two townships away from Cambridge. If anyone wants all the information I have on Samuel and his descendants, please ask. I would also love any information on Samuel’s ancestors.
