Seely Township

Seely Township

The town of Seely is Congressional townsliip one hundred and one (101) north, of range twenty-five (25) west. The surroundings of this town are as follows: On the north is Brush Creek township, on the east is the town of Kiester, on the sbuth is the Iowa State line, and on the west is the town of Rome. The mean elevation of this town above sea level is eleven hundred and seventy -five feet. A well bored on the southwest quarter of section four, to a depth of one hundred and twenty-three feet, proves the drift here to be about ninety-five feet in depth, to bed-rock. The bed-rock is a bluishgray limestone. This is a prairie township, and the surface is moderately rolling. The soil is deep and fertile. Tillable and pasture lands are well proportioned. Brush Creek runs through the northeast corner of the town, and the east branch of the Blue Earth river through the northwest, and these, besides several slough runs, are the living streams of the town. Most of the lands are easily drained. There is no native timber in this town, except what is found on the Blue Earth River. Many thousands of trees have been set out by farmers, and there are now many fine groves of forest trees, well advanced, which dot the wide, green prairies on every hand.

Early Settlement

The first white man to locate in this town was Jacob E. Shirk. He settled upon the northwest quarter of section four, about the twelfth day of .June, 1856, and made the first improvements in the town in breaking up the land and erecting buildings.

Mr. Shirk was born in Lancaster county, Penn. He served four years in the United States Marine corps, was present in Japan at the signing of the treaty in 1854. between the United States and Japan, being a member of Commodore Perry's expedition. During this expedition, Mr. Shirk circumnavigated the globe. He was discharged from the service in November, 1855, at Washington, D. C. and immediately emigrated to Clarksville. Iowa, and from thence to Minnesota in 1856, as above stated. He was married in 1858 to Miss Catharine Schneider.

Early in 1865, he enlisted in a Minnesota regiment of heavy artillery, and was ordered south, but the rebellion closing, he was, after seven months' service, discharged, after which time he engaged in farming on his old homestead in this town. Mr. Shirk died July 15th, 1895.

The following list embraces the names of all persons residing in the town in June, 1860, according to the United States census of that year.

But there are others whose names should be added to this list of the early settlers of the town, among whom were David Shirk, William Poster, Wm. B. Taylor, and Chester Eddy.

The first company of immigrants who located in this town, was that of David Pratt andhis large family, accompanied by P. C. Seely and family, and a number of other persons who all located here in the year 1857. They took up considerable land, and proceeded to make large improvements. Deacon David Pratt, the patriarch of this company, was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and force of character, and was possessed of some considerable means and with all, and over all, was an earnest, christian man, who illustrated his profession in his every day life and conduct. For many years the house of Mr. Pratt was the headquarters of the town, and the sto^jping place of the traveler, the immigrant and the missionary, all of whom found here, at all times, the most generous hos23itality. Mr. Pratt died in August, 1877.

The Name Op The Town

The town was named Seely, by the special commissioners, in in 1858, in honor of Philander C. Seely, one of the earliest settlers of the town.

Philander C. Seely

He married Miss Harriet Pratt, a daughter of David Pratt. They have one child living, Clement W. Seely, now a resident of the town. Mr. Seely was the first chairoian of the licarii df suporvisois, of this town, and ihi; first justice of th(! peace, being chosen to tiolli olllces the same year. He was also a tncniber of the board of county supervisors (now coiuniissioners) one tiTui. lie was elected to the otllce of sheriff, of this county, in the fall of 18iil, receivint? every vote polled in the county. He served one term. When elected sheriff he removed to Blue Earth City, where he resided some years, but subsefjuently returned to his farm in Seely, and enjraKcd in farmin)^. He was in the military service of the United States, and went south near the close of the rebellion.

Mr. .Seely, in his youn^rer days, toolc much interest in politics, and early allied himself with the republican party, lie was a delegate to the lirst freesoil convention, which assembled in Wisconsin, and which was held in 1848, when the free-soil party was organized in that state, and he supported Mr. Van liuren, the free-soil candidate for president that year.

Since writing the above sketch Mr. Seely returned again to Blue Earth City to reside, accompanied by his son and his family, and there he expects to spend the remainder of his days.

Organization

This town was organized for civil purposes in 1858. and has kept up its organization to this day. The town of Kiester, then "Lake," was attached to Seely by the special commissioners in 1858 for town purposes, and so remained until set off as a separate town by the county commissioners, January 4th, 1892. On the sixth of March, 1860, the two town districts of "Seely and Kiester" and "Brush Creek and Poster." were consolidated as one town district, by the county board, but this arrangement did not continue a great while.

The first board of town officers, elected in 1858, were: P. C. Seely, chairman of the supervisors and Abraham Foster and Samuel Pratt, side supervisors; town clerk, Willard Seely; assessor. David Pratt; justice of the peace, P. C. Seely; constable. James Pratt; treasurer, David Pratt.

Educational

The first school house was built on the lines between the towns of Seely and Brush Creek, in the year 1858, the district then comprising the two towns. The house was built of logs, and was sixteen feet by twenty-four feet in size, and one story high. The first school was taught by Miss Parizade Pratt (afterwards Mrs. H. Raymond) in the above house, in the summer of 1858. There are now five substantial, well furnished school houses in the town, and a very com-

Religious And Other Societies

The first sermon preached in this township, was delivered by the Rev. Mr. Judd (Methodist), of the Winnebago Indian Agency, in the old log liouse of Deacon David Pratt, in February, 1858. The Baptist church was organized here, December 19th, 1858. Tlie Nor wegian Evangelical Lutheran church was organized about 1870, and this society erected a church edifice in the northwestern portion of the town, in 1872, on section 7. The Methodists organized in December, 1871. A Grange of the Patrons of Husbandry was instituted here in the days when that society flourished in this county.

Various Events

The first marriage was that of Abraham Poster, to Miss Emily M. C. Murray, which occurred on the fourth day of May, 1859, and the ceremony was performed by Mr. Seely, justice of the peace.

A postofiice was established in this town named "Clayton," about the year 1859, on section four. Clayton is now known as something more than a post-office. It may be designated as a hamlet, and the headquarters of the town. For many years there has been a store here, and a hotel, blacksmith shop, school house, etc.

Prior to the close of this history, this town has furnished the following public officers: two county commissioners, Seely and Sisson; a sheriff, Seely; a county surveyor, Sisson.

Prior to the close of 1879, there wei'e many settlers who came into this town, the names of some of whom, not already mentioned, are recorded here.