J. Mary Webster Jackson

submitted by Jan Roach

 

The following is a continuation of the family of George and Elizabeth Brake Jackson first published in the “Jackson Brigade Express Newsletter”. The biographical sketch on Mary and Sylvanus Seely is from Memorial to the Pioneer Women of the Western Reserve, published monthly under the auspices of the Woman’s Department of the Cleveland Centennial Commission, edited by. Gertrude Wickham,  July 1896, Vol. 1,  pp. 34-35

 

"Mary Jackson, wife of Dr. Sylvanus Seely, was born in Clarksburg. W. Va., August 13, 1796.  She was married at her father’s home in 1817, and moved to Zanesville, O. Her family and friends parted with her in sorrow and tears, thinking they would never see her again, for although the distance to Zanesville was only sixty miles, it was across the Ohio River, and to them beyond the Ohio meant only an unbroken wilderness, peopled with hostile and treacherous Indians.

Her wedding dress was a pink crape, a peach blossom pink. It was very short-waisted, with full sleeves, and the skirt, which was slightly gored, measured just two yards in width around the bottom; a three-cornered lace handkerchief was worn about the neck.

Her father supplied her with ample goods and furniture for housekeeping. A high-posted walnut bedstead, a bureau of four drawers, with drop handles, some chairs and a table, a featherbed, bed clothing, table linen, towels, and dishes. After two years’ residence in Zanesville they came to Howland on horseback with their baby Catharine. Their household goods were sent by wagon. Two years afterwards they came to Warren, living in a four-roomed, weather-boarded, log house on the west side of Park avenue, where Rentfle’s shoe store is. As Mrs. Seely’s father was a slave-holder, she knew very little about housekeeping when she was married. She soon learned and became a good cook and housekeeper. Mrs. Seely had a family of six children, four girls and two boys. She made a wedding dress for each of her daughters—Catharine, who married Lieutenant (Jonathon) Ingersoll in 1828; Jane, who married Cyrus Van Gorder in 1840, and Helen, who married Judge James M. Jackson of Parkersburg, W. Va. This was an afternoon wedding, so the young couple could take the stage for Pittsburg, and was a brilliant social event, Mrs. Seely taking great interest in it because her daughter’s husband was to be a man from her own native State, Virginia. Mrs. Van Gorder is now the only daughter living, and resides on Pine street, and recalls with pleasure these earlier times.

In 1836 Mrs. Seeley’s sister, from Clarksburg, VA., visited her and expressed a desire to see Lake Erie. A party was made up and they rode on horseback to Painesville to view the lake.

In 1841 the family moved into a two story frame house further down on Park avenue, on the opposite side of the street, which was their home afterwards.  Mrs. Seely was fond of reading, particularly the periodicals and newspapers.  She enjoyed the society of young people, and the last years of her life were rendered pleasant by the kindly ministrations of her two great-granddaughters, whom she had taken to her home some years before, in their motherless childhood.  She passed to her reward in 1875.”

 

 

Mary Jackson (J. Mary Webster Jackson), b. 13 Aug 1796, pr. Clarksburg, Harrison Co., (W)V, d/ George and Elizabeth Brake Jackson; d. 27 Mar 1878, age 81, nr. Warren, Trumbull Co., OH; m. 20 Feb 1817, Zanesville, Muskingum, OH (marriage bond on record in Harrison Co., WV BK5:59,  Wm Williams listed as guardian) Marriage took place at the home of her father, George Jackson in Zanesville, OH.(sketch)   Dr. Sylvanus Seely  b. ca 1794-1799 PA, s/o John W. and Elizabeth Seely; d. (see tombstone inscriptions below) Trumbull Co., OH;  Mary and Sylvanus Seely are buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Warren,  OH.

 

"Sylvanus, the son of Dr. John W. Seely, born in Pennsylvania in 1795, read medicine with his father. In the war of 1812 he entered the service and worked with Dr. John B. Harmon, being present with him at the attack of Fort Mackinaw. Having married a Virginia woman he went there to practice for a while, but returned to Warren and lived here the rest of his life. His widow Mary (Mary Jackson Seely, d/o of George Jackson) lived for over fifty years in the house next to the present fire department, opposite the former brick schoolhouse on Park avenue. It is still standing and is one of the oldest Warren residences. He died in 1849, having established a good reputation and practice. He was the father of Mrs. Cyrus Van Gorder and the grandfather of Mrs. John Kinsman." (History of Trumbull County, by Harriet Taylor Uptown p. 320)

 

"The Seely family, Dr. John W. and Sylvanus, were Howland people, and most of their lives were spent in that township. Sylvanus finally moved to town, and with his children, George and Jane Seeley Van Gorder (the mother of Mrs. John Kinsman), lived at one time in the house now standing on South Park avenue, just south of the fire department." (History of Trumbull County, by Harriet Taylor Uptown p. 494)

Stone inscription reads: (conflicting data on Sylvanus)

Mary J. Seely, wife of Sylvanus, d. 27 Mar, 1878, age 81

Sylvanus Seely, M. D., d. 4 April, 1849, age 51

Sylvanus had two stones, the second reading "Sylvanus Seely, M. D. b. 1794, d. 4 April, 1847, age 51, son of John W. and Elizabeth Seely

 

Children of Mary and Sylvanus Seely:

 

1.      Catherine Elizabeth Jackson Seely, b. 1817, Warren, Trumbull Co. OH, m. Lt. Jonathan Ingersoll, 3 Dec 1837, Canfield OH, Trumbull Co, OH (Marriage Record, Vol. 3, 1837-42, p. 61, Cert. # 4)

"Jonathan Ingersoll was educated for the United States navy, and when but a boy went on a cruise in the Old Constitution, going almost around the world. He resigned from the navy in 1836, married Catherine Jackson Seely, a daughter of Dr. Sylvanus Seely in 1838. Having prepared himself for the law, he began practice, and about 1840 was clerk of the court of common pleas, which office he held for seven years. He was then clerk of the supreme court of Trumbull County. He died in 1875." (History of Trumbull County, by Harriet Taylor Uptown p. 165)

 

A. Harriet Voorhies Ingersoll b. 7 Sep, 1844 at Warren, OH; m. 10 Jan 1866 at Honesdale, PA, Joseph Green Butler, Jr. of Youngstown, OH, b. 21 Dec, 1840 at Mercer PA, son of Joseph Green and Temperance (Orsig) Butler.

1) Blanche b. 26 Jan, 1867

2) Grace Ingersoll b. 15 July 1869, m. _____McGraw

3) Henry Audobon b. 8 Oct, 1872

B. Charles Edward Ingersoll b. 20 July, 1846, Warren, OH

1) Harry

C. Jonathan Ingersoll b. 5 Feb 1853, Warren, OH, d. 31 Jan 1897 at Youngstown, OH, m. Mary Grace Elliott b. 5 Feb 1861 at Darlington, Can., d/o John and Mary (Sharky) Elliott of Youngstown, OH.

1) Jonathan b. 24 Jan 1889

2) Grace b. 20 Mar 1891

3) Elliott Edward b. 22 Jan;, 1893

D. Sylvanus Seeley Ingersoll b. 25 Dec, 1859, Warren OH, m. Ida May Richardson, 31 Dec. 1878, Marion Co., IN, Marion Co, IN (Marriage Record Book 15, p. 474), d. 1933, Sullivan Co., IN,(Sullivan Co., IN Cemetery Records, Vol. 3, p. 55)

1) Charles Everett b. 1 Oct, 1879

2) James Ernest b. 18 Sep, 1884, m. Lora Jane Holt, 19 Aug 1911, Sullivan Co., IN, (Index to Marriage Record 1850 - 1920 Sullivan Co., IN, Bk. 14, p. 521), d. 12 July, 1972, New Berlin, WI.

 

2) Jane W. Seely, b. 4 July 1820-25*, Warren, Trumbull Co., OH, m. Cyrus J. Vangorder 23 Sep 1840, Trumbull, OH, Trumbull Co., (OH Marriage Record, Vol. 3, 1837-42, p. 160, Cert. # 4,) d. 11 Jun, 1906, age 86, Trumbull Co., (OH Death Record, Vol. 3, 1894-1908, p. 284 – Dual record): d. 11 Jun, 1906, age 86, Mahoning, Warren, OH, (Bd. Hlth); 1888 –1914; bur. Oakwood Cemetery, Warren, Trumbull Co., OH, inscription reads "Jane M. Van Gorder, daughter of Sylvanus and Mary Seely, b. 4 July, 1825, d. 21 July, 1897*, age 86, ( taken from Warren, OH Cemetery Inscription book)

*note discrepancy in age at death and birth in the two sources: Trumbull Co Death Records and the Warren, OH Cemetery Inscription Book records

A. Mary E. Van Gorder b. abt. 1845, m. John Kinsman 17 Oct 1866, Trumbull Co, OH, (Trumbull Co., OH, Marriage Record, Vol. 6, 1860-69, p. 353, Cert. # 5)

3.  Mary E. Seely

4. Helen S/G Seely b.6 Sept 1827 pr. Trumbull Co., OH; m. 5 Sep, 1850, Warren, Trumbull Co., OH, (Vol. 5, 1849-59, p. 49, Cert. # 3) James Monroe Jackson b. 3 Dec 1825 pr. Parkersburg, Wood Co., WV, s/o Gen. John J. and Emma Beeson Jackson; d. 14 Feb 1901 Parkersburg, Wood Co., WV; Both are buried in Riverview Cemetery in Parkersburg, WV.  Helen’s mother was aunt to James’ father.

5. Unknown Daughter

6. George Seeley

7. Unknown Son