Person:James Seaver (17)

SOURCE: JMSeaver #327-i-2, #344, Slight notes (LDS 1036982 Item 3)

BIRTH: 29 Jun 1812 Darien NY (Slight)

DEATH: 19 Dec 1892 NY (Slight)

MARRIAGE: to Jemima W. Moore 17 Apr 1839 (Slight)

BIOGRAPHY:

A biography of James W. Seaver was published in the book "Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, N.Y., 1788-1890" by F.W. Beers, published by J.W. Vose, Syracuse, N.Y., 1890, page 403. The biography, in the "Town of Byron" section, reads:

"James W. Seaver, of Byron, second son of Dr. James Everett Seaver, was born in Hebron, N.Y., June 29, 1812. His father was the eldest son of William Seaver and Mary Everett, the latter a first cousin of Edward Everett, of Massachusetts. Dr. James E. Seaver died at Darien, January 25, 1827. He came to Darien (them Pembroke) in 1816, a very poor man, but had a stock of medicine in his pill-bags. His first outlay was $2,50 for a bushel of wheat. From overwork and exposure he became ill and had to give up work. His family was left almost destitute. James W., at the age of 16, began clerking, and followed a mercantile life for 60 years. He came to Byron in 1832, and was a clerk in the store of C. Jenks & Co. He married, in 1`839, Mrs. J.W. Bennett. In 1844, Mr. Seaver and his brother John purchased of Zeno S. Terry the stock of goods formerly belonging to Loren Clark, a pioneer merchant of Byron. In 1845 James W. Seaver was appointed postmaster, which position he held for about 40 years. In 1858 he was elected justice of the peace, holding the position for 20 years. He has three daughters: Mrs. J.A. Moore, whose husband is Mr. Seaver's partner in the mercantile business; Mrs. Julia A. Stone, who for 12 years has been a teacher in the Blind Institution at Batavia; and Mary M., the wife of Rev. H.C. Woods, now pastor of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Victor, N.Y. Mr. Seaver is an active and pronounced spiritualist."

CENSUS RECORDS:

In the 1840 United States Census, James W. Seaver was a head of household residing in Byron township, Genesee County, New York. The household included two free white males aged 20 to 30, one free white female under age 5, one free white female aged 15 to 20 and one free white female aged 20 to 30 ( 1840 United States Census, Genesee County, New York, Population Schedule, Byron, Page 257, FHL Microfilm 0,017,188).

In the 1850 US Census, the James W. Seaver family resided in Byron township, Genesee County, New York. The Household included James W. Seaver (age 38, merchant, $2,000 in real property, born NY), Ermina W. Seaver (age 37, born NY), Jane A. Seaver (age 12, born NY), Julia A. Seaver (age 9, born NY), James Seaver (age 6, born NY), and Mary Seaver (age 2, born NY) [FHL Microfilm 0,017,083, page 070, dwelling #902, family #1069].

In the 1860 US census, the William Seaver family resided in Byron township, Genesee County, New York. The family included William Seaver (age 48, merchant, $3,000 in real property, $4,000 in personal property, born NY), Jemima Seaver (age 46, born NY), Jane Seaver (age 20, born NY, Julia Seaver (age 18, born NY), James Seaver (age 16, born NY), and Mary Seaver (age 12, born NY) [FHL Microfilm 0,803,756, page 1067, dwelling #271].

In the 1870 US census, the James W. Seaver family resided in Byron town, Genesee County, New York. The household included James W. Seaver (age 58, merchant of dry goods and grocer, $17,000 in real property, $4,680 in personal property, born NY), Jennie W. Seaver (age 56, keeping house, born NY) and James G. Seaver (age 26, merchant, $3,000 in real property, born NY). [FHL Microfilm 0,552,438, page 530, dwelling #129].

In the 1880 US census, James W. Seaver (age 67, born NY) family resided in Byron Center, Genesee County, New York. The family included his wife Jemima W. Seaver (age 65, born NY), daughter Julia A. Seaver (age 38, born NY), son-in-law John E. Moore (age 43, born NY0 and daughter Jane A. Moore (age 40, born NY) [LDS CD-ROM for 1880 Census, complete record in FHL Microfilm 1,254,835, page 502A].