Person:Mabel Seeley (1)

Mabel, according to everyone in the family was born July 1, 1900. 1900 appears on her tombstone as her birth year. But the 1900 census, dated 19 June 1900 (a few weeks before her supposed date of birth), states that she was one year old with a birth date in July 1899! But that information is confusing. The age of 1 is supposed to be her age at her last birthday. If she was born in July 1899 then her age would have been listed as 11/12, as she would not yet have reached her first birthday. If she was born in July 1898 then her age at her last birthday would have been 1 as listed. July 1899 contradicts the age of 1, whereas July 1898 would be consistent with 1 year old.

Her marriage certificate in 1917 states she was 19, implying a birth date in 1898. Before the census information was located we had assumed that she had lied on her marriage certificate to make herself seem older, as she had married a man who was 25 years old.

We have located a possible birth record in the Bay County Birth Ledger. The record is for a Mabel Selly with parents of George and Harinth Selly. This could be a series of misspellings by the entry clerk. There are Selly families in Bay City, according to census records. However, I have not been able to find a George, Harinth or Mabel Selly though. This birth record also has George born in England, whereas his birth year occurred while the family was living in Detroit, after his father had emigrated from Germany. The birth record has George as a fireman, which he was. The birth record has a birth date of 3 Aug 1898, not in July. It should be noted that this record was filed with the county on 13 July 1899, about a year after the birth occurred. Late filings like this were very common in that time period. In spite of all the errors on the birth record, we believe that this record does refer to Mabel Seeley and that the errors can be at least partially explained by the late filing.

We also have the Funeral viewing and services signing book from the funeral home.

1. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census. (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2004;)
   Database online. Bay, Michigan, ED 47, roll T623 701, page 12A.

   Record for Mabel Seeley _ABBR: Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Bay, Michigan, ED 47, roll T623 701, page 12A.

   Ancestry.com, 1900 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2004), Database online. Bay, Michigan, ED 47, roll T623 701, page 12A.

2. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1910 Federal United States Census. (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2006;)
   Database online. Bay City Ward 6, Bay, Michigan, ED , roll T624_637, part , page .

   Record for Mabel Sarley _ABBR: Ancestry.com, 1910 Federal United States Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online. Bay City Ward 6, Bay, Michigan, ED , roll T624_637, part , page .

   Ancestry.com, 1910 Federal United States Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2006), Database online. Bay City Ward 6, Bay, Michigan, ED , roll T624_637, part , page .

3. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census. (Name: The Generations Network, Inc.; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2005;)
   Database online. Flint Ward 1, Genesee, Michigan, ED , roll , page , image 933.

   Record for Mabel Osborn

   Ancestry.com, 1920 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2005), Database online. Flint Ward 1, Genesee, Michigan, ED , roll , page , image 933.

4. ↑ Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census (1). (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2002.Original data - United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626,;)
   Year: 1930; Census Place: Bay City, Bay, Michigan; Roll: 975; Page: 7A; Enumeration District: 17; Image: 83.0.

   Birth date: abt 1901
   Birth place:
   Residence date: 1930
   Residence place: Bay City, Bay, Michigan

5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3} Ancestry.com. Michigan, Deaths and Burials Index, 1867-1995. (Name: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.Original data - "Michigan Deaths and Burials, 1800–1995." Index. FamilySearch, Salt Lake City, Utah, 2009, 2010. Index entries derived from digital copies of original and compiled rec;).

   Birth date: abt 1901
   Birth place: Bay City
   Death date: 15 May 1943
   Death place: Bay City, Arenac, Michigan
   Residence date:
   Residence place: Michigan, United States

6. ↑ Bay County, Michigan Birth Ledger
   Seeley, Mabel Vol H P335 record#67.

   Aug 3 1898 Mabel Selley f w pob Frankenlust parents Geo & Harinth selley res Frankenlust pob England for both fireman dor 7/13/1899 _ABBR: Bay County, Michigan Birth Ledger, Seeley, Mabel Vol H P335 record#67

   Bay County, Michigan Birth Ledger, Seeley, Mabel Vol H P335 record#67. Aug 3 1898 Mabel Selley f w pob Frankenlust parents Geo & Harinth selley res Frankenlust pob England for both fireman dor 7/13/1899

7. ↑ Bay County Newspaper Obituaries
   Seeley, Mabel Bay City Times 05161943.
8. ↑ Funeral Booklet, in Funeral Booklet, record of signings and services at viewing and burial services.
9. ↑ State: Michigan
   County: Bay
   Vol: H
   Page: 335
   Record #: 67
   Date of Birth: Aug 3, 1898
   Name: Mabel Selley
   Sex: F
   Race: White
   Stillborn,illegitimate,etc:
   Birthplace: Frankenlust
   Father: Geo Selley
   Mother: Harinth Selley
   Father Residence: Frankenlust
   Mother Residence: Frankenlust
   Father Birthplace: England
   Mother Birthplace: England
   Occupation of Father: Fireman
   Date of Record: July 13, 1899
10.   Ancestry.com, 1930 United States Federal Census (Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002), Database online. Bay City, Bay, Michigan, ED 17, roll 975, page , image 83.0.