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William Seery, Sr. and William Seery, Jr.
William Seery, Sr., who for many years
was actively engaged in farming, resides on section 23, Cedar township,
with his son William Seery, Jr. He has now reached the venerable age of
eighty-four years and the work of the farm is largely left to others,
while he is enjoying a rest which he has truly earned and richly
merits. He still gives supervision to his farm but the actual work of
the fields is done by others. A native of Ireland, he was born in
County Westmeath on the 4th of June, 1823, and was there reared to
manhood, no event of special importance occurring to vary the routine
of life for him in his boyhood and youth. After he had attained his
majority he was joined in wedlock to Miss Catherine Ganely, who died in
the year 1891, at the age of sixty-eight. She had been to him a
faithful companion and helpmate on life’s journey and had been of much
assistance to him in his business career, owing to her capable
management of household affairs.
In the year 1854, Mr. Seery had severed his business connections with
Ireland and, bidding adieu to home and friends, had sailed for the
United States. He landed at New York and thence went to Virginia, where
he was engaged in railroading until 1857. That year witnessed his
arrival in Jones county, Iowa, where he followed farming until 1874. In
the latter year he arrived in Greene county, settling on section 23,
where he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of land, on which a few
improvements had been made. Forty-two acres of land had been broken and
a little cabin had been built. With characteristic energy he began its
further development and improvement and in course of time the farm gave
evidence of his care and labor. In all that he has done he has been
practical and progressive and his work has brought him a goodly measure
of success.
Unto Mr. and Mrs. William Seery, Sr., were born three children, namely:
Mrs. Delia Cassaway, who is living in Cedar township; William, who is
associated with his father in business; and Mrs. Agnes Monahan, living
in Cedar township.
William Seery, Jr., the only son, was born in Jones county, Iowa, on
the 18th of April, 1856, and came with his parents to Greene county in
1874, when a young man of eighteen years. He had been a student in the
schools of his native county and when not occupied with his studies his
time and energies were largely devoted to the work of the home farm. He
has always been associated with his father in business, they working
harmoniously in the conduct of their agricultural interests. In 1884,
William Seery, Jr., took the management of his farming affairs and is
now the owner of two hundred acres of valuable and productive land,
while his father owns one hundred and sixty acres. The son is
cultivating fifty-five acres, while the remainder of the land is rented.
On the 14th of September, 1886, William Seery, Jr., was united in
marriage to Miss Margaret Mahoney, who was born in Montreal, Canada, in
1866 and died in 1894. She left two children, Michael H. and Kate, both
of whom are at home. Her death was deeply deplored by many friends who
had learned to esteem her highly for her many excellent traits of
character and her genuine personal worth.
In political views both father and son are republicans, staunchly
supporting the party and its principles, and in religious faith they
are Catholics. They have both long been recognized as enterprising
business men, carrying forward to successful termination whatever they
have undertaken, and as the years have gone by they have gained a place
among the leading and prosperous agriculturists of this part of the
state. The father has now reached the venerable age of four and four
score years and the rest which he is now enjoying is well merited. He
never had occasion to regret his determination to seek a home in the
new world, for here he found the business opportunities which he sought
and by improving these he gained a creditable position in agricultural
circles in Greene county.
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