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Delaware County, Iowa

 Biography Directory

 

 

Albert Owen Seward

Farmer and Politician

Edgewood

 

      The subject of this sketch is a native of New York and is a descendant of the historic stock of that state. He is a son of Sutloff T. and Antha (Steel) Seward, both of whom are natives of the town of Lebanon, N. Y. The Sewards were from New York and the Steels came from Connecticut to New York State; the former settling in and around the town of Lebanon, in Columbia county, and the latter in and around the town of Richmond, in Ontario county. Our subject's great grandfather, Isaac Seward, was a lad when his father moved from Connecticut to New York and settled in Columbia county. In that county the youth of Isaac Seward was passed, and it was the birthplace of Truxton Seward, grandfather of our subject, and of Sutloff T. Seward, also, his father. In 1818 Isaac Seward moved his family to Richmond, in Ontario county, where he carried on the business of a currier and tanner for some years, and where, after his death, his son, Truxton Seward, carried on the same business for a quarter of a century. Isaac Seward, here mentioned, and William H. Seward, the statesman and diplomat, were own cousins.   

      Our subject's maternal grandfather, Capt. Roderick Steel, was a native of Connecticut. He settled in Ontario county about the beginning of this century. He served in the War of 1812, was long recognized as one of the solid men of his adopted county, and is mentioned in the history of Ontario county as one of the first as one of the first twenty settlers in that county. 

 

    The parents of Albert O. Seward, Sutloff T. Seward and Antha Steel, were married about the year 1830, in Ontario county, and settled in the vicinity of Richmond, where they passed most of their married life. The mother died at Lavonia Station, Livingston county, N. Y., in October, 1889, at the age of eighty three; the father is still living, being now eighty seven years old.  He was a strong abolitionist in earlier years and in later life an ardent advocate of temperance.  He is a member of the Universalist church as was also his wife.

 

    To Sutloff and Antha Seward were born seven children, as follows; Dwight, who is now a farmer, residing at Edgewood, Iowa; Fidelia, now the wife of Allen Richards, of Edgewood, Iowa; Acantha G., who died at the age of thirty seven in Ontario county, N. Y.; Amelia, who died in infancy; Adolphus S., who died at the age of six; Albert O., our subject, and Edith C., still single, residing with her father.


    Albert O. Seward, with whom this notice is more especially concerned, was born in the town of Richmond, Ontario county, N. Y., June 18, 1842. He was reared in his native county and spent his youth in the common schools of the locality, where he grew up, and in his father's sawmill, to which he gave considerable attention while young. He came West in 1863 and located at Edgewood, on the line of Delaware and Clayton counties, Iowa, where he remained for three or four years. In 1866 he married and the following year moved on to the place where he now resides in Delaware township, Delaware county. He owns eighty acres in section 13 in this township and forty five acres of timber land in Delaware and Honey Creek townships. He has been engaged in farming since settling in the county and he has met with reasonable success. He has made all the improvements on his place, moving on to it when it was raw prairie. He built his present residence in 1877 and his barn in 1887. He has a thrifty grove of trees which he set out, and his farm is in other respects in a neat and prosperous condition. He has filled such offices as he has been called to in connection with the administration of the civil affairs of his township, and has generally given satisfaction. He manifests a becoming interest in all public matters whether relating to his community or not, and he bears his share of the burdens of every worthy enterprise or purpose which seeks aid at his hands. He is a republican in politics and has supported the straight republican ticket since the organization of the party.

 

    Mr. Seward married, April 8, 1866, Miss Mary A. Annis, then residing at Edgewood, in Delaware county. She was born, however, near Yorkshire, Cattaraugus county, N. Y., April 24, 1848. She is a daughter of Hiram and Mary (Oakley) Annis, both also natives of New York. Her parents came to Iowa in 1855 and settled at Edgewood, where the mother died March 16, 1889, aged seventy three, and where the father continues to reside, being now in his seventy-ninth year.

 

    Mr. and Mrs. Seward have had born to them two children; Meredith A. and Mary A.

~ source: Biographical souvenir of the counties of Delaware and Buchanan, Iowa; Chicago : F. A. Battey, 1890. Page 567; LDS microfilm #985424