1900-01-07-New York Sun-Jesse Seelyes Will
- New York Sun, 7 Jan. 1900, p. 9
Jesse Seelye's Will
Former Resident of Wayne County Leaves His Farm to the Mormon Church.
Lyons, N. Y., Jan. 6.—William H. Kelley of Salt Lake City, Utah, an elder of the Mormon Church, appeared in Wayne county Surrogate's Court this week and made application to Surrogate Sawyer for an order allowing the sale of land owned by Jesse Seelye of Savannah in his life time and which he devised to his wife, Mary A. Seelye, during the term of her natural life, with a reversion to the Mormon church. The order has not yet been granted.
Jesse Seelye died in Savannah, July 13, 1894, aged 88 years. He had lived on a farm one-half mile west of Savannah since 1837, and owned, free of encumbrance, a farm of twenty-five acres, worth $1,600, and had about $600 in personal property. He was born in Warren county, and came with his parents to Wayne county when only 12 years of age. On Nov. 4, 1832, he married Miss Mary A. Stackus of Savannah, who still survives and is over 80 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Seelye came in contact with Elder Kelley, and both embraced the Mormon faith, although being unable to affiliate with that church, as there was no congregation within many miles.
Shortly after the death of Mr. Seelye his will was offered for probate in Wayne county Surrogate's Court, and letters testamentary were issued to Elder William H. Kelley. The will, after providing for the payment of just debts and funeral expenses devised the entire personal property to the widow, also the life use of the real estate. Then followed this interesting clause in the will:
"And from and immediately after the decease of my said wife, I give and devise the same property to the reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in which Joseph Smith is now prophet, seer and revelator to said church; and to pass into the hands of the Bishop of said Church, to be used by him in purchasing lands in the land of Zion or in the region about the land of Zion, for the inheritance of deserving poor saints of said Church; or the property may be used by the Bishop in any other way in building up the cause of the Lord, as he may see fit and just."
From the application of Elder Kelley it appears that the income from the twenty-five-acre farm is insufficient to support Mrs. Seelye. He desires and order permitting the sale of the land and the turning over of the proceeds to the Mormon church, the latter agreeing to take Mrs. Seelye to a Mormon home in Iowa, there to suitably provide for her during the term of her natural life. Elder Kelley has secured the written consent of Mrs. Seelye to this proceeding.
The child-like faith of Mr. and Mrs. Seelye in the doctrines of Mormonism was always a cause of astonishment to those best acquainted with the couple. People living in Wayne county, contiguous to Palmyra, where Joseph Smith lived, moved and had his being, were generally extremely sceptical, but this couple embraced Mormon doctrines fully.
