JOHN W. SEAMAN, junior member of the firm Mitchell & Seaman, dealers in general hardware, Washington, is a native of the borough, born in October, 1841. The family came from New Jersey and tradition says that the first to bear the name was a waif picked up, no more than alive, on the seashore and given the name "Seaman." Joseph Seaman, great grandfather of our subject, came to Washington, this county, in 1785 and died there; a blacksmith by trade, his shop stood on the site where is now the high school. Jacob, grandfather of J. W., a mason by trade, and who kept tavern for many years at Amity, Amwell township, was married to Lydia Jones, daughter of an early comer to the county; she was a native of Philadelphia, and when a girl migrated to this county, where she had several sisters living. Jacob Seaman and wife had a family of five children, viz. John W who died in Washington, leaving a widow and children; Alexander and James are also dead, leaving children, and Thomas (all were residents of Washington County); and Mary who died in infancy. The father of this family died about the year 1831. Alexander Seaman son of Jacob was born in the borough of Washington in 1813, and received his education at the subscription schools of the place. He was brought up to the trade of mason, which he followed early in life, but abandoned for mercantile pursuits. About the year 1849 he opened a grocery store in Washington, which he carried on for several years with considerable success. About 1837 he married Jean Dagg, daughter of Richard Dagg of Strabane township, and granddaughter of Henry Taylor, a pioneer farmer of that township, coming to the county when the woods were still teeming with wild animals and hostile Indians; he was the first president judge of the county, and a prominent factor in the early politics of the State. To Alexander and Jean Dagg Seaman were born five children, three of whom grew to maturity, viz: Mary, wife of Samuel Taggart of Chartiers township; John W. and Margaret, wife of Joseph M. Spriggs, grocer, Washington township. The parents both died in the borough in 1880, the mother in August, the father in November. Until 1860 he had been a Democrat, but after that date voted under the banner of the Republican party. John W. Seaman received his education partly at the common schools of his native borough, supplemented by a partial course at Washington and Jefferson College. At the age of fourteen years he entered his father's store as a clerk, remaining until 1874 in which year he was appointed deputy prothonotary filling the incumbency four years; from 1878 to 1881 he was out of office, but in the latter year he was elected prothonotary, serving six years. In 1888 he entered into partnership with J. K. Mitchell in general hardware, house furnishings, etc. under firm name of Mitchell & Seaman, the business being one of the most successful and extensive in that line in the county. In 1869 Mr. Seaman married Louise Mills of Washington, daughter of Andrew Mills, who about 1830 came from the north of Ireland to Washington county. To this union seven children, all yet living, were born, named as follows: Nellie, James Alexander, Alice M., Jean D., Harry E., John T. and Margaret Louise. Mr. Seaman in his political preferments is a Republican, and has held with characteristic ability many offices of honor and trust in the county. He is secretary of the Mechanics Building & Loan Association and of the Mutual Building and Loan Association. He is a prominent and influential member of the First M. E. Church and superintendent of the Sunday school of same.

Text taken from page 118 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed November 1997 by Martha Burns of Anaheim, CA as part of the Beers Project. Published November 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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