Photos of Reigeluth-Blakeslee Ancestors
Robert Seelye
Reigeluth
1916
Fifth generation for which we have photos
This is the home page for photos of our Reigeluth - Blakeslee ancestors. I apologize that I can't change the header, so please ignore it and use the crimson navigation devices.
Harry
Seelye
Felice
Lyons
Genealogies of the Reigeluth, Blakeslee, Ellison, and Seelye lineages appear below.
Jacob Reigeluth's mother died when he was in his early teens, and he was sent to England for his schooling when he was 14. He came to the USA at the age of 21 or 22.
Jacob met his wife, Mary Brining, in New Orleans, where she was visiting an aunt, and soon aftwrwards they were married. He had his first child, Julia, and then took a trip to South America, where his second child, Louise, was born in Peru.
Jacob returned to this country and settled in New York State. He had a heart attach and died when John J. Reigeluth was six years old. His mother had a difficult time raising her children, as their money was tied up in Germany.
Matthew Gilbert was among the first settlers of New Haven. He was born in England in 1599 and died in New Haven in 1680. He was chosen in 1639 as one of the 7 pillars of the church and one of the first magistrates of the colony. For a long time he was in office second only to Governor Eaton and was the first deputy governor of New Haven Colony. He married Jane Barber (daughter of Lancelot) in 1654 and had two sons: Matthew Jr. and Daniel.
Granddaughter Mary Gilbert Wooden (a widow) married Jotham Blakeslee, and their son, Matthew Gilbert Blakeslee, was grandfather of Charles Wells Blakeslee.
Shakespeare mentioned the name, Sir Bennett Seeley, in Richard II. He was beheaded by followers of Bolingbroke in 1399.
Robert Seeley came to America from England with Governor Winthrop, landing at Salem, Massachusetts, in June 1630.
With his wife, Mary, and sons, Nathaniel and Obadiah, he received a grant of 16 acres at what is now Watertown, MA.
In 1635, with the Reverend John Sherman and others, Robert moved to Connecticut, founding Wethersfield.
Robert fought in the Pequot War as a captain, and in 1638 founded the New Haven Colony with John Davenport and Theophilus Eton. He died in 1667.