Seely, Caleb

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: Catherine Pross, “SEELY (Seeley, Seelye), CALEB,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 9, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/seely_caleb_9E.html
  • DCB profile:
    • Sea captain, privateer, shipowner, and merchant; b. 31 Aug. 1787 at Saint John, N.B., son of Ebenezer and Hipzabeth Seely; d. 14 Feb. 1869 in Liverpool, N.S.
    • Caleb Seely’s father, and probably his mother, arrived in Saint John from Connecticut as loyalists in 1783. Caleb was one of at least four children. In 1813, during the war with the United States, he became commander of the privateering schooner Star of Saint John, and by late summer had sent two sloops and a pinky to the prize courts.
    • By Christmas 1813, when Seely returned from his first cruise on the New England coast, he had sent three sloops to the prize courts. Between January and October 1814 he made frequent return forays. American newspapers spoke highly of his treatment of the ships he boarded, and those he found not worth his trouble were released intact.
    • On 21 Jan. 1815 Seely married Phoebe Collins, sister of his business partner and daughter of a wealthy Liverpool shipowner and merchant, Hallet Collins. Seely settled in Liverpool and engaged in exporting timber, fish, and seal skins to Newfoundland, New England, and Great Britain, and importing manufactured goods and food. The trade was carried on in vessels owned by Seely and his partners, and they frequently travelled with the goods to transact business. At first Seely may have continued his partnership with Enos Collins. By 1827 and until 1833 he was in partnership with Patrick Gough. Afterwards he conducted business independently.
  • Son of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=7422
  • Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/211141847/caleb-seely