John Seise, who may properly be termed a self-made man, has been a familiar figure upon the streets and in the social and business circles of Lena for the last twenty years, and is numbered among its influential and well-to-do citizens. He commenced life in the West in a modest manner, and by his own determination and industry accumulated a fine property, and secured an important position among the business interests of this section. He is of German birth and ancestry, his early home having been in the little Kingdom of Bavaria, where he first opened his eyes to the light March 7, 1831. His father, Frederick Seise, a native of Saxony, served his Government as a soldier in the revolution of 1814, and after retiring from the army established himself in Bavaria, where he married Miss Barbara Walse, who was born there. Frederick Seise followed the trade of a mason in Bavaria until 1850, and then, in the hope of bettering his condition financially, set sail for America. In the meantime, however, his wife had died, and he brought his motherless children with him. They embarked on a sailing-vessel in the month of February, and after a long and tedious voyage landed in New York City on the 17th of April following. Coming directly to this State the father of our subject located in Freeport where he followed his trade a year and then came to Lena. Here he began extending his operations, and contracted to furnish the stone for building culverts and bridges along the route of the Illinois Central Railroad. After the completion of this work he practically retired from active labor, and made his home with his son-in-law, Conrad Aldenbern, in West Point Township; here his death took place in 1856. The only sister of our subject, who had married Mr. Aldenbern, died in West Point Township in 1883. His brother Peter died in Lena, June 14, 1876.

John Seise was the youngest child of his parents, and was a youth of eighteen years when his father emigrated to the United States. He had obtained a fair education in his native country and learned the trade of a mason in New York City. Afterward he became a resident of Harlem, N. Y., where he lived until 1854, removing thence to Buffalo, and a year later to this county. Here he followed his trade in Lena, and was married, May 7, 1853, to Miss Fredrika Beeteener. Mrs. Seise, also a native of the German Empire, was born in Saxony, Oct. 6, 1835, and was the daughter of Jacob Beeteener, a native of the same Province, who came to America in 1851 with his wife and five children. He settled first in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., but did not engage in any business, as he had carried on merchandising successfully in Germany, and was possessed of quite a competency. His death took place in 1861. His wife, who in her girlhood was Miss Mary Shieton, afterward came to this county and died at the home of her daughter, the wife of our subject, Oct. 20, 1880. Henrietta, the elder sister of Mrs. Seise, married John Kean, of Poughkeepsie, and died there in 1861. Her brother Henry also died in that city, in 1867. Mary became the wife of John Arbokast, and is a resident of Syracuse.

The only child born to Mr. and Mrs. Seise, a son, whom they named Charles, died in Buffalo when five months old. The family residence located at the corner of Rantoul and Galena streets, is a handsome and commodious structure, set in the midst of ample grounds, planted with choice shade trees and shrubbery. Mr. Seise owns some valuable town property, including a business block and a lumber-yard, from the rents of which he enjoys a handsome income.

Contributed by Carol Parrish from Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 419