Seavers in the News- Noted Violin Maker George F. Seaver Dies in 1902

It's time for another edition of "Seavers in the News" - a weekly feature from the historical newspapers about persons with the surname Seaver that are interesting, useful, mysterious, fun, macabre, or add information to my family tree database.

This week's entry is from The Boston [Mass.] Globe newspaper dated 10 January 1902:

The transcription of the article is:

"WELL-KNOWN VIOLIN MAKER

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George F. Seaver, Dead at Dover, N.H. -- Won Repute Also as Inventor.

"DOVER, N.H. Jan. 9 -- George F. Seaver, age 66, one of Dover's most esteemed citizens, died this morning at his home, near Granite State park, after a long illness.  Since early in the 80's Mr. Seaver had been an invalid from paralysis, and since last fall he had been confined to his bed.

"Mr. Seaver was born in Lebanon, Me. of long-lived ancestry.  His maternal grandfather lived to the age of 104 and his mother died at 89.  For the past 30 years he has been a resident of this city, coming here from Haverhill, where he resided several years.  He married Miss Hannah R. Ham of Rochester.

"He was best known as a violin-maker, but was an inventor as well.  Among his patented inventions were a cane umbrella, a lasting machine and a car-heating apparatus.  For the past 16 years Mr. Seaver had been making violins, at first in an experimental way.

"During a long course of experimenting and study he solved the problem of making an instrument that from the first possessed the mellowness, richness, and breadth of tone of some of the best of the productions of the old makers.

"His latest productions are not excelled in beauty of wood and workmanship, and are pronounced by musicians to be of rare quality.  In his collection of old violins is a Stradivarius formerly owned by Ole Bull.

"Mr. Seaver was a veteran of the civil war.  He enlisted in Co H, 1st N H volunteers, and served at fort Constitution nearly the full period of enlistment.  He there received an injury to his back which necessitated his discharge, and which resulted in the paralysis which caused his death.

"He is survived by his wife, three sons, William H., George F. and John D., all of Boston; two daughters, Mrs. Roscoe G. Kilham of Boston, and Mrs. Ada F. Patten of Lynn; also a sister, Mrs. Ellen Ayer of Lynn."

The source citation for the article is:

"Well-Known Violin Maker" The Boston [Mass.] Globe newspaper, obituary, Friday, 10 January  1902, page 11, column 4, George F. Seaver obituary;   Newspapers.com   (https://www.newspapers.com : accessed 5 September 2019).

What an interesting life.  An inventor, a violin maker, a Civil War veteran, a wife and 5 living children.  

George Freeman Seaver (1835-1902) was the son of John D. Seaver (1798-1861) and Sarah Maddox (1805-1895) of Portsmouth, N.H. and Lebanon, Maine.  He married Hannah R. Ham (1835-????) in 1855 in Rochester, New Hampshire, and they had five children:

*  Ada Florence Seaver (1855-????), married George Lincoln Howard (1865-1920) in 1903.

*  George Freeman Seaver (1858-????), married Ella R. Waterhouse (1855-1919) in 1882.

*  Lola Estele Seaver (1859-1934), married (1) Roscoe Green Kilham (1859-1921) in 1882, and (2) George Edward Tibbets (1863-????) in 1929.

*  John D. Seaver (1867-????), married Nellie P. Norris (1876-????) in 1895.

*  William Harrison Seaver (1873-????) married (1) Marie E. Carlton (1878-????) in 1896, and (2) Alexandrina Wishart (1871-1976) in 1923.

George Freeman Seaver is my 3rd cousin four times removed, with common ancestors of my 6th great-grandparents Robert Seaver (1702-1752) and Eunice Rayment (1707-1772).

There are over 8,000 Seaver "stories" in my family tree - this was one of them.  George Freeman Seaver had an inspiring and interesting life.  Life happens, accidentally and intentionally, and sometimes it is noble and good.

UPDATE:  Reader Jeff found one sold at auction in 2008 - see: https://www.skinnerinc.com/auctions/2407/lots/160

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Disclosure:  I have a paid subscription to Newspapers.com and have used it extensively to find articles about my ancestral and one-name families.

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Copyright (c) 2019, Randall J. Seaver

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