SEALEY Dorsetshire England to Reno Co. Kansas

'Far away-oh far away-
We seek a world ov'er the ocean spray!
We seek a land across the sea,
Where bread is plenty and men are free,
The sails are set, the breezes swell-
England, our country, farewell! Farwell!


The family of John and Eliza Ann Sealey immigrated to Canada sometime between the 1851 Dorset Census and birth of daughter Eliza Sealey born March 5th 1855 in Canada. Family oral history says the family sailed from Liverpool. New info. shared by a Michigan cousin says the family migrated closer to 1854-55. A Wesleyan-Methodist quarterly church attendance ticket for June 1852 and signed by John Sealey means they were still in Dorset England past the 1851 census. The Michigan Sealey family oral history states that by the time that eldest child Emma Jane (born Jan 1841) was 12 the family booked passage to Canada. A storm blew the ship off course and nine long-weeks later they made port somewhere on New Foundland’s shore. This fits into oral history from Emma’s brother James Sealey of Kansas. He told of how the passengers were rationed to just one cup of water a day, re: the longer than expected voyage. James tells the story that he had to be pulled from the water barrel after falling in while trying to get an extra ration of water. He said the need for land of their own and more religious freedom prompted the family's voyage across the pond.

My Family History

• Surname List


• Index of Individuals


• InterneTree


• Sources

Family Photos

• John Sealey circa 1939, Ottawa, Kansas (66 KB)
  John H. Sealey with oldest grandchild, Roger Vincent Sealey. One of two wreckers John built using chassis from a salvaged funeral home hearse. John operated a wrecker and auto repair service before he bought the Buick dealership in Ottawa, KS.
• John Sealey circa 1907, near Partridge Kansas (154 KB)
  Ruth Toms Sealey told the story of how she was responsible for taking produce to a near-by town to sell or barter. When ever she would meet John, she would be quick to hide what ever she was carrying behind her back, least he think she came from a poorer background.