Biography - WILLIAM C. SEEHAUSEN

William C. Seehausen, county clerk of Macoupin county and one of its most efficient and popular citizens, is a native of Illinois, born at Crete, Will county, March 18, 1859. He is a son of Christopher and Ellen (Hinz) Seehausen, both of whom were born at Kurhessen, Germany. Of the family of Mr. and Mrs. Seehausen six grew to maturity: Sophia, who is now the wife of James Forbes, of Michigan; William C., of this review; Ellen, who is living at Crete; Gustav C., also of Crete; Maria, who became the wife of August Schulz, of Chicago; and August H., also of Chicago'.

The father of our subject was a shoemaker by trade. He came to America with his family in 1856 and located at Crete, where he engaged at his trade. He died in 1902, at the age of sixty-seven years. The mother is still living and makes her home at Crete. She is a member of the Lutheran church, as was also her husband. The grandfather of our subject on the paternal side, died in Germany when he was about sixty years old. He was a shoemaker. His wife came to America and died at Crete, after arriving at the age of ninety years. She was the mother of six children, Christopher, Heinrich, Herman, Maria, Sophia and Doris. The grandmother on the maternal side was a native of Germany and lived to be seventy-two years old. Three of her children came to America, Mrs. Conrad Rohe, Mrs. Henry Rohe and Mrs. Ellen Seehausen.

In the parochial and public schools of Crete William C. Seehausen secured good advantages of education, becoming proficient in both the German and English languages. He learned the shoemaker’s trade and remained at Crete until twenty years of age, when he moved to Goodland, Indiana, continuing there from 1879 to 1883. He then came to Staunton, Illinois, where he successfully operated a shoe shop for fifteen years. In December, 1898, he located at Carlinville and was appointed deputy county clerk under Orin C. Hartley, a position which he held for four years, discharging his duties so acceptably that in the fall of 1902 he was elected to the office of county clerk. He was re-elected to this office in 1906 and again in 1910 by increasing majorities. He is a man of accommodating disposition and, as he understands completely all the details relating to the position he now holds and always aims to perform his entire duty, it is doubtful whether his record has ever been excelled for efficiency in any public office of this county.

On the 22d of August, 1883, at Goodland, Indiana, Mr. Seehausen was married to Miss Elizabeth Hassett, a daughter of John and Nora Hassett, and to' this union, six children have been born, namely: Helen, who married Henry Herzberger, of Carlinville, and has two sons, Elmer and Milton; Laura, who is the wife of John W. Kessinger, of Carlinville; Walter, who married Flora M. Weiss and is serving as deputy county clerk under his father; Nora, who lives at home; and Minnie and Anna, both of whom died in infancy. Mrs. Seehausen was born at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Her parents were natives of Ireland and after coming to America settled first in Indiana but later moved to Milwaukee. After the birth of the daughter the family returned to Indiana and the mother is now living at Logansport, the father having died at Kentland. They had ten children, Elizabeth, Mamie, James, Kate, Charles, Emma. Leo, George, William and Anna.

Mr. and Mrs. Seehausen are faithful members of the Lutheran church and liberal supporters of that organization. Politically Mr. Seehausen adheres to the democratic party and is prominent in its councils in this county. He owes his advancement in life to unflagging industry and perseverance that has never bowed before defeat. He is a worthy representative of courage and zeal, backed by sturdy traits handed down by indomitable ancestors and wherever we find them we may expect solid and enduring worth.

Extracted 20 Oct 2018 by Norma Hass from History of Macoupin County, Illinois: Biographical and Pictorial, by Charles A. Walker, published in 1911, Volume 2, pages 214-215.