Biographies of Notable
Americans, 1904
The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of
Notable Americans: Volume IX
Seay, Thomas
SEAY, Abraham J., governor of Oklahoma
Territory, was born in Amherst County, VA, Nov 28, 1832, son of Camm
and Lucy Jane (Tiller) Seay. He removed with his parents to Osage
County, MO, in 1835; worked on a farm; attended school irregularly until
1853, and was a student in Steeleville academy, Missouri. He was elected
a school commissioner, 1858, and subsequently studied law. He served in
the Federal army through the civil war, rising through various grades to
the rank of colonel of the 23d Missouri volunteer infantry, and
participating in the Vicksburg, Chattanooga, and Atlanta campaigns, the
march to the sea, and the grand review at Washington, D.C. After the war
he was admitted to the bar and commenced practice. He was a Republican
candidate for representative in congress, 1872 and 1874; circuit-judge,
1875-87; and Republican nominee for judge of the court of appeals,
eastern district of Missouri, 1888. Removing to Kingfisher, Oklahoma
Territory, he served as judge of the Supreme Court of the territory,
1890-92, growing and banking in Kingfisher, Oklahoma Territory.
