Grace Isadore “Gracie” <I>Thornhill</I> Seavey

Advertisement

Grace Isadore “Gracie” Thornhill Seavey

Birth
Ohio, USA
Death
5 Sep 1884 (aged 36–37)
New Zealand
Burial
Woodville, Tararua District, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand Add to Map
Plot
Grave 13, Block 21
Memorial ID
View Source
Grace was the 'wife' (perhaps only common-law) of Charles L. Paddock of Santa Barbara in 1880 when she left him to 'elope' with Webber Samuel Seavey to Honolulu, then New Zealand. He also left a wife & child.
update message from on 2 Sep 2022, from contributor Lisa Cava (47744956) .. She was married to Charles Paddock. The "possibly common law" relationship was with my great grandfather Webber Seavey. I haven't ever found a record of divorce from Mr. Paddock, or a marriage record with Webber Seavey. She called herself Grace Seavey when they were in New Zealand, but that may have just been for convenience.

Woodville Examiner, 5 Sep 1884
Two Deaths By Drowning
TERRIFIC RAINFALL - HEAVY FLOODS
During Monday afternoon a heavy north-west gale set in and towards midnight the sky became overcast threatening a heavy rainfall. Soon the gale brought with it a driving rain which continued in a down-our during all Tuesday and following into the night. About six o;clock on Tuesday afternoon the Manawatu river showed signs of rising, but none anticipated anything but the usual steady swell. Towards ten o'clock however, it was evident from the rapid rise of the river that a flood was imminent. The numerous tributaries of the Manawatu from the Ruahine and Tararua ranges had quickly resolved themselves into mountain torrents, doubtless owing to the melting of the mountain snows by the warm rainfall. The Mangatainoka was an immense river in itself and down its surging current came trees with roots and branches towering overhead like the masts of a steamship gliding down the stream. As morning broke everyone was anxious to know the worst and the roads were soon strewed with settlers and business people alike eager to ascertain the damage done.
A shock to all was experienced by the sad and scarce credible news which went from lip to lip that two ladies, Mrs Christina James West McKenzie and Mrs Seavey had been drowned at the Upper Ferry. It appears that there, as everywhere else, no immediate risk was anticipated, although during the day steps were taken to secure a quantity of the timber laid down for the bridge in case of flood. Mr McKenzie, the contractor for the bridge, resided in a house built on a bank off the bed of the river. Only the other day his wife accompanied him from Dunedin on a visit and brought with her several of her children. At the time of the flood all were residing in the cottage referred to, but no immediate danger was anticipated up till about three o'clock on Wednesday morning, when it was deemed advisable to remove all the occupants of the buildings on the bank where Mr McKenzie's residence stood, this having become isolated by the flood water forming a stream between the bank and the main land. Mr McKenzie had a boat of his own in case of emergency, but someone had removed it to the other side of the river. Consequently for the purpose of removal a raft was put together and two of the children were safely taken off. The next step was to remove the two ladies, Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were still in the cottage. On the return of the raft they were safely got on board and the raft was manned by Mr W. McKenzie, Mr Seavey and Mr Dan McMillan. The night was pitch dark and nothing could well be seen and on the way across it struck a cabbage tree and upset, precipitating the occupants into the water. All were got safely on board again, but the steering pole was lost and the raft with its living freight drifted out to mid-stream, where the wild surging current drove it against a snag. It again capsized and all were thrown into the foaming current. Mr W. McKenzie strove pluckily to save his mother and having, as he supposed, secured the raft, he struck out most determinedly for the shore which he reached numbed with cold and insensible from his desperate efforts to rescue his mother. He was shortly afterwards picked up in an utterly exhausted condition. Mr Seavey also made strong efforts to save his wife and actually had her in his left hand, swimming with the other. But the powerful current was too much for him and she must have been carried from his grasp, for he was picked up unconscious, having been carried some distance down the river. The bereaved husbands have the sincere sympathy of the whole district in the sad affair and both ladies were highly respected by all who knew them.
In other respects Mr Mckenzie will be a heavy loser, some 800 or 900 worth of dressed totara timber for the bridge work having been swept away. The pneumatic machinery and engine used in making the piers were all under water and the engine shed thrown down at the end. Mr McKenzie's trap was also carried off and a new pneumatic box for sinking the piers was carried away. It is impossible as yet to ascertain the actual financial loss Mr McKenzie has suffered, but it must be very heavy.
.. more https://tinyurl.com/4263wdud

Feilding Star, 6 Sep 1884
WOODVILLE - The bodies of the two women, Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were drowned during Tuesday night, were found yesterday four miles from where the mishap occurred. Mrs Seavey's body was still clinging to the raft. Mrs Mckenzie was the wife of a well-known Dunedin contractor who was visiting Mrs Seavey who was an ex resident of Dunedin

Tuapeka Times, 6 Sep 1884
DUNEDIN - The bodies of both Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were drowned at Woodville in the recent floods there, have been recovered Mrs McKenzies body will be brought to Dunedin for interment

---
Webber was Lisa's great grandfather, she added to his bio on 13-8-2010 .. It is unknown if Webber and Grace Isadore "Seavey" were ever really married. They met in Santa Barbara, CA and traveled from there 1879-1884, each leaving a spouse, and lived in New Zealand for a time where she was drowned in a flood.
Additional Info: Webber Samuel Seavey was born on 15 May 1841 in Crawford Twp, Washington Cty, ME. He began military service on 1 Jan 1862 enlisting in Company H, Fifth Iowa Calvary Volunteers.
He continued his military service, re-enlisting in Company H, Fifth Iowa Calvary on 2 Jan 1864. He fought in the battle of Jonesborough, GA on 31 Aug 1864 and was taken prisoner. He was imprisoned at Andersonville prison in Georgia. He ended military service on 11 Aug 1865 in Nashville, Davidson Cty, TN, being honorably discharged. He married Harriet Wilson on 29 Nov 1866. He served as town Marshall in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Cty, CA, from about 1875 to about 1879. He married Grace Isadore Thornhill. He married Rachel Elizabeth Goodisson on 18 Jun 1885 in Napier, New Zealand. He was appointed Chief of Police for Omaha, NE on 29 May 1887. He married Lilla B Dooley, daughter of John Bufkin Dooley and Sarah A Pettett, on 26 Jan 1888 in Courtland, Gage Cty, NE. He applied for a military pension in 1888, having lost the hearing in his right ear in the battle of Jonesborough. He helped organize the first Chiefs of Police Union in May 1893 in Chicago, IL and served as its first president. He resigned as Chief of Police in Omaha, NE on 20 May 1895.
He and Lilla B Dooley were divorced in Oct 1899 in Denver, Denver County, CO. He married Della E Johnson on 10 Oct 1901. He died on 28 Dec 1918 in Seattle, King County, WA at age 77.
Grace was the 'wife' (perhaps only common-law) of Charles L. Paddock of Santa Barbara in 1880 when she left him to 'elope' with Webber Samuel Seavey to Honolulu, then New Zealand. He also left a wife & child.
update message from on 2 Sep 2022, from contributor Lisa Cava (47744956) .. She was married to Charles Paddock. The "possibly common law" relationship was with my great grandfather Webber Seavey. I haven't ever found a record of divorce from Mr. Paddock, or a marriage record with Webber Seavey. She called herself Grace Seavey when they were in New Zealand, but that may have just been for convenience.

Woodville Examiner, 5 Sep 1884
Two Deaths By Drowning
TERRIFIC RAINFALL - HEAVY FLOODS
During Monday afternoon a heavy north-west gale set in and towards midnight the sky became overcast threatening a heavy rainfall. Soon the gale brought with it a driving rain which continued in a down-our during all Tuesday and following into the night. About six o;clock on Tuesday afternoon the Manawatu river showed signs of rising, but none anticipated anything but the usual steady swell. Towards ten o'clock however, it was evident from the rapid rise of the river that a flood was imminent. The numerous tributaries of the Manawatu from the Ruahine and Tararua ranges had quickly resolved themselves into mountain torrents, doubtless owing to the melting of the mountain snows by the warm rainfall. The Mangatainoka was an immense river in itself and down its surging current came trees with roots and branches towering overhead like the masts of a steamship gliding down the stream. As morning broke everyone was anxious to know the worst and the roads were soon strewed with settlers and business people alike eager to ascertain the damage done.
A shock to all was experienced by the sad and scarce credible news which went from lip to lip that two ladies, Mrs Christina James West McKenzie and Mrs Seavey had been drowned at the Upper Ferry. It appears that there, as everywhere else, no immediate risk was anticipated, although during the day steps were taken to secure a quantity of the timber laid down for the bridge in case of flood. Mr McKenzie, the contractor for the bridge, resided in a house built on a bank off the bed of the river. Only the other day his wife accompanied him from Dunedin on a visit and brought with her several of her children. At the time of the flood all were residing in the cottage referred to, but no immediate danger was anticipated up till about three o'clock on Wednesday morning, when it was deemed advisable to remove all the occupants of the buildings on the bank where Mr McKenzie's residence stood, this having become isolated by the flood water forming a stream between the bank and the main land. Mr McKenzie had a boat of his own in case of emergency, but someone had removed it to the other side of the river. Consequently for the purpose of removal a raft was put together and two of the children were safely taken off. The next step was to remove the two ladies, Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were still in the cottage. On the return of the raft they were safely got on board and the raft was manned by Mr W. McKenzie, Mr Seavey and Mr Dan McMillan. The night was pitch dark and nothing could well be seen and on the way across it struck a cabbage tree and upset, precipitating the occupants into the water. All were got safely on board again, but the steering pole was lost and the raft with its living freight drifted out to mid-stream, where the wild surging current drove it against a snag. It again capsized and all were thrown into the foaming current. Mr W. McKenzie strove pluckily to save his mother and having, as he supposed, secured the raft, he struck out most determinedly for the shore which he reached numbed with cold and insensible from his desperate efforts to rescue his mother. He was shortly afterwards picked up in an utterly exhausted condition. Mr Seavey also made strong efforts to save his wife and actually had her in his left hand, swimming with the other. But the powerful current was too much for him and she must have been carried from his grasp, for he was picked up unconscious, having been carried some distance down the river. The bereaved husbands have the sincere sympathy of the whole district in the sad affair and both ladies were highly respected by all who knew them.
In other respects Mr Mckenzie will be a heavy loser, some 800 or 900 worth of dressed totara timber for the bridge work having been swept away. The pneumatic machinery and engine used in making the piers were all under water and the engine shed thrown down at the end. Mr McKenzie's trap was also carried off and a new pneumatic box for sinking the piers was carried away. It is impossible as yet to ascertain the actual financial loss Mr McKenzie has suffered, but it must be very heavy.
.. more https://tinyurl.com/4263wdud

Feilding Star, 6 Sep 1884
WOODVILLE - The bodies of the two women, Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were drowned during Tuesday night, were found yesterday four miles from where the mishap occurred. Mrs Seavey's body was still clinging to the raft. Mrs Mckenzie was the wife of a well-known Dunedin contractor who was visiting Mrs Seavey who was an ex resident of Dunedin

Tuapeka Times, 6 Sep 1884
DUNEDIN - The bodies of both Mrs McKenzie and Mrs Seavey, who were drowned at Woodville in the recent floods there, have been recovered Mrs McKenzies body will be brought to Dunedin for interment

---
Webber was Lisa's great grandfather, she added to his bio on 13-8-2010 .. It is unknown if Webber and Grace Isadore "Seavey" were ever really married. They met in Santa Barbara, CA and traveled from there 1879-1884, each leaving a spouse, and lived in New Zealand for a time where she was drowned in a flood.
Additional Info: Webber Samuel Seavey was born on 15 May 1841 in Crawford Twp, Washington Cty, ME. He began military service on 1 Jan 1862 enlisting in Company H, Fifth Iowa Calvary Volunteers.
He continued his military service, re-enlisting in Company H, Fifth Iowa Calvary on 2 Jan 1864. He fought in the battle of Jonesborough, GA on 31 Aug 1864 and was taken prisoner. He was imprisoned at Andersonville prison in Georgia. He ended military service on 11 Aug 1865 in Nashville, Davidson Cty, TN, being honorably discharged. He married Harriet Wilson on 29 Nov 1866. He served as town Marshall in Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara Cty, CA, from about 1875 to about 1879. He married Grace Isadore Thornhill. He married Rachel Elizabeth Goodisson on 18 Jun 1885 in Napier, New Zealand. He was appointed Chief of Police for Omaha, NE on 29 May 1887. He married Lilla B Dooley, daughter of John Bufkin Dooley and Sarah A Pettett, on 26 Jan 1888 in Courtland, Gage Cty, NE. He applied for a military pension in 1888, having lost the hearing in his right ear in the battle of Jonesborough. He helped organize the first Chiefs of Police Union in May 1893 in Chicago, IL and served as its first president. He resigned as Chief of Police in Omaha, NE on 20 May 1895.
He and Lilla B Dooley were divorced in Oct 1899 in Denver, Denver County, CO. He married Della E Johnson on 10 Oct 1901. He died on 28 Dec 1918 in Seattle, King County, WA at age 77.

Inscription

GRACE E. SEAVEY Aged 37
Tragically drowned in the Manawatu River, along with Christina McKenzie, during the construction of the Rail/Road bridge at Ngawaparua 3rd Sep 1894

Gravesite Details

There is a discrepancy between her name and the epitaph on the grave marker which has E. for her middle name.
Interment ID: 4196
Funeral Officiator: Rev Robertshawe



See more Seavey or Thornhill memorials in:

Flower Delivery
  • Created by: pkg
  • Added: Jul 19, 2009
  • Find a Grave Memorial ID:
  • Lisa Cava
  • Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/39650477/grace_isadore-seavey: accessed ), memorial page for Grace Isadore “Gracie” Thornhill Seavey (1847–5 Sep 1884), Find a Grave Memorial ID 39650477, citing Old Gorge Cemetery, Woodville, Tararua District, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand; Maintained by pkg (contributor 46968786).