Wilkins Seacord - Sandburg's Hometown - by Barbara Schock

Wilkins Seacord was a capitalist. In the nineteenth century it was a complimentary term for someone who invested in a variety of business enterprises.

Seacord was born September 20, 1833, in Orange County, New York. His parents were Wilkins and Huldah Morris Seacord. His grandfather was a Hugeunot who served under the Marquis de la Fayette during the Revolutionary War. He liked America while a soldier and settled in New York state.

At the age of twenty-two the younger Seacord left his boyhood home and wandered through several states before deciding to stay in Oneida in 1855. He broke the prairie sod, taught school, raised livestock and established a slaughtering business. In 1868 he was elected Sheriff of Knox County by a wide margin.and moved to Knoxville with his wife, Louise Courtright, and three children.

On July 29,1870, the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad Company opened a stockyard in Galesburg. Mr. Seacord became the superintendent. At that time the railroad companies had to provide food, water and exercise every twelve hours for the livestock being shipped to the Chicago slaughter houses. There were stockyards in Quincy and in Ottumwa and Burlington, Iowa. There was also a large sheep yard at Mongomery near Aurora. Seacord was in charge of all these facilites until his death. He was well regarded by the workers in the yards as he was willing to participate in whatever work was required.

Seacord was involved in the creation of the Farmer's and Mechanic's Bank and served on the Board of Directors. He was associated with the establishment of the First National Bank a few years later. When the Purington Paving Brick Company was organized in Galesburg, he became an early investor. As mentioned in a previous story about streetcars, Seacord built the line on North Broad Street and consolidated several street railway companies with the Electric Motor and Power Company.

He also owned several large farms. He was considered an expert judge of livestock. Both of his sons joined him in operating large farms and the breeding of fine race horses.

The first Mrs. Seacord died in 1869. He did not remarry until 1883 when Mrs. Fannie Turner Hollowell of Kansas City, became his second wife. In 1894 he built a large Victorian home on the northwest corner of Cherry and Losey streets. His son DeForrest (called Judd) erected a house just to the west and the two homes shared a barn. The other son, Fred, built his house about a block south on Cherry Street. The daughter, Louise, married and made her home in Elgin, Illinois.

Wilkins Seacord invested in many businesses in Galesburg during his lifetime. They contributed to the economy of the city as well as improving services provided to the citizens. He died July 3, 1900, of nephritis. Burial was in the Oneida Cemetery.