Biography of Franklin Pierce Seiler, pages 976/977.  
History of DeKalb County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, 
Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Well directed efforts in the practical affairs of life and 
his capable management of his business affairs have brought 
well deserved prosperity to the gentleman whose name heads 
this paragraph, and his career forcibly demonstrates what 
may be accomplished by any man of energy and ambition who 
is not afraid of work and has the perseverance to continue 
his labors in the face of any discouragement’s which may 
seem to arise. In all the relations of life he has 
commanded the respect and confidence of those with whom he 
has been brought into contact and a biographical history of 
this locality would need to contain his record should it 
profess to be complete. Franklin Pierce Seiler was born 
October 11, 1855, in West Lebanon, Wayne county, Ohio, the 
son of John and Lucetta Seiler, and, with his parents, came 
to Fairfield township, DeKalb county, Indiana, in the 
spring of 1864, locating on a farm in the dense timber.  
Acquiring a good rudimentary education in the district 
schools of those days, the subject to this review took up 
pedagogical work and for twenty years was a teacher in the 
schools of this county, establishing a splendid reputation 
as an educator and showing a knowledge of improved methods 
in school work far ahead of the time. In 1880 Mr. Seiler 
completed a commercial course at Eastman’s Business College 
at Proughkeepsie, New York, a training which stood him in 
good stead in his later business career. On October, 7, 
1887, Mr. Seiler was united in marriage to Mino I. Andrews, 
of Newville township, DeKalb county, and this union has 
been blessed by the birth of two children:  Paul Waldo 
graduated from the Auburn high school and is now employed 
as a traveling auditor for the Ford Automobile Company, of 
Detroit; Bonnie completed her high school and preparatory 
college work, and is now teaching in the Auburn schools.  
In 1898 Mr. Seiler was elected auditor of DeKalb county and 
served in that responsible position for four years, his 
administration of the affairs of that office winning for 
him the warm commendation of the citizens of the county, 
regardless of political affiliations,  the many 
businesslike methods which he introduced effecting a great 
saving in the expense of the office, to the gratification 
of the tax payers. At the close of Mr. Seiler’s term of 
office he remained in Auburn, engaging in the real estate, 
loan, insurance and abstracting business, having built up a 
splendid business. The scope of the subject’s operations 
may be understood when it is known that he buys, sells and 
exchanges farm lands of all kinds, wild lands, irrigated 
and virgin timber lands, stock ranches, city property, 
mills, hotels, stocks of merchandise, and also is largely 
interested in colonization projects and co-operative real 
estate.  Mr. Seiler and his family are members of the 
Methodist Episcopal church, to which they give a loyal and 
earnest support. Politically, his allegiance to the 
principles and practices of the Democratic party has never 
been questioned, and his activity in behalf of this party 
has contributed largely to its prosperity in the community.

Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com