John Seys | |
|---|---|
 print published in 1835 | |
| United States Ambassador toLiberia | |
| In office January 2, 1867 – June 11, 1870 | |
| President | Andrew Johnson |
| Preceded by | Abraham Hanson |
| Succeeded by | James Milton Turner |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jan Seij (1799-03-30)March 30, 1799 |
| Died | February 9, 1872(1872-02-09) (aged 72) |
| Children | 12 |
| Occupation | Reverend |
John Seys (March 30, 1799 – February 9, 1872) was anAmericanreverend,missionary, anddiplomat.
Seys was born inSt. Croix, in theDanish West Indies, to a wealthywhite family on March 30, 1799.[1][2][3] BornJan Seij, his family were slave owners. He anglicized his name when he moved to theBritish West Indies as a young adult.[4]
Seys chose to work as aMethodistreverend (preacher in 1825 and ordained minister in 1829),[4][5] and his family disinherited him for it.[3][6] After ordination, he briefly served on the island ofTortola before obtaining a position inOgdensburg, New York. He moved toCanton, New York, in 1832 and then became a missionary among theOneida people in 1833.[5] Following the death of his predecessor, Beveridge Cox, Seys led the Methodistmission inLiberia for ten years until poor health forced him to resign in 1844.[7][8] During his time in leadership he became actively involved in establishing newschools in the country.[9]
From 1856 to 1858, Seys served as a special agent of theAmerican Colonization Society scouting settlement locations for freed slaves in Liberia that were at an elevated location less prone tomalaria.[10][11] This resulted in the founding ofCareysburg in 1856, followed by the building of a chapel there.[5] From 1858 to 1862, Seys acted as aUnited States government agent[4] helping the freed passengers of slave ships captured by theU.S. Navy, having responsibility for up to four thousand men, women and children at a time.[5][12] He also served as acting Consul General when the incumbent died.[5]
Seys served asMinister Resident to Liberia from the United States from January 2, 1867, to June 11, 1870.[1][9][13] In this position, Seys faced many obstacles due to the lack of funds coming from the United States. In a February 11, 1871, report to theU.S. House of Representatives, RepresentativeThomas Swann from theUnited States House Committee on Foreign Affairs stated that Seys "charges salary for sixty days, and also for fifty-eight days, transit in returning to his post, and for the services ofW.A. Johnson, vice consul general, $166.66 for four months" which the committee recommended he not be paid.[14] Despite this, he actively pushed against what he saw as the evils ofslavery. Although he was opposed to the practice of slavery, he would write in defense of CaptainNathaniel Gordon at Gordon's trial forslave trafficking andpiracy.[3]
Seys was conferred an honoraryD.D. degree byIndiana Asbury University in 1867.[15][16] Returning to the United States in 1870, he retired to theCincinnati, Ohio, area.[5] Seys died on February 9, 1872, at his home inSpringfield, Ohio[5][17] after having fathered 12 children with five different women, however many died before him due to 'African fever.'[1][2][3] He was interred at Ferncliff Cemetery in Springfield on February 13, 1872.[18]
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)| Commissioner and Consul General | |
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| Minister Resident/Consul General | |
| Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary | |
| Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary | |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
