SEWELL NYE, deceased; born in State of Maine, March 9, 1829; his parents, Sewell and Ann (Nutting) Nye, were also of Maine; the family came West in 1846, locating on several hundred acres of land on Nine Spring Prairie, where the old couple ended their days. Sewell Nye married, in Madison, Wis. March 11, 1868, Miss Electa B., daughter of Isaac and Electa (Edwards) Briggs; Electa Edwards was a lineal descendant of Jonathan Edwards, and Isaac Briggs, a cousin of ex-Gov. Briggs, of Massachusetts; their daughter, Maria S. (now Mrs. Hiram Johnson), came West and began teaching in Kenosha, Wis., in January, 1855; the present Mrs. Nye joined her in March, 1859, and during the next nine years taught in graded schools; three years in Kenosha, and the remainder in Rock, Trempealeau and Dane Counties.After the marriage, Mr. Nye resided on the farm until 1873, when he went to Madison, and spent about two years; at his death, March 23, 1878, he left three daughters by a former marriage, and an only son by the second, Frederic Sewell, born Aug. 14, 1873, in Madison.

Mr. N. died a member of the Congregational Church; a life-long Republican; he was Station Agent and Postmaster at Syene fourteen years.

At the earnest request of the railroad company and the neighborhood, his widow succeeded to the vacant positions, and has been very successful thus far in discharging the duties. She has also bought out the interests of the heirs to the estate, and is now sole owner of the fine farm of 172 acres; few ladies have shown equal business tact. Mrs. Nye has been a church member since the age of 18, and for the past fourteen years a member of the Congregational Church of Madison. The first Mrs. Nye, formerly Eliza Cathcart, died in June, 1864, leaving three daughters-Mary A., Josephine F. and Almira.

Ref. 1880 History of Dane County, Wisconsin, p. 1256-57.