< Gouverneur Benefactors — Frank L. Seaker
The Honorable Frank L. Seaker
The Honorable Frank L. Seaker (1873-1931) was born in the town of Macomb in 1873. He was educated in the common schools and was graduated from Richfield Springs Free Academy in 1894. He taught school for six years and operated farms with father Leonard on the California Road in Macomb. Mr. Seaker represented his town as Supervisor for seven years.
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In 1911, Seaker was the Republican nominee to the NYS Assembly from St. Lawrence County District 1. He defeated Democrat Nathan T. Lovejoy. Seaker served in the Assembly until 1921 when he was succeeded by William A. Laidlaw, from Hammond. Rhoda Fox Graves succeeded Laidlaw.
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In 1912, he formed a partnership with Elmer Curtis to be known as Seaker & Curtis Marble City Garage. The dealership was located where Cambray Court stands now. They carried Dodge, Hudson, Buick cars and Case tractors. In 1915, Frank Seaker ended his association with Curtis and formed one with Perle Atwell Graves which became the Seaker Graves Motor Company.
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P.A. Graves, husband of Rhoda Fox Graves, was Frank Seaker's campaign manager and administrative clerk in Albany and the first cousin of Frank’s wife, Nora. Ground was broken for the new garage in December 1915 on the corner of West Main and Wall Street. Continuing as agents for Dodge, Hudson and Buick, Hudson was discontinued in 1918 and Dodge was discontinued in 1921. Chevrolet cars and trucks were added in 1922. Buick was dropped in 1933.
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Frank and Nora's son, Raymond, became the partner of P.A. Graves upon the death of his father from influenza in 1931. Their daughter, Patience, graduated from St. Lawrence University and had a successful career as a History teacher. She was very active in the community and lived, until her death in 1986, in her parent's house at 80 Clinton Street.
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Upon the death of his father, "PA" Graves, Marcus Graves became Raymond Seaker's partner. When Raymond died, in 1961, his children Hilliard and Norinne continued the Seaker-Graves partnership. This partnership continued until the death of Marcus in 1971, when Seaker Chevrolet, Inc. was established, Hilliard G. Seaker as President and majority stockholder and Norinne Seaker Dickson as Vice-President. In 1974, Frank G. Seaker, representing a fourth generation joined the firm.
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Although Norinne Seaker Dickson was the Vice-President of Seaker Chevrolet, Inc., and the daughter of Raymond Seaker, she is not mentioned anywhere in any of the publicity material.
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The business was sold to David J. Walters in 1990. Mr. Walters lost the business to the Great Recession in 2009. The building was sold in a county auction sale and purchased by Clark Porter. After much restoration, the Small Town Supply/Ace Hardware now occupies the building.
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Norinne Seaker Dickson and Hillard Graves Seaker
Photo of this 1953 Corvette taken in the back yard of Raymond and Alta Seaker's home at 68 Clinton Street.