Résumé

At age 22, Locke worked as an orchardist in Pasadena, CA. He registered to vote on 07/22/1879, according to the Great Register of Los Angeles County. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928, accessed 01/08/2019.)

Real estate agent, Pasadena, CA, 1888.

Partner, Locke and [Thornton] Fitzhugh, Architects, Los Angeles, CA, 1895.

Seymour E. Locke worked as an architect in New York, NY, c. 1905.

Locke owned an orchard in Bedford County, VA, according to the 1910 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Forest, Bedford, Virginia; Roll: T624_1622; Page: 18a; Enumeration District: 0007; FHL microfilm: 1375635, accessed 10/07/2025.)

Professional Activities

Locke became Registered Architect #262 in the State of California.

Relocation

Born in IN, Seymour Elam Locke resided with his family in Indianapolis, IN, from at least 1860 until 1874. In 1860, his parents--Rachael and Erie Locke--lived with their four children and two lodgers, Anna M. Donnell (born c. 1812 in OH), a seamstress, and Mary J. Gard (born c. 1839 in OH). As per the 1860 US Census, they reported owning real estate worth $4,000, a relatively tidy sum for the time, and having a personal estate of $800. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1860; Census Place: Indianapolis Ward 4, Marion, Indiana; Roll: M653_279; Page: 11; Family History Library Film: 803279, accessed 01/08/2019.) During the Civil War, Seymour's father, Erie Locke, attained the rank of Major, working as a paymaster for the US Army in Indianapolis, IN; in 1862, the family resided at 40 North Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis. (See Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1862, p. 161.)

It is possible that Seymour and his family lived briefly in New Orleans, LA, just after the war, where Erie worked as a banker.He listed his permanent address as that of his parents, 76 California Street. (See Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1865, p. 289.) By 1867, he seems to have returned to Indianapolis, again dwelling at76 California Street. (SeeIndianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1867, p. 304.)

By 1870, the Lockes had grown more prosperous, owning approximately $15,000 worth of real estate and having a personal estate of about the same. In 1870, his father worked as a paper manufacturer, and his sister, Hannah, made a living as a school teacher. His mother, Rachael, maintained the household. Siblings Charles, Millie and Seymour all attended school. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1870; Census Place: Indianapolis Ward 4, Marion, Indiana; Roll: M593_340; Page: 217A; Family History Library Film: 545839, accessed 01/08/2019.) The Lockes lived at 232 North California Street in Indianapolis in 1874. (See Indianapolis, Indiana, City Directory, 1874, p. 240.)

By the end of 1874, however, Erie Locke had moved to Los Angeles, CA, where he had become a farmer, according to voting records. He registered to vote in Los Angeles County on 12/02/1874.(See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library, California History Section; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4 - 2A; CSL Roll Number: 19; FHL Roll Number: 976928, accessed 01/08/2019.) Seymour's siblings, Charles and Millie, both young adults by 1874, also moved out to CA, although the former would resettle permanently in New York, NY. Erie resided in Los Angeles County for a little less than five years, when he passed away at age 56 in Altadena, CA.

Following his father's death, Seymour Locke lived with his mother in Pasadena, CA, according to the 1880 US Census.

In 1888, Locke worked as a real estate agent with an office at 6 1/2 West Colorado Boulevard, and resided on the west side of Grand Avenue near Lockehaven Street. (See Los Angeles, California, City Directory, 1888, p. 960.)

By 1900, he and his wife Katherine resided at 500 Palmetto Drive in the South Arroyo neighborhood of Pasadena, CA. They lived at this address with their son, Preston, and her sister, Margaret P. Greenleaf (born c. 08/1869 in KY). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Pasadena Precinct 5, Los Angeles, California; Page: 10; Enumeration District: 0117; FHL microfilm: 1240091, accessed 01/08/2019.) After Catherine's death, Seymour would marry Margaret.

By 1905, Seymour, Katherine and Preston resided in an apartment building at 346 West 71st Street in Manhattan, NY. The New York State Census of 1905, indicated that an aunt, Margaret Cecil (born c. 1835) and a servant, Emily Bean (born c. 1877) lived in the household. This state census indicated that Seymour worked as an architect. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State Population Census Schedules, 1905; Election District: A.D. 19 E.D. 16; City: Manhattan; County: New York; Page: 20, accessed 01/08/2019.) Why Seymour moved East is not clear, although his elder brother, Charles, had lived in New York since at least 1900 at 336 West 71st Street. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1900; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 13; Enumeration District: 0464; FHL microfilm: 1241103, accessed 01/08/2019.) Charles worked in automobile manufacturing in 1910, and continued to reside on the Upper West Side.

He and his wife Katherine separated before 1910. He would go on to marry her sister Margaret in 1910. In 1920, Kate lived in a residence at 515 Palmetto Drive in Pasadena. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Register of Voters, 1920, accessed 10/07/2025.)

The 1910 US Census found Locke living in the Forest District of Bedford County, Virginia, where he worked as a fruit farmer. The census form indicated that he was a "widower," when his wife was still alive and would outlive him by four years. He lived with an African-American farm hand Sam Woodruff (born c. 1887 in VA) and his wife Verna (born c. 1891 in VA). The Woodruffs had one child at this time, although s/he was not identified on the census form. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1910; Census Place: Forest, Bedford, Virginia; Roll: T624_1622; Page: 18a; Enumeration District: 0007; FHL microfilm: 1375635, accessed 10/07/2025.) His wife Katherine and he separated by this point, perhaps because Seymour had married her sister Margaret.

Seymour Locke died on 10/27/1919 in Manhattan, NY, at the age of 62. (See Ancestry.com, Source Information Ancestry.com. New York, New York, Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014, accessed 01/08/2019.) Charles Locke died about two months later.

Parents

His mother was Rachael Coates Locke (born 11/21/1821 in PA-d. 11/23/1890 in Downey, CA). Rachael was born into a Quaker family in PA. Her parents were Seymour and Deborah Coates.

His father was Erie Locke (born 12/30/1822 in Cecil County, MD-d. 02/18/1879 in Altadena, CA), who worked in a variety of jobs during his lifetime. His parents were Elam and Jane Jones Locke (born c. 1798 in PA). (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Book Title: Lineage Book of the Charter Members of the DAR Vol 068, accessed 01/08/2019.) Rachael and Erie lived in OH, from at least 1845 until approximately 1855. The 1850 US Census had the Lockes living in Fairfield, OH, just north of Cincinnati in Butler County. They relocated to Indianapolis, IN, before 1855.

In 1860, Erie worked as a railroad agent in Indianapolis, IN. Ten years later, the US Census indicated that Eric was a paper manufacturer, although his information was crossed out on the census form. Erie also served as a city councilman while he resided in Indianapolis.

Rachael and Eric had four children: Hannah Rebecca Locke (born 1845 in OH-d. 1874), Charles Erie Locke (born c. 1852 in OH-d. 12/17/1919 in Manhattan, NY), Millie Locke Watts (born c. 1855 in IN), and Seymour.

Spouse

Locke married at least twice.

He first wed Katherine Saint Clair Greenleaf (born 03/09/1863 in WI-d. 02/27/1923 in CA) on 06/25/1885 in Lexington, KY. In 1881, Kate lived with her mother Catherine Lawrence Vance Pinckard (born 09/01/1834 in Lexington, KY) at 75 South Broadway in Lexington. (See Lexington, Kentucky, City Directory, 1881, p. 84.) Kate's father Alvin Choate Greenleaf (born 12/12/1829 in Cincinnati, OH-d. 08/27/1866 in Indianapolis, IN) died at age 36, and worked as a machinist in Lexington.

Locke later married Catherine's sister, Margaret Pinckard Greenleaf (born c. 08/1869 in KY), on 09/13/1910 in New York, NY. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation New York City Department of Records & Information Services; New York City, New York; New York City Marriage Licenses; Borough: Manhattan; Year: 1910, accessed 10/07/2025.)

Children

He and Catherine had a son, Preston Erie Saint Clair Locke (born 08/18/1888 in Pasadena, CA-d. 10/06/1938 in Vancouver, BC). He attended the Berkeley Preparatory School in New York, NY, and graduated from Columbia University in 1909 in mining engineering. Preston became a notable mining engineer, working all over the world and spending the bulk of his career for the American Smelting and Refining Company.

Biographical Notes

Locke was described in Los Angeles County voter rolls of 1896 as being Caucasian with a "florid" complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He stood six feet tall. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation California State Library; Sacramento, California; Great Registers, 1866-1898; Collection Number: 4-2A; CSL Roll Number: 22; FHL Roll Number: 976931, accessed 10/07/2025.)