Representative Lewis Selye

Lewis Selye (July 11, 1803 – January 27, 1883) was a U.S. Representative from New York and a prominent civic and business figure in Rochester during the mid-nineteenth century. He was born in Chittenango, Madison County, New York, where he attended the common schools and learned the blacksmith trade. His early training in a skilled craft laid the foundation for a career that combined industrial enterprise with local public service.

In 1824 Selye moved to Rochester, New York, which was then a rapidly growing canal and manufacturing center. There he engaged in the manufacture of iron, applying his blacksmithing skills to emerging industrial needs. Between 1832 and 1849 he built hand fire engines, a specialized line of work that reflected both the city’s urban development and its need for organized fire protection. In the 1834 Rochester City Directory he was listed as a “fire engine builder,” indicating his recognition in the community as a manufacturer and mechanic. As his business interests grew, he became increasingly involved in local affairs and county administration.

Selye’s public career began at the municipal and county levels. He served as a member of the Board of Supervisors of Monroe County for several terms, participating in the oversight of county finances and local governance during a period of expansion and infrastructural improvement. In 1841 he was elected alderman in Rochester, marking his formal entry into city government. He subsequently served as a member of the Rochester common council in 1843, 1856, and 1871, reflecting the continued confidence of his constituents over several decades. At the county level, he held the office of treasurer of Monroe County from 1848 to 1851 and again in 1854, managing public funds and contributing to the fiscal administration of the county.

Building on this record of local service, Selye advanced to national office during the Reconstruction era. He was elected as an Independent Republican to the Fortieth Congress and served as a U.S. Representative from New York from March 4, 1867, to March 3, 1869. His election as an Independent Republican placed him within the broader Republican coalition that dominated national politics after the Civil War, while also suggesting a measure of political independence within that framework. During his term in Congress he represented the interests of his Rochester and Monroe County constituents at a time when issues of reconstruction, economic development, and veterans’ affairs were central to the national agenda.

After leaving Congress, Selye remained active in Rochester’s civic and economic life. In 1868 he established the Rochester Daily Chronicle, entering the field of newspaper publishing and contributing to the city’s political and commercial discourse. The paper was merged in 1870 with the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, a consolidation that helped shape one of the city’s principal daily newspapers. In addition to his publishing activities, Selye served as a trustee of the Monroe County Savings Bank, reflecting his standing in the community’s financial and business circles and his continued involvement in local institutions.

Lewis Selye spent the remainder of his life in Rochester, where he had built his career in industry, public office, and journalism. He died in Rochester, New York, on January 27, 1883. He was interred in Mount Hope Cemetery, a resting place for many of the city’s leading citizens, underscoring his long association with the community he had served in both local and national capacities.