Flavian Alphonsus Seal (1879-1959)

From the Washington Davies County Democrat, October 22, 1910.

   If you've followed the Strangest Names In American Political History's Facebook page you'll know that today we begin a week-long stay in Indiana to highlight a few of the Hoosier State's unusually named political figures. Today's profile takes us to Daviess County and Flavian Alphonsus Seal, a prominent local attorney who was elected to two terms as Prosecuting Attorney of Indiana's 49th Judicial District. A practicing lawyer for over fifty years, Seal was born in Barr Township, Indiana on May 13, 1879, one of several children born to William Marshall Seal Jr.(1841-1928) and the former Minerva Jane Padgett (1839-1915).

   Flavian Seal began his education in the "common schools of Barr township" and later taught school for a short period. He continued his schooling at colleges in "Mitchell and Bloomington" and graduated from the University of Indiana at Indianapolis. He married in October 1903 to Mary Graves (1881-1969) and later had seven children: Mable Afra (1905-1978), Ralph Alphonsus (1907-1966), Mildred Mary (1908-1993), Charles Alvin (1910-1971), Cecilia Alice (1910-2005), Mary Estelle (1912-1990) and Margaret Ernestine (1912-1929). 

   Having earned his law degree in 1903 Seal would open a law practice in the town of Loogootee and from 1905-1910 served that community as city attorney. In 1910 he launched a candidacy for Prosecuting Attorney of the 49th Judicial Circuit of Indiana and in November defeated Republican nominee Lewis C. McFadden by a vote of 4,703 to 4,337. Seal would be reelected in 1912 and served until January 1, 1915, being succeeded by Charles Mears, who had earlier served as county attorney from 1898-1901.

  After leaving office Flavian A. Seal was the senior partner in the firm of Seal and Seal with his son Charles Alvin, operating out of Washington, Indiana. Flavian would also serve as a "special judge of the circuit court" for the counties of Martin and Daviess "many times" and was a member of both the Daviess County Bar Association and the Daviess County Hospital's Board of Governors.

   Seal continued to be active in the affairs of Daviess County until his death, which occurred at his home in Washington on March 2, 1959, two months short of his 80th birthday. His wife and six children survived him and following her death in 1969 Mary Graves Seal was interred alongside her husband at the St. Johns's Cemetery in Loogootee, Indiana.