Seeger was born on May 12, 1810, in the city of Lauenburg in Schleswig-Holstein.[1][2] According to the Minnesota Historical Election Archive Seeger emigrated to the United States in 1852 and moved to Minnesota Territory in 1856.[1] Seeger was one of the founding citizens of New Ulm, Minnesota in 1856 alongside William Pfaender and A. Prieser.[3] Seeger was also an early citizen of St. Peter, Minnesota where he was employed as a brewer alongside Joseph Engesser.[4]
At the outbreak of the American Civil War Seeger volunteered for service in the Union Army on August 19, 1862, and was enrolled into the ranks of Company D of the 9th Minnesota Infantry Regiment as a Sergeant under the command of Captain Asgrim Knutson Skaro.[5][6] Company D of the 9th Minnesota acted as the military guards for the 1862 Mankato mass execution.[7] Seeger was discharged from service on February 28, 1863, due to disability.[6][8]
Following his service in the military, Seeger was appointed as deputy to the State Treasurer and served from 1867 to 1871 under Emil D. Munch.[1][2] Beginning in 1871 Seeger ran for the political office of Minnesota State Treasurer as a Republican.[9] Seeger won the November 7, 1871 treasurer election against Democrat candidate Barney Vosberg and Prohibition Party candidate William L. Mintzer with a majority vote of 60.41% and a margin of victory of +21.00%.[9] In 1873 Seeger was indicted by the Minnesota House of Representatives and investigated by the Minnesota Senate for the embezzlement of state funds and corrupt misconduct.[10] Seeger resigned from office before he could be charged, he was replaced by Edwin W. Dyke.[11]
Following his political career Seeger was placed in charge of the Minnesota Board of Immigration.[12][13] Seeger was instrumental in the establishment of a Russian expatriate colony of Mennonites in Minnesota from the Chortitza Colony in the Russian Empire and the Molotschna Colony in modern-day Ukraine who ended up settling in Mountain Lake, Minnesota and Cottonwood County, Minnesota.[12][13] Seeger chose Mennonites due to their strong work ethic.[13] Seeger later established another Mennonite colony in Yankton, South Dakota.[13]
Sergeant