Emil Seidel was born on 13 December 1864 in Ashland, Pennsylvania and moved to Wisconsin
with his parents in 1865, and to Milwaukee in 1869. He became a woodcarver and studied the
trade in Germany, and converted to Socialism while in that country. Upon his return to
Milwaukee, Seidel helped organize local Socialists, and promoted gradual change, political
action, and reform. He was elected alderman in 1904, and reelected two years later. He
unsuccessfully ran for mayor in 1908 but was elected alderman again in 1909. Seidel was
elected mayor in 1910, but was defeated in 1912. He was alderman again from 1916 to 1920,
and from 1932 to 1936. He was the Socialist Party's vice-presidential candidate in 1912.
Seidel died on 24 June 1947.
