Seneca Wieting was born in Salt Springville, New York. He was a graduate of the Fairfield Academy and received a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree from Wesleyan College in Connecticut. In 1845 he returned to Fort Plain to teach and in 1847 he became the Principal of the union school in the village. Subsequent years found him teaching in Cooperstown and Herkimer. In 1851 he taught at the Ames Academy and in 1853 he taught at his alma mater, the Fairfield Academy. After spending two years teaching at the Fairfield Academy he returned to Fort Plain and became a clerk for the New York Central Railroad freight office. In 1859 he returned to teaching at the Fort Plain Female Seminary for 6 years. From 1865 to 1879 he worked as a bookkeeper in the Fort Plain National Bank. Mr. Wieting was married to Charlotte Farquharson of Cherry Valley, NY. They had two children, Mary Jane and Augustus. Mr. Wieting was described as a man of wealth, culture, high ideals and moral character.