St Johnsville Enterprise & News

Sept 2, 1931

SEEBER

(continued from last week)

"To whom this may concern:---This will certify that I, Abram S. Seeber, M.D. have the following history and pedigree directly from my father, James W. Seeber who saw and talked with Henry Seeber, a soldier in the battle of Oriskany with his brothers. Father visited him at his place of residence in the old Herkimer house below Little Falls at two different times, once with his father, William Seeber, and heard him give the following account. Henry says that there were five of them, himself and four brothers, that were in the battle. Their names and rank were as follows: Major Suffreness Seeber, promoted on the field of battle to Colonel and then finally killed in the battle; Captain Jacob Seeber was wounded; Lieutenant William wounded; Private James Seeber killed; Private Henry Seeber wounded. My grandfather, William Seeber, was eleven years old when my great grandfather Major Suffrenus Seeber was killed in the battle of Oriskany, and my father James W. was nineteen years old when he visited Henry Seeber in company with his father, William Seeber, and I have heard the same account from grandfather in my younger days. The descendants of my great grandfather, Major Seffreness Seeber, were two sons, Seffrennes and William (my grandfather)."

It would appear from the above that Dr. Seeber's grandfather William was born around 1766 and if his son, James W. was nineteen years old at the time of the visit of Henry Seeber, a reasonable calculation would indicate that this visit to Henry took place not far from the period 1815-1820--perhaps a bit earlier. If I am not mistaken Lt. William Seeber who died in 1828 was living not a great many miles from this neighborhood at the time of this important visit, and he could have denied very easily this statement of Henry that they were brothers. I have not been able to learn that he ever denied it. In fact I am going to try, before closing this article to submit evidence to the effect that Lt. William, thru one of his own known lineal descendants, confirmed Henry's story by saying that Henry was his brother.

Before leaving this information given to us by Dr. Seeber I shall take the liberty to quote another passage from his affidavit, which in my opinion, throws additional light on this matter and is in a indirect way confirmatory of what I am trying to show. Although at first sight it may appear to have no bearing, I quote Dr. Seeber: "there are two distinct families by the name of Seeber. One family settled on Seeber's Lane that strikes the river road about half way between Fort Plain and Canajoharie. The other family which is our family settled about a mile and a half from Cherry Valley on what is called Oak Ridge and there was a Seeber family living on the farm so late as six years ago. One of the other family, "King William Seeber lived at Fort Plain. His forefathers came from Germany and he was as Dutchy as could well be. I went to see him by request of the historian Simms. He was writing a history of the Mohawk Valley, and found a distinct family of five brothers that went into the battle of Oriskany and King William had all of our family and two or three of his family all put as his ancestors and when I questioned where his ancestors came from, he said from Germany. I told him mine all came from Alsace. He told Mr. Simms he thought it was all one family. Well, he said, those people came from France, so that ended the confab and Mr. Simms said I could see how hard and difficult it was to gather correct history. The old gentleman thought he was correct. Simms didn't think he meant to mislead him, but it flattered him to have it go in history that so many of his ancestors were in the battle of Oriskany." Thus the quotation. This particular part of the affidavits a choice bit. It certainly is amusing, Dr. Seeber, ignorant of his own ancestry beyond Suffrenus, thought King William Seeber was all wrong ---the doctor did not know or certainly did not stop to realize, that Lt. William Seeber, who according to his own affidavit was a brother of his own great grandfather Suffrenus, was the grandfather of King William Seeber with whom he was getting mixed up and whom he was considering as of a family separate and distinct from his own. As a matter of fact this King William, so called, and the doctor's father were second cousins. When King William told the doctor "he thought it was all one family" he was nearer right that the doctor imagined and Simms instead of ignoring this 'confab' as confused and meaningless ought to have followed it up. Many were alive at that time who could have cleared it up for him. King William Seeber's statement as to the five brothers story and his own view that "it was all one family" tend to confirm my argument rather than otherwise. In any event while what Simms put into his book may have been, and probably was correct in the main, it was decidedly incomplete and has to some extent retarded our investigations.

Before leaving this branch of Dr. Seeber which represents direct descendants of the Suffrenus Seeber who was killed at Oriskany and who was a brother of the Henry Seeber so often referred to I shall take the liberty of submitting extracts from manuscript letters, the originals of which I have had the privilege of examining.

From a letter written January 16,1887 by the wife of Dr. Seeber who made the affidavit, some eight years before that affidavit was made: "Now all I know is what I have gathered from my grandfather Seeber and my father, and others that I have questioned. I have learned that the first Seeber, I can't find out his name, came from a town by the name of Havre Hill in Alsace, that territory lately captured from France by the Germans and they were driven out by the Catholics, our family being Protestants." The husband of the writer of this letter was a great grandson of Major William Seeber but the branch did not know it. However it may be true that their tradition as to the place where the pioneer came from is more correct than that which names Germany or Switzerland as the place of original abode. continuing from the same letter: "This first Seeber had five sons, their names were Col. Suffrenus Seeber, our great grandfather, who was killed at the Battle of Oriskany. His brothers names were Capt. Jacob who was wounded in the same fight, Private Henry Seeber wounded and James Seeber killed at Oriskany. Lt. William Seeber wounded on the same field.."

Seeber who was a granddaughter of Suffrenus of Oriskany (Henry's brother). Mr. Lowell writes in 1895 by the hand of his daughter-in-law, Mrs A.D. Lowell: "The Seeber's came from Alasce, France. James Seeber the husband of Clarissa Lowell (this James was Dr. Seeber's father) had relatives in the American Revolution. Father says he stayed all night with this Henry Seeber that was wounded in 1777. He wore skirts. He was living with his son Suffrenus on the Mohawk."

Mrs A. D. Lowell referred to above secured a letter dated Feb. 18, 1895 from Aunt Betsey Mereness who wrote: "My grandfather's given name I don't remember. (It was Suffrenus). My grandmothers maiden name was Yates. My father (William, son of Suffrenus) had an uncle that came out of the war, but was wounded, "lived to be very old" was Henry Seeber.

Through the courtesy of Miss Addie M. Potter and Mrs Charles Webster, both living at Waucoma, Iowa, I have been permitted (and esteem it a great privilege) to have a copy of the journal of Christopher Seeber, the original of which is in the possession of Mrs Webster, Christopher's granddaughter. Miss Potter who organized and is the registrar if the Waucoma Chapter of D. A. R. is a lineal descendant of many historic families of the Mohawk valley and its vicinity. In making it possible for me to examine these writings of Christopher Seeber, she has rendered a valuable service in connection with the series of Seeber discussions Mr MacWethy has been kind enough to bring out for me. My contact with Miss Potter was brought about through these articles and the result has been a striking example of the possibilities which may develop from a free discussion of genealogical problems in the columns of the Enterprise and News.

Christopher Seeber, born in 1812, was a son of Adolph Seeber by Sally Yates, and a grandson of Lt. William Seeber and Elizabeth Schnerrin. His wife was Sally McCarn who died in 1910, having reached the age of ninety eight years. She was affectionately known in Waucoma as "Grandma Seeber." Her mother was Nancy Failing, a Herkimer descendant through Dygert, who married first Michael McCarn and second William H. Seeber (his second wife) known as 'King' Seeber.

Christopher Seeber, in the 83rd year of his age, began a journal or an account of events pertaining to his own life and of some about which his people had told him. It is to be noted that he wrote about the same line that Abram S. Seeber made his affidavit

Christopher Seeber' work was, unfortunately, cut off by his death, but I have before me some eleven pages of typewritten copy. I wish I might quote it all, for it is intensely interesting, but I must confine myself to the work in hand and can give here only such parts as pertain to my own argument. I quote: "Grandmother Yates (wife of Christopher) under the Pension Act of 1831, drew a pension of $500 per year for Grandfather Yates services in the Revolution. The papers for the application for pension were made out at my father' house. I was then a young man (19 years old). Among the old settlers gathered there to witness and take acknowledgement of the papers was Judge Diefendorf, a resident in the eastern part of Montgomery county. The papers being executed properly, the conversation naturally fell back on the Revolutionary War. Henry Seeber, a brother to Grandfather Seeber (this grandfather was Lt. William), was present, and he recited a great many instances of his experience, among them a raid made by the Indians and Tories in the Valley of the Mohawk, directly after the wheat was all cut and in the shock about to be threshed, and a bountiful crop to all appearances. The Indians made their appearance, burning everything up ;and down the valley of the Mohawk within a mile of Fort Plain. (This was the raid of 1781--see Stones Life of Brant). Not satisfied with destroying the grain and buildings the Indians killed and scalped defenseless children and taking prisoner several aged ladies. Uncle Henry Seeber was in the fort at the time on account of being partially crippled (see Enterprise and News issue of July 8, 1931). After the Indians had done all the mischief they could, he took a few friends with him and went out to see what they could find. The first body they came to, about a mile from the fort, was a lad about nine years old, scalped and apparently dead. Upon examination he was found to be alive and was shouldered and carried to the fort where he was cared for by the good mother of the fort, who dressed his wounds and cleaned his naked head and finally brought him through. During the relation of this Judge Diefendorf raised his hand to his head and took off his wig and said: "I am that boy." Of course while Uncle Henry was relating this they pretended not to know each other and it was told in this way to make a strong impression on us young people.." Thus the quotation. Of course we know this story from our history, but how much more interesting to have it from one who knew personally the participants. I do not think there is need to pursue my argument to any greater length. I feel I have established with accredited evidence beyond any reasonable doubt that Henry Seeber who was born at Indian Castle in 1741 was a brother of Lieutenant William Seeber and therefore a son of Major William. Henry states this as a fact (see affidavit of Major William and Christopher Seeber, the grandson of Lt. William confirmed it (see e Journal of Christopher Seeber).

I shall welcome any honest criticism of my argument and if it can be shown by well accredited record (not however, by Simms or the German Bible) that I have gone astray, then I will admit publicly my error with as much grace as possible.

FREDERICK PHILLIPS

August 18, 1931

Copied from an article printed in the ENTERPRISE and NEWS on Sept. 2, 1931

by Marcia Seeber Alary

from the records of Wendell A. Seeber

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