St Johnsville New York Enterprise & News
August 26, 1931
SEEBER
This discussion has to do with the descendants of Major William Seeber by his first wife. Those children whose mother was Maria Elizabeth, the Major's last wife were born during a period the records of which are fairly clear, and their place in Major William's family is well established. It should be understood that when I use the name Henry Seeber, I do not refer to that Henry who was the first son of Major William by his last wife, Maria Elizabeth.
This article is one of a series prepared with a
purpose, viz, to submit evidence which is quite conclusive to
the effect that Major William Seeber, so well known in the pioneer
history of the Mohawk valley was by his first wife, the father
of seven sons.
Simms, in his Frontiersman of New York, tells us that Major William, by his first wife, whose name is not given, but who Simms says was "taken in the Fatherland" had four sons: Audolph, Jacob, William and Conrad. Again if I am not mistaken, Simms says on page 492 of Volume two of his work, that William (known to us as Lieutenant William) was the third son of William Seeber, Sen. --the pioneer. This information, undoubtedly was obtained from William H. Seeber, known as 'King ' William Seeber a grandson of Lt. William. Whether or not this is to be accepted we at least know its source. It certainly differs from the statement found in the copies from the German Bible, which some of us know by the designation of the Bullock Papers. These latter records are exceedingly precise as to certain details. They place Lt. William as the first son and they say that his mother was Maria Catherine Walrathinn. Who can tell us the origin of this Bible account? Evidently Simms knew nothing about it. It is also evident that 'King ' William Seeber, who was the source of much of the data which "Simms collected did not know of it. At any rate he did not, apparently mention it, neither can we learn that he ever said that Maria Catharine Walrath was the mother of his grandfather, Lt. William. On the other hand, I believe Simms tells us that a Miss Walrath was the Major's second wife. There is confusion and conflict here and all of it emanates from Seeber branches which descend from Lt. William.
The Bullock papers, so called, are rather over precise
(for the time) as to detail. The record is set down in the stilted
phrasing of a clergyman of a certain period. considering the attention
to certain details, one would expect to find a clue at least,
to the parentage of Johann Wilhelm Seeber, but in so essential
a point these records are sadly lacking. Perhaps, if some one
who knows, will be kind enough to say (with accredited) authority
just what the origin of this Bible record is, this criticism
would be promptly withdrawn. Until, however, that information
is forthcoming, I remain as one not convinced, and one who will
not use that record as a basis for the study in which I am so
deeply interested.
I am quite willing to concede that Major William
Seeber did have, by his first wife, (what ever her name was)
four sons: Audolph, Jacob, William, and Conrad, but until such
time as my view has been shown to be erroneous I shall for my
own records add to these four the names Henry, James and Suffrenus,
the first of these three wounded at Orisakany and thereby crippled,
the other two killed at Oriskany. The names of all three are
inscribed on the Oriskany monument. Furthermore I hold to the
opinion that at least two of the three were born before Lieutenant
William.
I admit the possibility of a difference or rift in family relations which may have involved the three brothers last named and which may have reached such a stage that their descendants finally came to represent branches of a family entirely separate and distinct from that of Major William Seeber. In any event, there are indications which point strongly in that direction. But regardless of anything of that character so far as the actual relationships are concerned I shall before concluding this article leave with my readers, evidence which I consider decidedly conclusive. If there did arise an occasion or event which disturbed the normal friendly relations we may rest assured that its character will never be know n to us.
It has been shown in a former article that according
to the record of Dominie Spinner, Henry Seeber was born at Indian
Castle in March, 1741. The Rev. Mr Spinner was pastor of the Herkimer
and German Flatts churches from 1802 until about 1850. Since
Henry Seeber died so late as 1845 (he was 104 at death) , he lived
some forty years during Mr. Spinner's pastorate, and for many
years he was a member of that pastor's flock. His span of life,
1741 to 1845 qualified him to speak from personal knowledge of
characters who are important to this study and because he did
speak I have made use of what he said to a very large extent,
in preparing evidence to support my own views. It was for that
reason that Henry Seeber was made the subject of an article which
appeared in the Enterprise and News issue of July 8, 1931. The
essential parts of the information which originated with Henry
Seeber have come down to us not only through several channels
of his own lineal descendants, but also through channels of the
descendants of at least two of his brothers.
It is now my task to endeavor to point out to my
readers why I have reached the conclusion that Henry, James, Suffrenus,
William, Conrad, Jacob and Audolph were brothers, and all born
of the first wife of Major William Seeber.
1) Names. A pretty general rule (not always followed,
of course) was to name the first son for his Father or grandfather.
Henry named his first son, born 1770, Wilhelm.
Suffrenus named his two sons William and Suffrenus.
I do not know which was the elder.
James had a son Jacobus (James). Whether he had
a son named William or not I do not know. I do know that Jacob
left a son William who must have been named for his grandfather
or for an uncle.
2) Lineal descendants of Henry Seeber. His children
were Maragretha born 1768, Wilhelmus born 1770, Maria Magdalena
born 1773, Suffrenus born about 1783. Mr Thomas K. Gale of Syracuse,
a descendant of Margretha, Henry's first child, writes: "My
grandmother, Barbara (Link) Keller was about forty five years
old when her grandfather Henry Seeber died, so she knew him very
well and I have often heard her mention his age as being 104
at death and how he used to smoke and voted at the age of 102.
I have heard my grandmother say there were seven brothers in the
battle (Oriskany). Mr DeElton Seeber of Cape Vincent is a lineal
descendant of Wilhelmus, born 1770, the first son of Henry Seeber.
Mr. Seeber's line as prepared for his admission to membership
in S. A. R. indicates Henry Seeber as the son of Major William.
I do not know the authority upon which this line was based, but
since it derives from Henry Seeber's first son, one may imagine
there was some knowledge in that branch of the family to warrant
it.
Suffrenus, born 1783 was the younger son of Henry
Seeber. It was with this son that Henry, crippled by his wounds,
and confined to a wheel chair, spent many of the latter years
of his life. Mrs Margaret Seeber Fox who died at Little Falls
recently, May 17, 1931, was a granddaughter of Suffreness, and
a great granddaughter of Henry. The wheel chair used by Henry
is now in the possession of Mrs Ella Seeber of Little Falls,
widow of Henry, who was a great grandson of the first Henry and
a brother of Mrs. fox. I have known these people nearly all my
life., The parents of Margaret and Henry Seeber were Peter Seeber
and Emily Ackerman, both of whom I knew personally in my boyhood.
Peter's wife, Emily Ackerman, was a great granddaughter of James
Seeber (killed at Oriskany), Henry's brother. By this marriage
the branches of the brothers, James and Henry were connected:
The parties to the marriage were second cousins once removed.
The parents often told their children of the relationship. Under
date of April 16, 1931 Mrs Margaret Seeber wrote to me: "I
have often heard my father say there were 6 brothers in the Battle
of Oriskany."
3) In the year 1895 evidently for the purpose
of assisting his cousin who was preparing a family genealogy,
one Abram S. Seeber, M. D. submitted in his own handwriting a
statement as to which her made aoth on the fifth day of February
of that year before a notary, Through the courtesy of Mr. Edward
J. Seeber of Rochester, a lineal descendant of Major William
Seeber through the latter's son, Lieutenant William I have had
the privilege of examining at my leisure this statement of Abram
S. Seeber in the original manuscript.
Abram S. Seeber was a son of Jas. W. Seeber and
Clarrisa Lowell, a grandson of William Seeber and Dorothey Kling;
a great grandson of Suffrenus Seeber, Henry's brother, who was
killed at Oriskany. Apparently, the good doctor, who has preserved
for us valuable data as to certain relationships, was a great
great grandson of Major William but he did not know it. It is
very evident that the brothers, Henry and Suffrenus did not discuss
their father with their descendants and since this is so we must
believe that there was some definite reason for it. The records
of the branch of Dr. Seeber are as clear and definite as those
of any branch of Seebers I have yet encountered, that is from
Suffrenus down. Yet, back of Suffrenus they knew nothing aside
from the tradition ( in their own branch) that their American
progenitor had come from Alsace. It is well to note here, since
it has an important bearing on the argument, that if for the moment
we consider the descendants of each of the seven (whom I have
called brothers, and sons of Major William) as representing a
branch separate and distinct from all the others, and each with
its own individual American progenitor, in which of these several
branches can we find an accredited record as to its progenitor?
Seven different families, no one of which actually know anything
as to the progenitor. Is that not a rather unusual condition?
If on the other hand in accordance with my personal views, these
branches had a common origin in one single American progenitor
, is it not this condition more logically explained? It would
indeed be outside the experience if a genealogist to find seven
families bearing the same name and not one of them able to speak
(with authority) as to the origin of his progenitor in this country,
beyond the general statement (which means nothing) "he was
born in Germany." We may never know more than we do at this
time, but the natural inference, backed by the experience of the
average genealogist is this: Major William Seeber as a very young
man detached himself from his family by which I mean he left the
section where most of them were residing at the time and tried
his fortune I know of a definite case of this kind in the Mohawk
Valley. One Nicholas Ackerman, born in 1767 in or near Hackensack,
N.J. of a Dutch family well known there, removed, unmarried to
the to the vicinity of the Mohawk Valley where he married Betsey
Seeber. The family chart of Ackerman has for many years been clear
and complete, but I assure you it took many years to find the
parents of this Ackerman who left his own neighborhood. As soon
as we found his father we had the whole thing back to establishment
in Holland. This Nicholas Ackerman and his wife Betsey Seeber
never told their children their pedigrees. I presume they did
not know them back very far and no doubt cared little about the
matter. They were too busy. Yet this Betsey was a granddaughter
of James Seeber (killed at Oriskany), brother of Henry. Betsey
Seeber certainly had respect for the names James for she christened
one of her sons James Seeber Ackerman, (using just that form)
which we must admit was unusual for those days. This Betsey was
a great granddaughter of Major 'William. I do not presume to say
she did not know it but I do know she did not talk about it.
It is not necessary to this article to quote the
affidavit of Abram S. Seeber in its entirety, but I shall submit
certain passages which have a direct bearing on this discussion.
(To be continued)
Copied from an article printed in the ENTERPRISE and NEWS on Aug. 26, 1931
by Marcia Seeber Alary
from the records of Wendell A. Seeber
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