Notes:

Article taken from St. Johnsville Enterprise & News dated April 15, 1931

Not very long ago there appeared in these columns a very interesting communication from Mr. Bullock which told of some pages (or copies) from an old German Bible which contained some important Seeber records -- Mr. Bullock has also (October 1929) very kindly written to me personally about it.

Inasmuch as I have made a very comprehensive study of that family of Seeber (with variant spellings) which has been for so long a time associated with the Mohawk Valley and vicinity and am compiling such data as I have been able to collect, I desire to submit some inquiries. Any information, beyond that which I already have I shall gladly welcome. If I read records correctly, Mr. Bullock's own branch of Seeber and the branch of the late H. Clay Seeber, both derive from sons of Major William, these sons both belonging to that group of the Major's children said to have been born within the period 1747-1756 and having as one would suppose the same mother. Yet if I read these records correctly the mother of Mr. Bullock's ancestor is named Maria Catherine Walrath (variant spelling)while the branch of H. Clay Seeber accepts as the mother of their ancestor a "wife taken in the fatherland", whose name is not given us. Furthermore, if I understand the matter correctly, this latter branch places Miss Walrath as the mother of another group of the Major's children said to have been born within the period 1757-1768.

It may not be that I have placed correctly Mr. Bullock's ancestor. If not, he will please set me right. While this point of difference may not be considered by either of the branches referred as a matter of especial importance--when we come to study this family with a view to arrive at a consistent and well founded conclusion as to its general structure--in order that all descendants may be helped to a position where they may trace their individual lines with comfort and satisfaction, it then becomes a matter that should be settled--for under such circumstances it is of real importance.

I am not (at this time at any rate) questioning any record but we do know that at a time so early as 1746 the name William in this family is exceedingly rare, so that when it does appear we are bound to scrutinize it. If as Mr. Bullock's records state, Major William (or Johann Wilhelm) married Miss Walrath in 1746, just who was Willem Sybert, living in Scoharie who married Catherine Eckker (daughter of Nicholas), July 13, 1746? See marriage records Scoharie Reformed Church, Vol. 1, page 287.

Aside from the German Bible record in possession of Mr. Bullock is there available any other record as to the marriage of Major William in 1746? Considering the rarity of the name William in the family, it is quite a coincidence that two Williams, living so near each other, should in the same year 1746 marry women who both had the name of Catherine. It would seem to me that in view of the difference as to the name of Major William's wife a woman who in view of the fact that William Sybert (Seeber, Seibert, Sebert, Sybert are variants of the same name) and William Seeber were married in the same year in the same general territory, if we cannot find records to support the German Bible record, the proper procedure would be to ascertain (if possible) just what became of William Sybert or his children, since we know that he was married at Scoharie in 1746.

The phraseology used in the German Bible record leads one to the inference that it was written by a clergyman. If we know that the clergyman who wrote it was the pastor of the family about whom he was writing, also that he lived early enough so that his record did not depend upon what some descendant told him, then it would not require Additional support, which, under the circumstances, I believe that it does need.

I should like to add in conclusion, that it is most unfortunate that the records of the settlement at Indian Castle have not been preserved. If the editor is kind enough I may have something to say in the near future which has some connection with this subject. We are told the patents at Indian Castle bear the date 1730-1, that settlements were commenced there around 1730 and that a Mission Church was established there in 1768. If we had the entire story of just what occurred there between 1730 and the Revolution we should know more about Seeber today.

I desire it to be clear to the readers of this inquiry that its purpose is primarily to bring out information which may prove of great help to me in the preparation of data which I hope to submit later, if the editor pleases. It is not the purpose of this inquiry to question at this time any record of any branch of the family of Seeber.

FREDERICK PHILLIPS

Transcribd by Barabara Seeber Britt

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