There is a great conflict of opinion which may never be resolved. If someone has a chance to go through the many books in the Fonda Historical Society, Montgomery Co., New York, maybe some problems might be solved.
All of the DAR records accept Maj. William Seeber as the head of the family. The Bullock Bible translation does give proof of this, but no one seems to know the owner of said bible.
Abram Seeber, MD, son of James W. Seeber, grandson of William Seeber, great grandson of Col. Saffreness Seeber, reports that his father, at age 19 (1820) went with his father William to visit Henry Seeber (crippled at Oriskany, age 79 in 1820) and was told by Henry that: the first Seeber had five sons: Henry, Col. Suffreness (killed at Oriskany), Capt. Jacob, Wounded, (records say killed at Oriskany), Pvt. James killed at Oriskany and Pvt. William, wounded at Oriskany.
But there is some error in that statement. They leave out Audolph, who was killed at Oriskany, and is mentioned in many reports as well as the Bullock Bible. The Bullock Bible translates Jacob to James. We know a Private James Seeber did die in the Battle of Oriskany, but we do knot know his relationship to the family, but believe he is a son of Maj. William. However he could have been a descendant of Jacob Seeber born 1707, son of Johan Martin Seeber.
None of the Enterprise and News stories took into consideration the families of the sons of Johan Martin Seeber who in 1723 received land in the Stone Arabia Patent. Major William, born 1721, could easily have been his son, but it is rarely suggested.
Johan Martin Seeber or Seibert was born 1674 in the Palatinate. His wife was named Anna Maria. They arrived in New York in 1709.
Their daughter, Anna Marie Seibert was born 1705. She married John Bickle (Pickle). She is reported to have died young. He son, John, was adopted by Johan Kilts. Son, John, became a minister and moved to Clockville, Madison Co., NY. He died 7 Mar 1815. Anna Marie is on the 1739 transfer of her fathers land in Stone Arabia.
Jacob, son of J. Martin, was born 1707. In 1739 he and his sister execute a transfer of deed of the Stone Arabia land. I think Jacob's wife was also name Anna Marie. The Ref. Dutch Church records of Ft. Plain show: Anna Marie Seeber, widow, died 25 Nov 1789 buried 26th, born 1 Nov 1712. Left behind children, 28 grand children, 13 great grand children.
List shows: Jacob Sypher family consisted of 5 persons over age 16 and 4 persons under age 16
Since this list indicates 7 children and 2 parents, and since at the mothers death in 1789 she left 8 children, we can assume one child was living someplace else in 1778.
A Jacob Seeber, probably son of Jacob born 1707, was captured by the British and held prisoner in Canada for two years. Upon his release he decided to settle in 1790 in Madison Co., N.Y., He had young children, (See History of Madison Co., N.Y. and The Tuttle Papers.) The Tuttle Papers report Jacob as the son of Martin Seiber, but this does not seem possible to me. He would have to be a grandson of Martin Seibert of Stone Arabia. He was probably a son of the Jacob Seeber mentioned above who was born in 1707.
The St. Johnsville Enterprise and News articles make no mention of Johann Henrig Seiptert and vrouw and 4 children who appear in London in the 3rd list of Palatines 1709. However they could have been lost at sea or they could have gone to Pennsylvania after a hard winter in New York. According to Irving Marks, "Agrarian Conflicts in Colonial New York 1711-1775" Pg. 106-115, most of the Palatines went on to Pennsylvania, but a few "stubborn" ones insisted on going to Schoharie.
Nor does the Enterprise and News come up with any descendants of Conrad and John Seibert, whose families also appear on the 1709 lists. They too may have gone to Pennsylvania.
The discussion in the Enterprise and News indicates there might have been a "family falling out" and the various descendants refused to acknowledge their relationship. Also there is some proof that variations in the spelling of the name caused the loss of record continuity. Seibert, Seeber, Sever in to Scheever, Schafer, Shaver, Schever, Syfert.
The BULLOCK BIBLE translation (see copy) presents some problems.
1. It does not show Henry, Saffreness and James as sons of William Seeber. These are his sons by his first wife.
2. "His first marriage consummated with Maria Catherina Wallrathin" is reported in the bible to have occurred 13 Jul 1746.
3. But, the High Low Dutch Reform Church records of Schoharie show William Sybert married Catherine Eccker, 13 Jul 1746.
4. Bullock bible says Maria Catherina was born 7 Apr 1729 and died 2 Feb 1756.
First wife: Maria Catharina Wallrathin. They had three sons, Henry, Saffreness and James. I suggest that Maria Catharina was a daughter of Heinrich Wallrath, who appears in the Palatine records with Martin Seibert, who could be the father of William, I also suggest that her son, Henry, was named for her father. She probably died about 1745/46.
The "in" on the end of the name is the feminine version of Wallrath .
Second wife: Catherine Eccker, daughter of Nfcklaus Eccker, married 13 Jul 1746 William Sybert, both of Schoharie. Records of the High Low Dutch Reform Church, Schoharie.
Their children were Johan William, Conrad, Jacob, Adolph, Catherine and Magdalena. I feel sure her birth date is 7 Apr 1729 and death date 2 Feb 1756, and Bullock made a mistake in assigning these dates to Maria Catharina, the first wife.
Third wife: Maria Elizabeth Gobelin married William Seeber 9 Aug 1756. Their children were Johann, Henrick, Maria Elizabeth, Maria, John, Elizabeth, and Johann Adam.
William Seeber died 1 Sep 1777, and Maria Elizabeth married second, John Rolfe and moved to Boht near Cohoes, N.Y.
You will note that most of the boys names have the first name Johann. I believe I have read that such a designation indicates the grandfathers name. In that very confusing paragraph of the Bullock Bible translation it seems to indicate that Mr. Johann Seeber was an elder in the church at Saltzberg along with Jacob Goebel, who seems to be the father of Maria Elizabeth Gobelin. It is doubtful that Johann Wilhelm Seeber was old enough to be an Elder of the Church in Saltzberg, so I think the Mr. Johann refers to his father.
In the various publications it is reported that the Seebers came from:
HAVRE HILL, Alsace, France. (This is just across the Rhine river from Wurtemberg Province, Germany, and many Palatines moved into Alsace before deciding to go to America).
Schaffhausen, Wurtemberg Province. Lies close to the border of Switzerland. There is also a Schaffhausen on the Saar River near Volcklingen about 85 mi. from Waldfischbach.
Palatinate, districts of Zweibruecken, Hesse-Cassel, Waldeck.
According to Simmendinger Register, Simmendinger himself was from Reutlingen and his wife from Cannstatt, near Stuttgart. (Stuttgart records are on film at the Mormon Library in Salt Lake City, Utah.)
Lambsheim: Located in Rhineland-Phalz about 15 miles directly west of Ludwigshafen.
See copy of letter from Hank Jones dated 27 Nov 1981.
Mr. Jones is positive he has found the home of Martin Seibert. But I have some doubts. He found the daughters name "Maria Elizabeth" whereas property records in the US name her Anna Maria. And since they did not leave the Palatinate until 1709 why did he not find the baptismal record of the son, Jacob, born 1707.
Schoharie, Schoharie co., NY, located about 30 mi S.E. of Canajoharie, Montgomery Co., N.Y.
Johann Martin Seibert arrived there 1714/15
William Seeber, age 25, married his 2nd wife there 13 Jul 1746
Stone Arabia Is located across the Mohawk river about 4 miles north of Canajoharie.
Johann Martin Seibert, age 49, received his land patent there 19 Oct 1723.
Two deeds show that 16 Jul 1739 "Jacob Syber and Anna Marie, wife to John Bickles(Pickles) said Martin Sybert daughter" executed a transfer of Deed on the Stone Arabia land. Apparently Johann Martin Sybert, age 65, was now dead.
Indian Castle (Mohawk Indian stronghold), Herkimer Co. (Originally Montgomery Co.) NY, is about 20 mi. NW of Canajoharie on the Mohawk River.
Henry Seeber, son of Major Cilliam(sp) Seeber, was born there 15 Mar 1741. He lived most of his life at Ft. Herkimer. He lived to be 103 yrs old. He died 15 May 1845, Little Falls, Herkimer Co., NY.
Minden; The History of Montgomery Co., N.Y. indicates Minden was a township.
The first stoe(sp store) in that "town" was established near the Sand Hill Church before 1750 by William Seeber.
In 1817 part of Minden, Montgomery Co., was attached to Herkimer Co., NY.
Fort Plain is 4 mi. west of Canajoharie
Oriskany is located about 19 miles N.W. Of Herkimer. The Battle of Oriskany was foudnt(sp) 6 Aug 1777.
Danube a Post-Township of Herkimer Co. 10 mi S.E. of Herkimer on the South side of the Mohawk River: Bounded on the East by Minden in Montgomery Co; south by Otsego Co; west by Warren and German Flats; north by Mohawk River or Mannheim. Henry Seebers descendants lived here.
Durlach now known as Sharon, Schoharie Co., NY. The German Reformed Church New Rhinebeck also known as Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of St. Johns Church was located there.
Was the Durlach name given in memory of Durlach parish in
Karlsruhe, Germany.
A town of Durlach is located about 4 mi. S.E of Karlsruhe.
Seeber records in the Schoharie Durlach records.
10/8/97
Transcribed by Marcia Seeber Alary from the collection of Mrs. Margaret E. R. Bohart.
I have attempted to transcribed these notes exactly as they are typed. I did not do any corrections in spelling or grammar. As near as possible these are exactly the way Mrs. Bohart had done them.
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