DNA Testing

In 2008, Charles Seeber of Midland, Michigan, coordinated a Y-chromosome study of Seeber descendants, using the testing and analysis services of FamilyTreeDNA. He sent me an email about the study, which is reproduced below with his permission. Personal information about the four participants, and their parents, has been removed for privacy reasons. Text removed or added to his email message is contained in brackets. The test results can be viewed at the FamilyTreeDNA website by clicking here (three of the four results are clustered together, about twenty lines from the bottom of the list; the fourth result, no. 124302, is about a quarter of the way down the list, under a purple bar with the notation 12b1).

Here is Charles Seeber's message, with the deletions and additions mentioned above:

The February 2008 Yorker Palatine Newsletter had an article, written by Doris Wheeler, explaining how DNA testing could be a valuable tool to aid in genealogy research.

I contacted Doris and explained that I had two major issues relative to the 1700’s Seeber families in New York and wanted to know if DNA would help solve either or both of these issues.

• The relationship between Martin Seeber, the Palatine who came to the Hudson Valley of New York in 1709-1710, and Johann Wilhelm Seeber, who came to the Mohawk Valley of New York in the late 1730’s.

• What is the relationship between Johann Wilhelm Seeber and Henry Seeber who was born in 1741 in the Mohawk Valley. Is Johann Wilhelm Henry’s father, brother, uncle and do they share a common ancestor?

Doris stated that DNA testing could help solve these issues. She stated to be successful, there has to be a common shared surname for each generation which applies only to the male side of the family. We needed to have a line of common surname males. I needed to collect data from four lines, first Martin Seeber, second Wilhelm Seeber with his first wife, Catherine Eccker, third Wilhelm Seeber with his second wife, Maria Elisabeth Goebelin, and fourth Henry Seeber.

Doris said I needed to identify four people participating in the study. I identified and contacted the four individuals participating and they were [names omitted]. They all agreed to participate..

Line 1 [submitted by first participant - FamilyTreeDNA Kit Number 124302]

1. Johann Martin Seeber, b. 1674 in Lambsheim in the Pfalz, Germany, married Anna Marie, b. 1683 in Lambsheim in the Pfalz, Germany, both died in New York

2. Johann Jacob Seeber, b. 1707 in Lambsheim in the Pfalz, Germany, d. New York, married Anna Marie, b November 1, 1712, New York, d. November 25, 1789 in Ft. Plain, New York

3. Jacob W. Seeber, b. abt, 1730, d. abt. 1807, married Elizabeth Barbara Laux, she was born 1766

4. William Seeber, b. 1780 in Montgomery County, New York, d. 1866 in Lincoln, New York, married Anna Maria Marsh, she was born in 1784 and died 1836 in New York

5. Nicholas W. Seeber, b. 1812 in New York, Married Edith Lawrence, she was b. 1819 in New York and d. 1873 in Barry County, Michigan.

6. Moses Seeber, b. 1838 in Oneida, New York, d. 1909 in Barry County, Michigan, married Maria E. Gesler in 1860 in Barry County, Michigan. She was born in 1843 in St. Joseph County, Michigan, and d. 1923 in Barry County, Michigan.

7. Alfred (Fred) Charles Seeber, b. 1867 in Barry County, Michigan, and d. 1931 in Barry County, Michigan, married Rose Etta Johnson in 1894 in Barry County, Michigan,

8. Roy Seeber, b. 1894 in Barry County, Michigan, d. 1984 in Barry County, Michigan, married Treasia Ceceila Barber in 1918 in Barry County, Michigan, she was b. 1897 in Allegan County, Michigan, she d. 1972 in Barry County, Michigan

9. [participant's parents]

10. [participant]

Line 2 [submitted by second participant - FamilyTreeDNA Kit Number 124303]

1. Johann Wilhelm Seeber, (1721-1777) He was seriously wounded during the Battle of Oriskany during the Revolutionary War. First wife - Catherine Eccker

2. Johann William Seeber,(1747-1828) wife - Anna Elizabeth Schnerr

3. William H. Seeber, (1769-1800) wife - Anna Eva Casler

4. William Henry Seeber, (1791-1881) wife - Nancy Ann Failing

5. William Henry Seeber, (1826-1900) wife - Catherine Mount

6. Clarence Morton Seeber, (1857-1932) wife - Sarah Annette Hitchcock

7. [participant's parents]

8. [participant]

Line 3 [submitted by third participant - FamilyTreeDNA Kit Number 135617]

1. Johann Wilhelm Seeber (1721-1777) Second wife - Maria Elisabeth Goebelin

2. Johannes (John) W. Seeber (1763-1851)

3. Daniel Seeber (1817-1896)

4. Byron Seeber (1846-1928)

5. [participant's father]

6. [participant]

Line 4 [submitted by fourth participant - FamilyTreeDNA Kit Number 124299]

1. Henry Seeber,(1741-1845) wife - Veronica (Fanny) Barlet

2 William H. Seeber, (1770-1845) wife - Hannah Kits

3. Henry W. Seeber (1796-1877) wife Susan Overocker

4. William M. Seeber, (1817-1902) wife - Anna Eliza Groat

5. Nelson William Seeber (1839-1915) Second wife - Hannah Jones

6. Willis Seeber, (1879-1960) wife - Ida Elizabeth Brewer

7. [participant's parents]

8. [participant]

I then contacted Family Tree DNA located in Houston, for DNA test kits. Doris suggested I request the basic test kits which covered analyzing the 25 markers for the Y-chromosome DNA as well as HAPLOGRA testing.

Family Tree DNA sent each participant forms to be signed so that all agree to the DNA testing. Once Family Tree DNA received the signed forms and [payment], they would send each a DNA kit. Within weeks all four participants received their kit, sent back their swab sample and within a month all tests were complete.

DNA Test Results

Y-Chromosome DNA 25 Markers Genetic Match Test - Results of this test:

[Participants 2 and 3] – [shared all but] 1 marker

[Participants 2 and 4] – [shared all but] 2 markers

[Participants 3 and 4] – [shared all but] 3 markers

[Participant 1] was not connected to [the other three participants]

[Participants 2, 3 and 4] were connected with each other at either 23, 24, or 25 markers and have common surnames. With 23 or more markers and all with same surname there is a 99 % probability that they share a common ancestor.

We knew [participants 2 and 3] were descendants of William Seeber based on much evidence. The issue was the relationship of William and Henry. Based on the above test results, they share a common ancestor. Henry and William were most likely either brothers, or William the father of Henry, or William an uncle of Henry.

HAPLOGRA Test - From the tree of life (originated from a central location in Africa), an individual can find which group (branch) he belongs. Based on results of the HAPLOGRA tests, [participants 2, 3 and 4] are all R1B1B2 and [participant 1] 12B.

The two tests prove that there are no common ancestors between Martin Seeber’s family that settled in the Hudson Valley in 1709-10, and William Seeber’s family that settled in the Mohawk Valley in the late 1730’s.

(end of Charles Seeber email message)