The Keys to Unlocking Seeber Secrets

In the course of researching a large family, genealogists typically consult hundreds of records and documents.  Many of these are important because they provide or confirm bits of information that fill in the family history, like pixels in a photograph.

But there are always a few documents that stand out, that are special.  So it is with the Seeber family.  This page identifies the special documents that provide keys to unlocking the Seeber family secrets.

The Seeber family Bibles.  We are fortunate that two Bibles have survived in which early generations of the Seeber family kept detailed records of births, marriages and deaths. The first of these Bibles is discussed at length on the Myth #1 page of this website.  Two pages of the Bible record the names and birth dates of Johann Wilhelm Seeber (1721-1777), his two wives, and his twelve children. 

The second Bible record was kept by the family of Johann Wilhelm's eldest child, William; it contains the name of his wife and the names and birth and baptism dates of his eight children.  This Bible was offered for sale on eBay in 2014, but the identity of the purchaser is unknown.  Fortunately the genealogical information in the Bible was transcribed in 1961 and can be viewed by clicking here. 

The baptism record of Maria Elisabetha Jaggi.  Several important facts are confirmed in a single record -- the 1697 baptism of Maria Elisabetha Jaggi, daughter of Christina Seeber and David Jaggi, in the Oberhoffen Protestant Church (see attachment to this page). This record establishes, first of all, that David Jaggi (and by extension his wife) came from the parish of Gsteig in Saanen, Bern canton, Switzerland.  Other records in the Oberhoffen and Bischwiller church books identify Seeber family members as coming from the Saanen region and/or Bern canton but do not mention the specific town of Gsteig.  In the second place, the baptism record identifies as witnesses 1) Hans Ulrich Seeber, son of Wilhelm Seeber the "meyer" of Herr von Geyling in Buchsweiler; 2) Magdalena, daughter of Heinrich Seeber the "meyer" [of Herr von Geyling] in Buchsweiler; and 3) Anna Elisabetha, wife of Martin Seeber the "meyer" of the Serminger estate [in Oberhoffen].  Christina, Wilhelm, Heinrich and Martin were all children of Wilhelm Seeber and Christina Hauswirth of Gsteig; therefore, this baptism record ties together the four siblings who are known to have emigrated from Gsteig to Alsace, and identifies their positions and places of residence as of 1697.

Seeber marriages in the Stone Arabia Reformed Church.  Seven marriages of Seeber men and women took place in the Stone Arabia Reformed Church between 1764 and 1770.  That the marriages were all recorded in the same church during a short timespan is a strong indication that the individuals were either siblings or cousins.  The marriages were:

• Wilhelm Seeber, Jr. married Elisabeth Schnerrin on 2 October 1764; the groom was the eldest child of Johann Wilhelm Seeber born 1721.

• Jacob Seever married Elisabetha Barbara Laux on 18 March 1766; the groom was probably the son of Jacob Seeber born 1722 (see The Five Jacob Seebers page).

• Henrich Seever married Veronica Berleth on 7 May 1767; the groom was the son of Johann Wilhelm Seeber born 1695.

• Johannes Seeber married Maria Wohlgemuth on 8 November 1768; the groom was the son of Johann Wilhelm Seeber born 1695.

• Philip Serves married Maria Catharina Seever on 5 September 1769; the bride was identified in the record as the daughter of Jacob Seever, probably Jacob Seeber born 1722 (see The Five Jacob Seebers page).

• Gottfried Seiver married Elisabeth Laucks on 16 November 1769; he may or may not be related to the Seeber family (see the Remaining Mysteries page).

• Henrich Majer married Maria Elisabetha Seeber on 27 November 1770; the bride was probably the daughter of Jacob Seeber born 1722 (see The Five Jacob Seeberspage).

The Wabel/Waffle baptism records.  Six of the nine known children of Maria Esther Seeber and Georg Wabel were baptized in the Stone Arabia Reformed Church during the period 1760 to 1770.  The baptismal sponsors provide important information because they include several close relatives of Maria Esther, as follows:

• Heinrich Sever, single son of William Sever, was a sponsor of Maria Esther's daughter Catharina, born 7 April 1760; Heinrich was Maria Esther's younger brother.

• Maria Elisabeth Sever was a sponsor of Maria Esther's son Adam, born 28 July 1762; Maria Elisabeth was either Maria Esther's sister-in-law (the second wife of Johann Wilhelm born 1721), or her first cousin once removed (the daughter of Jacob Seeber born 1722).

• Severinus Seeber was a sponsor of Maria Esther's son Wilhelm, born 15 September 1764; Severinus was Maria Esther's younger brother.

• Anna Maria Seever was a sponsor of Maria Esther's daughter Anna Maria, born 12 April 1769; the witness was probably Maria Esther's mother, Anna Maria (Weber) Seeber. 

The recollections of Henry Seeber (1741-1845).  Henry Seeber had the good fortune not only to survive the Battle of Oriskany, albeit with disabling wounds, but also to live an extremely long life.  As a result, his recollections and stories about events and people in his life have been passed down to descendants while we have next to nothing from other members of his generation.  His most important story, from a genealogical viewpoint, is his account of the brothers who fought with him in the Battle of Oriskany.  Here is what he said, as recounted by Abram Seeber in 1895:  "... [M]y father, James W. Seeber, ... saw and talked with Henry Seeber, a soldier who was 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 that Battle.  Their names and rank were as follows:  Major Seffreness Seeber, promoted on the field of battle to colonel and finally killed in the battle; Captain Jacob Seeber was wounded; Lieutentant William wounded; Private James Seeber killed; Private Henry Seeber wounded."