The Seybert Family of Columbia County
Benjamin Jones' first daughter Mary Ann married Silas Engle Seybert (24 Sep 1808-2 Jun 1862), eldest son of one of the early settlers in the Luzerne County area of Berwick in Briar Creek Township. The patriarch of this family was Bernard Baumann Seybert (abt. 1778), son of the Palatinate immigrant Johann Sebastian Seybert (1726-1826) born in Geiselberg, Pfalz, Germany. Mary Ann and Silas were married in 1834 and had at least one daughter, Eliza Ann Seybert born in 1834.
Getting fuzzy
Whatever happened in this marriage, by the 1840 Census Silas is listed as living alone in Missouri, Polk County, Division 1A, and is a slave holder. By the 1860 Census he is listed in Sons Creek, North, Dade, Missouri. He married a Mary Jane Hailey and they had several children. The household is: Silas E. Seybert 50; Bernard Seybert 14; John Seybert 6; Margaret Seybert 3; Samuel Seybert 2; Mary J. Seybert 27; Charles P. Rushlow 30; William Buckun 16 David Duncan 15. At the onset of the Cival War, Silas was a slaveholder of 9 slaves: 1-50 yr. black female; 1-35 yr. male; 2-25 yr. females; 1-7 yr. female; 2-5 yr. males; 1-5/12 female; 1-2 yr. male. Silas' life ended on 2 June 1862 when he was shot in a fight over a horse. His son Bernard is still living in Missouri by the 1870 census. There is some difficulty in tracing this family as the spelling of the name changes often: try Seibert, Sebert, Sybert.
Mary Ann
The mystery is what happened to Mary Ann? I had assumed that she was deceased, but the facts point to a possible second marriage in the Fishing Creek area. Perhaps she divorced him when he decided to leave Pennsylvania for Missouri? Would a Quaker bred woman object to a husband that believed in slavery? The clue to her survival was Eliza Ann, her daughter. IN the 1850 census she is living with her uncle, James N. Jones' family (Household: James N. Jones 36; Caroline M. Jones 24; Henry Clay Jones 2; Nancy Jones 60; Eliza A. Seibert 14 (niece).(source: ancestry.com: Roll: M432_769, p. 193) In the 1850 census of Fishing Creek this shows up: Fishing Creek, Columbia, Pa: Cyrus Fox 27; Mary A. Fox 38; Eliza A. Seibert 14 (this is the second listing of Eliza A. Seibert as she also shows up with James N. Jones.(source: ancestry.com: Roll: M432_769, p. 193)
Future of Mary Ann
So if this is "our" Mary Ann she lives a long life with Cyrus. In 1860 they are living in Muhlenberg, New Columbus, Luzerne, Pa. The household is Cyrus Fox 38; May A. Fox 40, Wilber F. Fox 9. Cyrus is a carpenter, and owns $700 worth of personal property.
Eliza Ann Seybert
Eliza Ann appears to have married Isaac Eveland.
