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My Main Saylor Page The Friederich Seyler family of Switzerland came to America around 1752. Descendants of Friederich have provided Y DNA tests and many other Saylor men have found they are a very close match. Much is known about this family. This page is devoted to identifying other Seiler families from the same village as more than one came to America. Thanks to Jack Saylor of South Bend, IN, who initially sent me a package of information on this family in 1998 and made me aware of this Swiss-USA connection. And thanks to Alan Albright who in 2015 found Swiss records on line and has been confirming, expanding and questioning what has been written about this family. Also, thanks to Breanna Perez for information on John Ulrich Sailor. Use these links to jump up and down this web page.
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1. OVERVIEW Friederich Seiler or Seÿler, the son of Theodore Seiler of Bottmingen, was baptized in Binningen, Switzerland and married and had children there. Around 1752 he and his family came to America. The spelling of the surname has evolved. It is Seiler in the baptism records of Friederich and his siblings, then Seÿler when Friederich has his children baptized. In America it became Sailor and then Saylor/Sayler. Bottmingen and Binningen are Swiss geographic names associated with the early records of this family. Bottmingen is about a square mile and until 1837 was part of Binningen which is less than 2 square miles. The church where the records were made is in Binningen. These were small villages near Basel and over time became part of the city of Basel, Switzerland. Basel and its suburbs are in the canton of Basel-Stadt. Bottmingen and Binningen are on the Birsig River which enters the Rhine River at Basel. This is an important connection as it is the Rhine that was the gateway for many Swiss and Palatine protestant settlers to make their way to America in the 1700's. A number of Seiler/Saylor families were part of this migration. |
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Seiler baptisms are also found in two other nearby church records; St Arbogast in Muttenz and St Elisabethen in Basel. See this interesting Wikipedia page on the Seyler family. |
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2. SWISS MANUMISSION and OTHER RECORDS Switzerland was alarmed at the loss of families to America and enacted laws to control migration. Families had to pay a "manumission tax" to gain their freedom to legally migrate. The book, "Lists of Swiss Emigrants In The Eighteenth Century To The American Colonies" by Faust and Brumbaugh in the 1920's, examined the manumission, church and other records and provided accounts for various families. The book tells of a number of Seiler families who came to America; one being, Fridlin (Friederich) Seyler, the son of Theodore, deceased, and his wife Anna Catharina Spaar, a widow, and their three children. It is useful to present here what Faust and Brumbaugh wrote about this family because for most researchers this book was the major source of information until Swiss records started to be put on line. The text below is a transcription of pages 167-8 from the above book. ----------
1752, Bottmingen (Amt Munchenstein) Fridlin Seyler, Manumission Records [KB] Friederich, son of Theodor, deceased. Anna Catharina Spaar, Sparr, his wife. [Note: Fridlin can also be Fridrich.] Their children: 1. Matthies, bapt............................. Dec. 16, 1738 2. Hans Ulrich, bapt........................... July 7, 1743 3. Hans Jacob, bapt...........................Apr. 17, 1746 Several entries in the Records of the Small Council, [RP], (125, 271, 299 and 342) show that the Council occupied itself repeatedly with his clandestine and fraudulent emigration. Nevertheless his three sons obtained in 1770 (RP 143, 80) the release of their property and their manumission. The entry in the Manumissions Register, [MP] is as follows: Matthias, Ulrich and Hans Jacob Seyler, legitimate sons of Fridlin Sailer and Catharina Sparr of Botmingen, who have settled in Pennsylvania, have been manumitted together with their still living mother, who is also staying with them, by Our Gracious Lords March 28, 1770. Their property consisted of 572 pounds on which 'Herr Landvogt' on Munchenstein has collected the ten percent tax. Pay: Manumission..................................40.— Letters....................................... 6.—' 46.— At that time the sons were all married and located in Carlisle, Pa., the one being a tinner, the other a locksmith and the third a saddler. Their stepbrother Leonhard Low, whom we meet in 1763, seems to have emigrated with them in 1752 and gone back to live in the Canton of Basel once more until 1763. Between 1754 - 1766 Leonhard Löw (Parish Registers, [KB] Johannes Leonhard), bapt. May 10, 1733, from the Holee, Amt Munchenstein, lawfully begotten son of Emanuel Löw ... and Catharina Sparr (KB Anna Catharina), who intends to go to the American West Indies, has been released from serfdom ;March 30, Anno 1763 with Anna Barbara Junt, his wife. and three children: L Elisabeth, [KB Anna Elisabeth]. Bapt., 19 Dec. 1756 Anna Margreth. Bapt., 3 Apr 1760 Anna Maria Löw, bapt. . Dec. 13, 1761 His father, of whom his pastor says in KB that he was a fine man, died ten days after his birth. His mother married Fridlin Seyler, emigrant of 1752, and seems to have taken him along to America without being able to prevail on him to stay there, About the time of his second emigration he was talking however so much about America in his community that the Landvogt urged the Council to grant his request because he feared that his further presence might do more harm than good (Emigration A, [AA], Letter of March 29, 1763). |
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3. THEODORE SEILER and MARIA SCHWEIGHAUSER Recently, the films of some of the original Swiss documents have been put on line by the Staatsarchiv Basel Landschaft and researchers can dig for more detail. Use the English translation page facility to find your way around this large site. This is the main genealogy page and the Binningen films are here. Also some Swiss films are on line at Family.org. Thanks to Alan Albright for starting all this research below and his willingness to have it shared here. A note about these German records. To help decifer the script open the box on this web page. Frequently you will see an abbreviation in front of names. They are: Looks like gfr = Jfr = Jungfrau = virgin or Miss Mr = Meister = Master craftsman Looks like fl = ? Looks like Pl = ? Theodor Seiler was baptized 30 Mar 1662 in Binningen, Switzerland. Theodor is stated as deceased in 1752 in the manumission records of his son Friederich. On 6 Nov 1699, Theodor Seiler married Miss Maria Schweighauser, both of Bottmingen [Page 302, image 272]. Maria Schweighauser was baptized 3 Dec 1676, father Simon Scweighauser, mother Margret Schwarz, witnesses: Heinrich Seiler, Barbara Zimmerman, Maria Schweighauser [page 62, image 66] in Basel, Switzerland. Maria, wife of Theodor Seiler, Judge, dies 22 Jan 1729 of dropsy, 51 years old [298, page 373, image 289, Binningen 3, 1719 - 1789] Their children - all baptized in Bottmingen
Maria Schweighauser's parents Simon Schweighauser, baptized 28 Apr 1644 in Basel, Switzerland. Death 24 Dec 1706 in Basel, Switzerland Spouse, Margreth Schwartz, baptized 20 Apr 1657 in Basel, Switzerland. Death 1 Nov 1727 in Basel, Switzerland. Her parents Leonhard Schwartz Birth abt 1625 wife Ursula Meyer Birth abt 1630. Parents of Simon Schweighauser Jakob Schweighauser, baptized 21 May 1598 in Basel, Switzerland. Death abt 1667 in Basel, Switzerland. Spouse, Anna Burin, baptized 30 Apr 1598 in Basel, Switzerland. Death 18 Jul 1677 in Basel, Switzerland. Church record worth examining Alan writes, "This register has the best records I have ever seen. This Pastor deserves a big kudos for writing so legibly. The Schweighauser's are in these records. There are Seylers listed don't know to this point if they are related. Ulrich Schweighauser is believed to be one of the earlier ancestor to Maria who married Theodore. Maria b-1668 then Simon b-1644 (married Margareth Schwartz) then Jakob b-1598 (married Anna Bür) then Karl b-1557 (married Anna Hügli) then Ulrich b-abt 1520 (married Brigitta Baulner) then Jakob Schweighauser. Ulrich had about 18 kids but Karl 1557, there wasn't a baptism but it seems there were only 2 listed for 1557 so did they get lost or what? I haven't attached Karl to Ulrich like everybody else until I can get an explanation! But up to Karl has been proved." Record: Swiss church records, Basel, Taufen 1542-1627, family.org, "S" list |
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4. Theodor Seiler's ancestors Alan Albright has compiled the ancestral list below from the Swiss church records. It is greatly appreciated that he is willing to have his hard work presented here. For a while it was incorrectly felt that this family below were the parents of Theordor.
New research has shown that Theodor Seiler was baptized 30 Mar 1662 in Binningen, and his parents were Friederich (Fridlin) Seiler, bap 26 Oct 1634 in Binningen wife Barbara Seiler married 6 Dec 1658 in Binningen. Parents of Theodor Friedlin (Friederich) Seiler and Barbara Seiler marriage on 6 Dec 1658 in Binningen, Basel-Landschaft, Switzerland. Children all born in Bottmingen, all baptized in Binningen and all dates are baptism dates.
1. Hans Christoffel Seiler, 23 Oct 1659 Grandparents of Theodor Hans (Johannes) Seiler and Katherina Schweighauser children all born in Bottmingen all baptized Binningen, all dates are baptism dates 1. Hans Jakob, bap 1 Feb 1631 2. Simon, bap 21 Oct 1632 3. Friederich, bap 26 Oct 1634 4. Karl, bap 7 May 1637 died 3 Feb 1678 5. Katherina Schweighauser, dies 19 Feb 1640 Hans dies 4 Feb 1675
Hans(Johannes) Seiler then married Elisabeth Läubler of Oberwil BL. on 1 Feb 1641 children 1. Johannes, bap 19 Oct 1641 2. Elisabeth bap 1 Feb 1646 3. Barbara bap 3 Sep 1647 Great grandparents of Theodor Jakob Seiler, possibly bap 16 Jan 1564 and Barbara Dietler. Sankt. Elisabeth records. 1. Jacob, bap 25 Mar 1597 name could be Jakob, the only witness is a Jakob Held which would make sense! 2. Elsbeth, bap 5 Nov 1598 witnesses Anna and Elisabeth (could be one or the other) 3. Johannes bap Mar 1600 Hans which we already understand 4.
Frederich, bap 13 Nov 1603 name could be Friederich, only witness
Friederich Engel which again would make sense! Record from Sankt Margarethen. See more on him below. 5. Heinrich and Balthasar bap 25 Jul 1606 Twins Heinrich dies before 1610
Beninngen records 6. Nicholas(Klaus), bap 25 Jul 1607 7. Heinrich, bap 4 Feb 1610 8. Barbara, bap 6 Nov 1612 9. Andreas, bap 7 Aug 1614
Friedrich Seiler is the son of Jakob Seiler and Barbara Dietler, bapt. 13.11.1603, bur. 31.10.1676.
Barbara Dietler,
bap 9 Nov 1580 her father Lienhard Dietler bap 21 Jan 1556 his parents
Lienhard Dietler and Klara Hartman his parents Hans Dietler and Verena
Gerster. |
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5. Friederich Seiler and Anna
Catharina Spaar or Spahr and their 3 children Friederich or Fridlin Seyler was baptized 12 Mar 1702, father, Theodor Seiler von Bottmingen, mother, Maria Schweigerhauser, witnesses: fl? Johann Rudolf Genath, councillor, Friederich Jundt, Miss Margaret Schweighauser. [Binningen 2, page 125, image 129] Friederich came to America around 1752 with his third wife and three children by her, under "fraudulent and clandestine" circumstances without permission from the Council. It may be possible that some of his older children came as well. Friederich died before 1770 in Carlisle, Cumberland Co., Alan Albright has been working on the Swiss registers and has concluded that Friederich had three marriages. First to Anna Rapp (1721), second to her sister Elizabeth Rapp (1725) and third to Anna Catharina Spaar (1734). Below are the records to support this conclusion. Alan has been aided by a Swiss cousin, Ernst, who is able to decifer the records and provide a more complete transcription. Alan writes, "that the Friederich baptism clearly shows the name Friederich not Fridlin. The name is spelled Fridlin Seyler in the Kirchenbucher Parish Register showing the baptismal dates. However, the Manumission Register spells the name Fridlin Sailer." First marriage Friederich Seiler marries Anna Rapp on 12 May 1721; Friedrich Seiler of Bottmingen & Miss Anna Rapp, the Councilmans daughter of Binningen [image 8, entry 38, Binningen 3]. Anna was baptized, 4 May 1690, parents Antonius Rapp, the cooper of Binningen & Elisabeth Jundt [image 101, Binningen 2]. Anna Rapp dies in 1724, three days after her third unnamed child dies. 17 Nov 1724 Anna Rapp, wife of Friedrich Seiler of Bottmingen. She died after giving birth to a child that died 3 days earlier [entry 136], Age 34 1/2 years. [Image 280, entry 137, Binningen 3] Children:
Friederich Seiler & Elsbeth Rapp 5 Mar 1725 it looks like it says Theodor's son? Friedrich Seiler of Bottmingen, son of Theodor & Miss Elisabeth Rapp of Binningen Friederich Seiler marries Elisabeth Rapp, sister to his first wife. 5 Mar 1725, Friedrich Seiler of Bottmingen, son of Theodor, marries Elsbeth Rapp of Binningen. [Image 11, entry 108, Binningen 3] Elisabeth was baptized 18 Oct 1689, child Elidsabeth - parents Antonius Rapp, the cooper of Binningen & Elisabeth Jundt. [image 96, Binningen 2] Children
15 May 1733 death of Elisabeth Rapp, wife of Friedrich Seiler, Binningen, age 44 years and 5 months, died of loss of blood during pregnancy. [image 295, entry 419, Binningen 3] Third marriage Friederich Seiler marries Anna Katherina Spahr on 25 Jan 1734 Marriage of Friedrich Seiler, son of Theodor, of Binningen & Anna Katherina Spahr of Holee (Binningen). [image 22, entry 315, Biningen 3] Children
20 May 1733, Emanuel Löw of Holee dies of typhus in 3 weeks after getting blind. 1 widow with 1 child. 40 years 2 1/2 month old, was a fine man. [image 295, entry 421, Binningen 3 Totes] Other Friederich bits
In 1769-1770 Jacob Schaffner, a storekeeper in Lebanon (PA), returned to Source: From The Desk Of: Jack R. Saylor, Date: |
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5A. MATTHIAS SAILOR Baptized: #548 Matthias, father Friederich Seÿlor Source: Protestant Parish Records 1719-1789, Binningen, St Margarthen, Basel, State Archive Basel County, E9.1.10.10 Binningen 3, found and transcribed by Alan Albright, 2015, image 156 Died: 02 Sep 1826 in Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co., PA. Buried: in: Trindle Spring Lutheran Cemetery. Occupation: Tinner Matthies/Mathias Sailor enlisted in Captain Perry's Company, one of the first of the PA companies in the Provincial service, and served five years against the Indians & French, being with Wolfe at the capture of Quebec. He was Captain of the First Company, First Battalion, Cumberland Co. militia, commanded by General Shoufler & Colonel Ephraim Blaine. He was assessed for nine acres of land in Pennsboro Twp. Cumberland Co. His brother Jacob (1746-1816) also served with Cumberland Co. PA Militia in Rev. War - Rank of Ensign. Wife: Mary Margreth Meyer , Died: 01-Sep-1826 Their Children: 1 Maria Margreth Sailor Born: 04-Jan-1764 in: Carlisle, Pa, Died: 15-Jan-1764 in: Carlisle, PA 2 Cathrina Sailor #Born: 16-Feb-1765 in: Carlisle, Pa, Died: 20-Sep-1768 in: Carlisle, PA 3 Jacob Sailor Died: - 1838 in: Perry County, Pa 4 John Sailor Born: 10-Oct-1769 in: Cumberland Co. Pa, Died: 05-Oct-l 828 in: Mechanicsburg, Cumberland Co. PA. By will dated May 8, 1828, John Sailor left a tract of land to his three grandsons, John Sailor, George Sailor, and Mathias Sailor. 5. Henry Sailor, Born 1779 in Source: Alan Albright |
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5B. JOHN ULRICH SAILOR, 1743 - c1802 Preamble In Dec 2016 I heard from Deanna Perez, a descendant of a John Sailor whose children, for the most part, match those below for John Ulrich Sailor. Her John Sailor died c1801-1802 because Elizabeth came with her children and to Bath Co, KY. In 1810 she is in Montgomery Co, KY with one male 15-25, and 16-28 and 5 kids under 16. So we have some unaccounted for kids. Source: "United States Census, 1810," Montgomery, Kentucky, p. 354, FHL microfilm 181,352. Also, she is alone when she signs for the marriage of daughter Sarah Sally Saylor's marriage to Samuel Allen Cobb on 27 Oct 1811 in Fleming, KY. It says mother Elizabeth Saylor. Guardian is John Minear and he is bondsman. Deanna assumes that the Saylor and Minears were friends in St George now Tucker Co, WV and that some of the minor kids of John Saylor probably needed a guardian appointed. Samuel and Sally Saylor had 10 children. Source: Montgomery County History, p. 249, familysearch.org Source: See Cobb burials in New Providence Cemetery, Montgomery Co, KY Source: See this posting on familysearch.org: https://www.familysearch.org/service/records/storage/das-mem/patron/v2/TH-904-51721-728-39/dist.txt?ctx=ArtCtxPublic Deanna has concluded that her John Sailor is the same man as John Ulrich Sailor who was born in 1743 in Switzerland. ---------------------
Baptism: Hans Ulrich, father Friederich Seÿlor Source: Protestant Parish Records 1719-1789, Binningen, St Margarthen, Basel, State Archive Basel County, E9.1.10.10 Binningen 3, found and transcribed by Alan Albright, 2015, image 170 John Ulrich Seylor Occupation: Locksmith Wife: Married: Source: Marriages by Rev John Conrad Bucher, 1763-69, p. 378 on line at jstor Their Children: - all born in Carlisle, Cumberland County, Pa 1 Frederich, born: 2 Catherine Sailor, Born: abt 1769 3 Mathias Sailor, Born: abt 1773 4 John Sailor II, Born: abt 1775 5 Jacob Sailor, Born: abt 1777 6 William Sailor, Born: abt 1779 7 Emmanuel Sailor, Born abt 1783 8 Samuel Sailor, Born abt 1783 9 Sarah Sailor, born abt 1791. [There are two notes by Jack Saylor; "died at age 5" and also "died 1836. Deanna has Sarah as Sally and she married Samuel Cobb, Fleming Co., KY.] Source: Children and parents; Jack Saylor in a mailing to Randy Saylor, item 31, 1998 |
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5C. JOHN JACOB SAILOR Baptism: Hans Jacob, father Friederich Seÿlor Source: Protestant Parish Records 1719-1789, Binningen, St Margarthen, Basel, State Archive Basel County, E9.1.10.10 Binningen 3, found and transcribed by Alan Albright, 2015, image 178 Jacob Saylor married Frances Hannah Sharp (Shep). He died
Wife: Frances Sharp. Married: Ref: Source: Alan Albright, a descendant of Jacob. The 1780 Tax List shows Jacob Sailor, a tax payer in Source: From The Desk Of: Jack R. Saylor Date: |
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6. Email from Wesley A. Sayler I'm the 4th Great Grandson of Hans Jacob Seiler (Crown 1749) and the third Great Grandson of George Michael Seiler (Sayler). We are a close Y DNA match (36/37). In doing research I have concluded that Hans Jacob and Friederick were brothers and Margaret Spahr was a Sister. Theodore was their father. Another brother was Christoffel who also came on the Crown with Jacob and Margaret. Other relatives were on the same ship. A brother-in-law Adam Brodbeck was also there. He was the brother of Jacobs wife Chrishona Brodbeck. They were from Bottmingen , Basel, Switzerland. Concerning group 3 of the Saylor YDNA Project, there always has been indications that some of the Seilers went south, for example Nicholis Seiler, one of the early immigrants from Basel around 1740 Jacob came here with his family 1747 on the Crown. The same time as his sister Margaret Seiler Spahr, sister also of Friederich Seiler. Friederich's wife was the sister of Hans Ulrich Spahr. They were from Bottmingen, Basel, Switzerland. George Michael Sayler, Jacob's youngest son, was born 1752 in Cocalico, Lancaster, Pa. I haven't researched their full relationship with the Sayler Boys; but I think they were at least paternal cousins based on our DNA results and the fact that they were all from Binningen, Basel, Switzerland. The above Jacob Seiler lived in Cocolico, Lancaster, Pennsylvania up to the 1770's. I have a release of title to land (from him) he tried to buy in 1750, showing that he was still in Lancaster County and he was also in the tax records (1750-1770). If you notice in the Passenger Lists for Jacob and Christoffel Seiler that an older Lawyer named Matthias was a God Parent and uncle of the children. This is why the name is popular within the later Seiler Families. |
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7. Additional families that we are examining - starting in 1700 There are many Seiler familes in the Bottmingen record. Below is an attempt to identify families and apologies for the poor effort at transcription of many names.
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