The first authoritative history of the Seebart family was written by my grandfather, Arthur Weier Seebart. His work had a modest beginning: just a few pages to read at a family gathering in the 1950’s. Over the years, he expanded on the document, finally producing a lengthy, comprehensive history about twenty years later.
His work predated the internet by many years, so he had little access to documents and records for his research. Instead, he relied heavily on the recollections of family members, especially his mother, for information on the family prior to his birth.
The history he produced was sparse in hard dates, solid documentation and record sources, but extraordinarily rich in character sketches, family stories and personal insights. Today, an online family tree can identify ancestors, names and dates into the distant past, but he gave us something far more valuable: a look into the lives and personalities of his aunts, uncles, siblings, parents and grandparents. His work was widely distributed, and it’s rare to find a Seebart relative who hasn’t read it, or is at least aware of its existence.
A family history is never really finished. Late in his life (but early in mine), my grandfather and I collaborated on the genealogy. I began to search historical records, primarily through the census, in an attempt to flesh out his work and learn more about our roots in Germany. My results didn’t always align with his memory of events, and though we sometimes disagreed, our conversations formed the basis of a friendship I will always cherish.
Late in the 1980’s he turned over the history to me for safekeeping and expansion. In addition to his original documentation, I also maintain a collection of family photos and documents. In the early 2000’s, my uncle, Eldon Seebart, turned over his work on the Bond family to me as well.
This site represents the second edition of Arthur’s seminal work: an edited, greatly expanded version that reflects my efforts to document our family’s story according to genealogical best practices while still remaining true to his narrative style.
Arthur Seebart was a congregational minister with an optimistic outlook on life—a firm believer in American democratic capitalism. He was convinced that everyone shared his strong desire to “get ahead” in this world, through fame, fortune or wealth, and this perspective lead him to soften or omit bad news (while emphasizing the good). I have attempt to correct the record, particularly when he glosses over negative information, though I am well aware that my own outlook on life will certainly be reflected in this document.
Decades after he passed, I was finally able to document the origins of our family (in a collection of villages northwest of Poznan, Poland) and trace the origins of the Seebart family as German pioneers in 19th century America.
I have organized this site by family heads, mother and father, using the information I have to best record their lives. I prefer not to clutter the text with excessive source citations. For most individuals, I’ve provided a link to a fact sheet with all genealogical source material I could document. Where there are discrepancies or contradictions in the records, you will find notes indicating my latest thinking.
A complete table of contents is available, and it will be expanded as this site takes its final shape. This is very much a work in progress. New family pages will be added on occasion, and existing pages will be updated as new evidence is uncovered.
Lastly, a contact form is available. If you have questions, or are a member of the family with documents, photos or stories to contribute, please let me know.