07/08/1849 - Base Ball and Manure

07/08/1849 - Base Ball and Manure

July 4th was on a Wednesday this year so we did not have the opportunity to follow father's yearly celebration.  He is convinced that someday in the future, the anniversary of the signing of our country's Declaration of independence will become an official holiday.  

He keeps proposing the holiday to our state assembly and senate members but has never received even the curtesy of a reply.  I suggested he write to our senator in congress but he has no more hope of getting the newly elected William Seward's attention than that of the local governance.  "Dang bunch of Whigs! is what I get every time I bring up the idea.  I must agree - if our Free Soil party and the Hunkers can't get their heads together, our fractured Democratic party will be out of power 'till the next century! 

Well - I digressed.  The point of this letter was to tell you that we did celebrate father's holiday after church this Sunday.  We had a grand time playing the new game of base ball.  One of the Doremus boys made a trip to New York City last fall and brought back a ball.  He also brought a picture of the now famous New York Knickerbockers (named after the fire station in Manhattan that started the game).  They look really swell in their uniforms. 

We have all the official rules in writing and pretty much follow them.  But there is a tendency to ignore the rule about not throwing the ball at a runner.  It's particularly fun to do so when the ball has been hit into a pile of fresh cow manure in the outer field. I saw mother laughing when I got squarely hit while running between the 1st and 2nd bases.  But she tried to look stern as she grumbled at having to clean the stench off my Sunday best.  Sad to say, my team lost 24 to 6. 

I hope you summer is progressing nicely and that all your family is well. 

Your Faithful Correspondent, 

Chauncey Sherman Seckner 

  

06/10/1849 - The Ice Man

June 10, 1849

Dear Reader,

It's getting rather hot out in the fields.  The hay is looking good and we have had a good calving for this year. Old man Getman's bull has had a busy season around the valley and no one got hurt or killed dealing with him this time 'round.  

That animal cost Getman a fortune to buy and raise but he has made a pretty penny in stud fees over the past 10 years.  Father keeps saying we should get into the business ourselves.

I, on the other hand, have been pushing for getting into the ice business. People will pay a good price for ice as the summer heat rolls around.  

The man they call the Ice King, Frederic Tudor, up in Massachusetts is making a fortune shipping ice all over the states and as far away as India!  Imagine - 15 years ago on May 12, 1833 he made his first shipment to India as one of his ships sailed from Boston for Calcutta, (a distance of 16,000 miles).  Its hold was filled with 180 tons of ice cut during the previous winter. When it approached the Ganges in September 1833, many believed the delivery was an elaborate joke, but the ship still had 100 tons of ice upon arrival which he sold for a magnificent profit. 

Father agrees we have the means to build our own ice house for storage but he points out that our pond would not produce enough winter ice to make for a profitable business.  I will have to figure out how to get access to larger bodies of water.  I will keep my mind on the problem.  

Mother and Father remain in good health. Sister Mary is in particularly good spirits as Sam Fish is paying her close attention at church services.  We'll see what comes of this.  Mother seems pleased.

Continuing in good health, I remain

Your correspondent, 

Chauncey Sherman Seckner

03/20/1849 - The Family Tree

March 20, 1849

My Ancestors

Start with me

 I, Chauncey Sherman Seckner, was born 14 Mar 1819 in Cedarville, NY and went to my great reward 10 May 1899 in Herkimer, NY.  I married Ellen Eckler, the daughter of Matthias Eckler and Charity Walrath, on June 5, 1866. She was born 17 Feb 1847 in Herkimer, NY and joined me on 10 Feb 1905 in Columbia, NY.

My Beloved Parents:
Jacob Seckner, Sr. was born 13 Sep 1789 and shuffled of this mortal coil on  02 Feb 1878.  He married my mother, Elizabeth Crouch, on 24 Jun 1810.  She was born 09 Jul 1792 in Herkimer and left her grieving children on 16 Jan 1860 in Columbia, Herkimer, NY. 

My Wonderful Grandparents:
Conrad Seckner was born 23 Nov 1764 in Stone Arabia, Albany County, NY. He was the son of Johann Paul Seghner (sic) and Maria Elisabeth Eysaman.

He married my sainted grandmother, Margaretha P. Pfeiffer, the daughter of Johann Peter Pfeiffer, on 23 May 1786 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. She was born about 1767 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. 

Grandfather Frank CROUCH was born about 1767 and died 26 Feb 1816 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY. He married grandmother Maria Barbara HARTER, daughter of Johan Nicholas HARTER and Anna Marie, on 28 Jul 1789 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY.
 
Grandma HARTER was born 08 Aug 1762 in Stone Arabia, Tryon, NY.  She died sometime after the birth of her last child in 1800.
 

My Great-Grandparents

 
1. Johan Paul SEGHNER, the son of Johann Jacob SICKNER and Christina SCHRYVER, was born in 1737 in Stone Arabia, Albany, NY and died 23 Mar 1786 in German Flatts, Montgomery, NY. He married Maria Elisabeth EYSAMAN, the daughter of Johannes EYSAMAN, 12 Mar 1762 in Stone Arabia, Montgomery, NY.
 
2. Maria Elisabeth EYSAMAN was born in 1741 in Stone Arabia, Albany, NY and died in 1841 in Stone Arabia, Herkimer, NY.
 
3. Johann Peter PFEIFFER, the son of Andreas PFEIFFER and Ernestina, was born between 1715-1730 in German Flatts, Tryon, NY and died 12 Aug 1786. He married an unknown spouse in 1755 (Stone Arabia Dutch Reform Church, Montgomery County, NY).
 
4. Johan Nicholas HARTER, the son of Lorentz HARTER and Anna Apolonia HELMER, was born 25 Aug 1723 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY and died 09 Jun 1801 in Cooperstown, Otsego, NY. He married Anna Marie who was born about 1720.
 
My 2G-Grandparents 

1.  Johann Jacob SICKNER, the son of Johannes SICKNER and Anna Apolonia BAAM, was born in 1703 in Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany and died in 1777 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, New York. He married Christina SCHRYVER, the daughter of Albertus SCHRYVER and Eva Catherine LAUERMAN, 20 Feb 1734 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.
2.  Christina SCHRYVER was born 22 Jun 1716 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY and died in 1735 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.
3.  Johannes EYSAMAN was born between 1705-1720 in Herkimer, NY and died 09 Jun 1779.
4.  Andreas PFEIFFER, the son of Heinrich PFEIFFER and Catherina, was born between 1692-1700 in Germany. He died after 1740 in New York. He married Ernestina.
5.  Ernestina was born ~ 1696 in German Flatts, Tryon, NY.
6.  Lorentz HARTER, the son of Johan Nicholas HARTER and Anna Catharina BAUERMANN, was born 14 Oct 1698 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1792 in Herkimer, Herkimer, NY. He married Anna Apolonia HELMER, the daughter of Hans Philip HELMER and Elisabeth MOCKLER before 1723.
7.  Anna Apolonia HELMER was born 30 Mar 1703 in Nieustadt, Weinstrabe, Germany and died in 1776 in Herkimer, NY.

My 3G-Grandparents

1.  Johannes SICKNER was born in 1662 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1702 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  He married Anna Apolonia BAAM.

2.   Anna Apolonia BAAM was born in 1666 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 1710 in NY.
3.  Albertus SCHRYVER was born in 1683 in Fieldkirchen, Neuwied, Rhineland, Germany and died in 1716 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY. He married Eva Catherine LAUERMAN, the daughter of Matheus LAUERMAN and Anna JUNG in 1709 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  
4.  Eva Catherine LAUERMAN was born 06 May 1688 in Anhausen, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died in 1764 in Rhinebeck, Dutchess, NY.  
5.  Heinrich PFEIFFER was born between 1670-1690 in Germany. He died in 1710. He married Catherina who was born about 1674 in Germany and died after 1717.  
6.  Johan Nicholas HARTER, the son of Johann Peter HARTER and Anna Catherina SCHOPP, was born about 1663 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died before 29 Sep 1711 in NY. He married Anna Catharina BAUERMANN, the daughter of Elias BAUERMANN 02 Oct 1686 in Bergenhausen, Altenkirchen, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
 
7.  Anna Catharina BAUERMANN was born about 1664 and died 10 May 1703.  
8.  Hans Philip HELMER, the son of Leonard HELMER and Apolonia Maria RIPPEL, was born 20 Mar 1659 in Neustadt An Der, Weinstrasse, Germany and died in 1741 in Mohawk, Herkimer, NY. He married Elisabeth MOCKLER, the daughter of Johan Wilhelm MOCKLER and Juliane 15 Jun 1685 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
9.  Elisabeth MOCKLER was born in 1663 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died in 1744 in Yorkshire, England. 

My 4G-Grandparents
 
1.  Matheus LAUERMAN was born in 1657 in Rüscheid, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
He died in 1688 in Reuscheit, Germany. He married Anna JUNG in 1672.

2.  Anna JUNG was born in 1657 in Rüscheid, Neuwied, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany and died 11 Apr 1695 in Walcott, Scott, Iowa. 

3.  Johann Peter HARTER, the son of Johannes HERDER and Catharine PETERS, was born about Oct 1642. He died in 1715 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany. He married Anna Catherina SCHOPP, the daughter of Michal SCHOPP and Agnes 13 Jan 1663 in Closter Chumbt, Germany.
 
4.  Anna Catherina SCHOPP was born about 1643 in Germany and died 01 Oct 1724 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany.
 
5.   Elias BAUERMANN was born about 1640. He died before 02 Oct 1686.
 
6.  Leonard HELMER, the son of George HELMER was born in 1617 in Germany and died 24 Sep 1691 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. He married Apolonia Maria RIPPEL, the daughter of Andres RIPPEL 25 Oct 1654 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
 
7.  Apolonia Maria RIPPEL was born about 1633 in Germany and died in 1663 in Germany.
 
8.  Johan Wilhelm MOCKLER was born about 1640 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died 20 Dec 1689 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany. He married Juliane.
 
9.  Juliane was born in 1633 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany and died 16 Apr 1692 in Neustadt an der Weinstrasse, Germany.
 
My 5G-Grandparents
 
1.  Johannes HERDER, the son of Hans HERDTER was born about 1615. He died in 1669 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany. He married Catharine PETERS, the daughter of Thomas PETERS 16 Apr 1638 in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
 
2.  Catharine PETERS was born 1620 and died 1684 in Horn, Rhineland-Pfalz, Germany.
 
3.  Michal SCHOPP, the son of Hans SCHOPP was born about 1615 in Germany. He married Agnes.
 
4.  Agnes was born about 1620 in Germany.
 
5.   George HELMER was born about 1591 in Germany. He died in Germany.
234.     Andres RIPPEL was born about 1600. He died before 10 Jan 1644.
 
My 6G-Grandparents
 
1.  Hans HERDTER was born about 1590.
 
2.  Thomas PETERS was born about 1600.
 
3.   Hans SCHOPP was born about 1600. He died before 1627.