Montgomery county, New York, has always had a great attraction for the German people, and perhaps from no particular section of Germany have more families settled there than from Westphalia. They have always proved desirable citizens, and have added materially to the wealth of the country.
(I) Martin Seeger, with whom this family record begins, was born in Greifenburg, Westphalia, Germany (then Prussia), in 1803. His parents also lived and died in that town. Martin was in the employ of a wealthy resident of the town for many years previous to the date of his death in 1855. He married Marie Dorn, born in the same province; she survived her husband, and at the request of her children joined them in the United States, where she died in Amsterdam, New York, at the home of her daughter Hannah, at the age of ninety-two. Both Martin and Marie (Dorn) Seeger were members of the German Lutheran church. They were the parents of eleven children, who grew to maturity, five of these came to the United States, and will be named:
- Ernest, settled in Iowa in 1870, and died at the age of forty-five, unmarried.
- Herman, served in the German army four years, including the period of the Franco-German war; he came to the United States in 1872, and settled in Amsterdam, New York: he married Minnie Gisen, deceased, and had issue; he is now (1909) a resident of Racine, Wisconsin.
- Fred Augustus, see forward.
- Minnie, came to the United States in 1867; settled in Iowa, where she married Herman Jarlin, a wealthy land owner and farmer; they reared a family of five.
- Hannah, married in Germany, Henry Juetes; they settled in Amsterdam, New York, where he died in 1899 and she in 1898, leaving children: Augustus William, Charles, Henry, Fred, Hannah, Minnie and Bertha Juetes.
(II) Fred Augustus, son of Martin and Marie (Dorn) Seeger, was born in Greifenburg, Westphalia, Germany, April 22, 1846. He grew up in his native village, and when nineteen enlisted in the public civil service and served for three and one-half years. The war with France broke out shortly after his discharge from the service, and he at once enlisted in the service of the fatherland. He joined the ranks of the cavalry, Plummer regiment No. 2 Passawalk, and saw hard service, as that regiment was in many engagements. He was in the ranks something over a year and escaped without a scratch, laying down his iron shield and hood at the close of the war, he says "with regret," as he liked the life of a soldier. He received an honorable discharge, and in 1872 with his brother Herman took passage from Bremen for New York, where they arrived April 7, 1872. He soon came to Amsterdam, where he worked for the farmers until his marriage, when he leased land and farmed on his own account. In 1884 he purchased a good farm of one hundred and twenty acres near Hagaman, town of Amsterdam, upon which he settled and remained until 1906, when he sold the farm to his son and retired from active life. He married, in Hagaman, January 21, 1874, Caroline Borwhat, born in Germany, in the province of Westphalia, near the village of Greifenburg, September 30, 1856, died in Amsterdam, November 30, 1902, daughter of Charles Borwhat, with whom she emigrated to the United States in 1871. The family settled in Amsterdam, where Mr. and Mrs. Borwhat died at advanced ages. Mr. and Mrs. Frederick A. Seeger were members of the German Lutheran church. Children:
- Edward F., born October 18, 1877; married Edith Kasdorf; children: Leon C. and Marian A.; he is a carpenter and builder of Rockton, a suburb of Amsterdam.
- Charles F., born July 9, 1879; purchased the homestead in 1906 and now operates it; married Elizabeth Rogers, of Amsterdam.
- William S., born April 11, 1881; married Annie Pagel; children: Elvie and Amelia; he is a dairyman of the town.
- John, born April 16, 1885; married Emily Sterne; he is a dairyman of Amsterdam.
- Anna M., born October 7, 1900; she is the particular attendant of her aged father, for whom she cares with devoted interest.