Seibelt Gerd Henrichs 4th great uncle on RootsMagic tree

Seibelt “Sila” was born August 28, 1844 in Germany, probably Aurich a town in Lower Saxony, on the northern edge of Germany. Sila’s parents were Gerd and Flora Janssen Henrichs. In the family were at least 7 siblings including Henrich ‘Henry’ Henrichs great grandpa of Stanley Roose. Seibelt and Henrich’s family relationship is somewhat iffy, but is probable and once found, a DNA match will prove they are brothers. Sila’s niece Annie Antje Henrichs married Enno Frerichs, grandparents of Stanley Roose.

In Germany, Sila married Anna Itjes in 1870. On March 20, 1881 this Henrichs family sailed on the ship Leipzig from Bremen to Baltimore, Maryland. Sila, Anna and their first 4 daughters Flora or Foolke, Dena or Bernadine, Jenny or Fauken and Katie or Gretje. The family went from Baltimore to Butler County, Iowa, a journey of 1,000 miles. Most likely German American immigrants, churches? provided food and shelter, if needed, along the way.

Sila and family on the 1895 Iowa census lived in Albion township, near Parkersburg. On the 1900 US census they were in Ripley Township, closer to Butler Center, a tiny town no longer there. Siebelt had purchased a farm, his neighbors were from Germany, Holland, Iowa, Michigan, New York. Four more daughters, Annie, Johannah, Mattie and Christina were born and Ben Hinders, also from Germany, lived with the family as a servant or farm hand. By 1900 daughter Dena had married John Classe Hoodjer, they farmed nearby and had 3 children. Other Henrichs daughter married, had families and stayed in the area except oldest daughter Flora who stayed single and daughter Hannah who died of pneumonia in her 20s.

Sila and family were members of the Ebenezer Lutheran Church along with almost all ancestors of Stanley Roose. The church is gone, was in Butler Center. A published book Mission in a Mile by Henry Freese tells the story and history of the church. On page 33, a list of baptisms at the church shows Sila’s daughter Johanna Henrichs baptized in 1888. On that same page Claus Endlemann, a future son in law and Jantje Reents, a future grandniece are also baptized.

Sila lived to age 75 and his wife Anna lived to age 96. Both are buried at Butler Center Cemetery near where Ebenezer Lutheran church used to be. Sila and Anna share a large ‘Hinrichs’ headstone and each have a smaller Mother, Father headstone with Ruhe Sanft ~ rest gently, or peacefully. Of the 22 Henrichs buried in there, 10 are of Sila’s family. Daughter Christina who married Harold Hartson, they are buried at Lynwood Cemetery in Clarksville.

Sources

• Mission in a mile by Henry Freese published 2002.
• United States Germans to America index 1850-1897 at FamilySearch
• Iowa death records 1904-1951 at FamilySearch
• Headstone photo at Find a grave, public photo, “Added by Hooked On Family 21 Apr 2014”
• US and Iowa censuses at FamilySearch
• Maryland, Baltimore Passenger Lists, 1820-1948 FamilySearch
• 1917 Atlas, Jefferson Townshipat UI Iowa Digital Library