SEYBOLD, John N - CW

Source: Beadle, J. H. 1880 History of Parke County, Indiana (from Historic notes on the Wabash Valley and History of Vigo & Parke County) Chicago: H. H. Hill & N. Iddings, Publishers

SEYBOLD, John N, farmer, Jessup, was born May 27, 1846 in Raccoon Township, and is the son of Thomas K. and Mildred H. SEA Seybold. He was raised on the farm. When only 17, in 1863, he enlisted in Co. B 115th Indiana Infantry Volunteers, and exposed his boyish life to hardships severe for veterans to endure. He served 6 months chasing Longstreet mostly, and suffering extremely from hunger. He lived for 10 days on two ears of corn a day. he was mustered out February 27, 1864 and the same day reenlisted in the 21st Infantry, afterward 1st heavy Artillery, Battery H and served two years. He was at the sieges of Ft. Gaines, Ft. Morgan, Ft. Spanish, Ft. Enger, Ft. Tracy and Ft. Blakely. After the final battle he was put on garrison duty till January 13, 1866, when he was discharged. Returning home he busied himself on the farm and at carpentering. January 30, 1868, he was married to Hannah M. WEBSTER. She was born May 31, 1850. Her father, James S. Webster, was born June 16, 1819 in Fayette Co Ohio and now lives in Raccoon Township. Her mother, Isabel (ELSON) Webster, was born in Brook Co. Virginia in 1812 and is Mr. Webster's second wife, his first wife, Mary BROOKBANK, having died without a family. Besides Hannah, wife of JN Seybold, they had one son, William S, born February 28, 1855. Mr. Webster is a republican and with his wife belongs to the Methodist Church. Mr. Webster's grandfather was in the Revolutionary War. Mr. and Mrs.. Seybold's family have been: Ruth I born December14, 1868,died January 7, 1871; Bertha A, January 7, 1873; Martha E March 30, 1875. Mrs. Seybold is a member of the Methodist Church. Mr. Seybold is a strong republican and a member of the Bridgeton Masonic Lodge. - klz

Source: Portrait & Biographical Record of Montgomery, Parke & Fountain Counties, Indiana (Chapman Brothers, 1893), Page 495

SEYBOLD, John N. is a prominent merchant of Mitchell, a small mining town in Raccoon Township, Parke County and was born in this township May 27, 1846. He is a son of Thomas K. and Mildred SEA Seybold. The former parent was a native of Maysville, Kentucky being born June 9, 1816 and was married February 14, 1836. He was the son of Dempsey Seybold, who was a native of Kentucky. and married Elizabeth KERR. Dempsey Seybold was among the very early settlers in this township, coming about the year 1818. He served in the State Legislature, representing Parke Co and was a man of more than ordinary ability. There has been a tradition in the family of Seybold that some 200 years ago a child was found floating in a wooden bowl, off the coast of Germany and the parties finding the child, being ignorant of its parents or its name invented the name Sea-Bowl. By the variations of time, to which names as well as other things are subjected, Sea-Bowl had become Seybold. But this we find from research, to be entirely without foundation and it is most likely that in modern times some practical joker drew upon his imagination for the so called origin of the family name. In tracing the family name back, not only to the supposed date when the child was found, but for centuries before, we find that in the records of Germany there is such a name as Seybold. The first we learn of this family in America is when 3 brothers came here and settled in Kentucky, the other two locating in Virginia. The latter two we have learned but little of; the former was the great grandfather of the man whose name heads this sketch. Dempsey Seybold, who was the grandfather of Mr. Seybold, was a native of Kentucky and with his family came to Indiana and settled in Raccoon Township in 1818. His son, Thomas, who was the father of our subject, was two years of age at the time, having been born in Kentucky in 1816. Thomas was murdered May 9, 1850 while in Terre Haute on business. Mildred H. Seybold, the mother of our subject was born in Kentucky, February 14, 1814 and died in this township in the year 1891. Three generations ago the Seybolds came to this country from Germany and Mildred married Thomas K. Seybold in 1836. They had 8 children of whom John N. is one of the number. He was reared on a farm, receiving but a limited education such as was afforded by the common schools in his boyhood days. When but 17, he enlisted in Company B 115th Indiana Infantry and exposed his boyish life to the hardships that are severe for even veterans to endure. Going, as he did, from the comforts of a happy home, to bear the exposure incident to an army life, for six months he was engaged with his company in chasing Longstreet, at the same time suffering extremely from hunger. He lived for 10 days on two ears of corn and February 27, 1864 was mustered out of the service. On the afternoon of the same day, Mr. Seybold reenlisted in the 21st Indiana Infantry and afterward in the First Heavy Artillery, Battery H. After serving two years, in the meantime participating in the sieges of Ft. Gaines, Ft. Morgan, Spanish, Hugar, Tracey and Blakesley, he was put on garrison duty until January 13, 1866, when he was discharged. Returning home, he at once engaged in farming and carpentering, and January 30, 1868 he wedded Hannah M. WEBSTER. This amiable lady was born in Parke Co, May 21, 1850 and was the daughter of James S. and Isabel ELSON Webster, of this township. Her father was a native of Fayette Co, Ohio being born June 16, 1819 and died in Raccoon Township in September 1883. Her mother was born in Brook Co VA in 1812. Mrs. Seybold is of the old Revolutionary stock, her great grandfather Webster having served his country well and faithfully during its struggle for independence. Mr. Seybold of this sketch continued farming until 1888, after which he engaged in mercantile business at Mitchell, in which place he is still at work. He is a Republican in politics and served his township as Trustee from 1886 to 1888, being elected by the largest majority ever given in the township. Socially he is a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity having been made a Mason at Bridgeton in 1879, and having served the Catlin Lodge of which he is now a member, as Master for two terms. He is also an active Grand Army of the Republic man and for his services in the late war draws a pension of $12 per month. He has been Postmaster at Mitchell for the past 5 years. Mr. and Mrs.. Seybold have been the parents of the following children: Ruth I, now the wife of Charles A. Keller, lives on the Old Webster homestead; James T. is deceased; Bertha A who was educated at St. Mary's Seminary at Terre Haute is now living with her parents. Martha E. also received her education in Terre Haute and is still under the parental roof. Of the brothers and sisters of John N. Seybold, our subject, Samuel Kerr died in Hancock Ill in 1861 and a son of his live sin Kansas City, Mo; Dempsey C. is a farmer in Wabash Township, this county; William H. H. resides in Mitchell; American Indiana is the wife of Harvey M. ADAMS a farmer in this township; Mahlon F served 3 years and 10 months in the late war. He was sun struck during the siege of Vicksburg and died in Woodford Co, ill from the effects. His daughter Effie married a man by the name of PUGH and resides in Meadville, Mo; Susan, wife of James N. LESLIE resides at Fredonia, KS; James H. is a farmer living near Clinton, Ind. - kbz