Died in Birlenbach, Bas-Rhin France, Married Magdalena Gassman 1974, the daughter of Ulrich Gassman.

The land where they lived was along the border of France and Germany, rich in coal, which made it very valuable. It changed hands frequently. From Johann Wolf Seiler down to Johann Jacob Seiler, who immigrated to the New World, was under French rule, but the people spoke German and wrote in the old German script. All were born, married, and died in Berlenbach, Bas-Rhin France.

Children of Johanns Ulrich Seiler and Barbara Deitz:

Johann Jacob Seyler, Great Grandfather of Andrew Siler, was born in the year 1789 in Storsbourgh Alsace, France of Dutch German parentage.

He was married to Dorothy Schaffin 12 October 1804. She too was of German parentage.

Jacob and Dorothy, and their growing family, immigrated to America and settled in Maryland Colony in the year 1755. Two or possibly three of their ten children were born at Strosbourgh. One daughter was born in the Mid-Atlantic Ocean while the family was enroute to America.

The two brothers who came to America, Philip and Jacob, paid for their passage by signing indentured service bonds with the captain, which he then could sell on arrival to any planter in need of cheap labor. The bond usually obligated the servant to work for the planter for five years without pay. The bonds of Philip and Jacob were sold to John Baumgardner of Augusta County, VA, and the two brothers went immediately to his Virginia plantation. After satisfying their bons, they continued to work for Baumgardner in return for land of their own, remaining in Augusta County for the rest of their lives.

In 1722, the family settled on a 308-acre plantation, where Jacob and Dorothy lived for the rest of their lives. They both died there. Jacob died about 65 years of age or ca 1792. He and his wife Dorothy Schaafin had 10 children, all thought to have been born in Botecourt County, VA. Names are as follows:

In 1773, Fincastle County, Virginia was the western frontier and many families of Scotch-Irsh and German ancestry had recently moved into the fertile valleys to establish their homesteads. Their surveys were taken up on the waters of the New Holston and Clinch Rivers with a future eye on land over the mountains in what was to become Kentucky. The Shawnee Indians, seeing the westward expansion, sought revenge on the settlements and the summer and fall of 1774 was one of the most agonizing times for these hardy pioneers. Many had gathered in community forts, which had sprung up in almost every neighborhood. From here the young men were sent to look for Indian signs and give them warning to those who were trying to continue the work on their farms.

The plans of Governor Dunmore to meet the Indians at Point Pleasant in the fall of 1774 caused the militia leaders of every community in Southwest Virginia to enroll their men, gather supplies, and march towards the rendezvous. Scouts and spies continued to range among the frightened settlers in many neighborhoods, and guards were appointed for each fort. The service of these militiamen was not necessarily long or continuous, but each man was paid for the number of days he served.

The Auditor's Accounts for Dunmore's War at the Virginia State Library, Richmond, contain the records for Botetourt, August, and Fincastle Counties. The following is from the Fincastle County records only.

These accounts, in addition to military duty, include public service records showing the names of supplies, beef, bacon, and provisions, as well as the names of those who built canoes, worked on the forts, drove cattle and wagons, and in any other way provided a service for the government in 1774.

The companies here represented the populations of Southwest Virginia from Montgomery County west. Some of the men may have been living in the territory later to become the State of Tennessee. James Harrod's men were settled in Kentucky when trouble began, but he returned to Virginia and formed his company there. His list should be compared to those found in Collins History of Kentucky, Vol. 2 page 517, and in Thwaitos and Kellogg's Dumore War, page 420.

The spelling as used in the original document has been printed here, and as in any colonial record, spelling varies with the writer. There are approximately 16,000 names in this volume, which have been indexed for easier use.

I wish to thank the Virginia State Library for allowing me to use and publish these records.

Mary B. Kegley

In Captain James Robertson's Company, we find:

Johann Jacob Seyler Jr., Grandfather of Andrew Siler, was born in the years 1763 in Maryland, son of Johann Jacob Seyler Sr. and Dorothy Schaafin.

On 31 Jan 1793, he married Jane Harley, daughter of Peter Harley and Elizabeth Reiter. Peter was born in Germany. The birthplace of Elizabeth is unknown.

Jacob and Jane had seven children, of which William was the 2^nd. Their children were:

8 Oct 1793 Annualws of Southwest Virginia page 455 in Botetourt County Court Order Books 1793-97, page 65:

Jacob Siler is appointed guardian of Elizabeth Rider, orphan of Peter Rider, deceased, whereby Siler entered into and acknowledged bond as law directs.

7 May 1796 Botetourt County Virginia deeds books 374 GS #030704: Jacob Siler signed Seiller in German script witnessed a land purchase of Peter Heartly. (Our Grandfather)

The will of Jacob Sr., was drawn in 1785, and he died several years later. His wife Dorothy lived until 1804. After her death her her sons Philip (1760) and Jacob Jr. (1763) with Jacobs JR's father-in-law, Peter Hartley, moved to Virginia to Tennessee. Tennessee may have been well known to Jacob Jr., who had bought cattle in Tennessee and had driven them to Virginia. Jacob Siler, was known as "Old Dutch" in the Davy Crockett story in 1796. If "Old Dutch" was not Jacob, he must have been Jacob Sr., the youngest immigrant brother, in which case the estimated date of Jacob SR's death would of course not been before 1796.

1798, account of David Crockett and his encounter with Jacob Siler. This story is from the life of David Crockett. He states that when he was 10 years told, his father was operating a tavern on the road from Abbington to Knoxville and that "an old Dutchman by the name of Jacob Siler, who was moving from Knox County to Rockbridge, in the State of Virginia, in passing made a stop at my father's house. He had a large stock of cattle that he was carrying on with him, and I suppose made a proposition to my father to hire someone to assist him…. He hired me to the old Dutchman to go four hundred miles on foot with a perfect stranger…. I went ahead until we arrived at the place, which is three miles from what is called a natural bridge, and made a stop at the house of a Mr. Harley, who was father-in-law to Mr. Siler….."

According to Davy's own story, the cattle drive ended at the home of Peter Harley, father-in-law of Jacob. Jacob had been very kind to Davy and in later years when Davy became a Congressman from Tennessee, he tried to renew his acquaintance with his old "German' master, but about 1817, the family had moved to Roan County Tennessee, and hit was there that the children started spelling the Seyler name Sylar. However, Jacob continued to spell his as Seyler in the old German script.

Jacob and Jane both died in Roan County Tennessee. Jacob on 16 Mar. 1826.

William Syler, father of Andrew, was born in the year 1800 in Botetourt County, Virginia.

He married Charlotte Fout 18 April 1823. Charlotte was the daughter of Jacob Fout and Catherine Fouble, was born about 1803, at Danridge, Jefferson County, Tennessee.

William followed the carpenter trade most of his life. Early records place him in Madisonville, Monroe County, Tennessee where he served as a juryman in 1831. During this same year, he and Charlotte sold off all of their inheritance in Roan County -- the properties left them by their parents.

About 1836, they moved to Cass County, Georgia (later to become known as Bartow Co.) where they spent the rest of their lives. Williams's estate reached probate court in 1871, indicating he had recently passed away. Records show that his son, Andrew Lafayette Siler, then living in Utah, relinquished all claim to the estate as heir-in-law. When Charlotte died in 1889, she left her estate to their daughter, Catherine Jane Sylar Ward. "In consideration of the care give in during my old age."

Andrew and his second wife, Ruvina Jane Mount, had three children:

It was on his ranch at Upper Kanab that he lived the remainder of his life.

Andrew was too preoccupied and serious minded to educate or "raise" his own children. They were left to just grow up and work and do chares, leaving him free to study. Law and botany occupied his mind continuously and were the subjects of his study. Not one of his children were taught to read or write.

Civil authorities were confident in his insight, knowledge, and understanding.

Every fall, he went to Beaver Iron County, Utah, on horseback, as a lawyer to attend the District Court. He would never take a case unless he was sure that it was just. He was very self-confident. He would never take advice or suggestions from anyone, as he preferred to work out his own attacks and he stood by them. He thought out each case very carefully. Once his made up his mind and spoke it, nothing could dissuade him. He was proud of the fact that he never lost a case.

Every spring he would roam over the ills in every direction from the ranch to dig Sego Lilly bulbs to ship to Germany. All of his children were involved in this project as it was the main source of money for the family. Other bulbs and local plants were also shipped, but the Sego Lilly was the main interest.

He discovered in the Utah-Arizona Desert, a rare cactus never before known to the scientific world. It was named Utahia Sileri Engleman in his honor, and the specimen he sent to Mr. Engleman still reposes in the herbarium of the Missouri Botanical Gardens, St. Louis, Mo., according to a 1931 issue of Cactus and Succulent Journal. And also write-ups in the Salt Lake Tribune and other magazines.

He was very observant and sent various plant organizations a lot of valuable information concerning plant life throughout the region. He seemed to have been carried away with his botanical research and neglected his family and their support in that pursuit.

Andrew made frequent trips to Glendale, Kane County, Utah, both to send his bulbs to Germany and to trade. Besides his trips to Beaver to the District Court, he made several trips through the Dixie country as far as Beaver, in the fall to sell the cheese and butter made by his wife, Ruth Ann, and the children. Thus he was able to keep abreast of the world. It did not seem to bother him that the rest of his family was isolated and tied to the ranch.

Much of their trading was done at the Old Wollen Mill, located on a flat near Hidden Lake, north of the town of Glendale.

Like most other pioneer at that time, he was obliged to make his own implements and keep them operating. Cheese hoops were made of tin or wood with wooden ends which were moveable. Rocks were used for weights to press the cheese. He made the butter barrels of native oak. Some of the cheese weighed as much as 20 pounds and were cured in cool cellars. He made a wooden plane with which he cut and shaped the staves for the 50 gallon barrels. Forty or fifty staves were fastened together with peele3d wet willows. When the willows were dry, the barrels were held very secure. Butter churns were made in the same fashion.

Hay, grain, and potatoes were the main crops grown on the ran ch, along with a large garden for the family use. Nothing was raised to sell. Andrew would stay on the ranch during the summer to care for the crops while Ruth and the children were in the hills making cheese and butter.

The winters at the Ranch were long and severe. The snow would get five to eight feet deep every winter. They made all of their own snow shoes., toboggans, and sleds. The toboggans were fashioned from skis to go over the Glendale Bench, a distance of about 18 miles to get supplies. They were pulled by hand. Such trips were one of the main forms of recreation for the boys as they grew older.

The Indians were often troublesome. They had been used to having all of that area as their hunting and fishing area. They spent the winters in and around Moccasin, Arizona, but in the summers, they spent a lot of time in the hills of Upper Kanab. When trouble came with the Indians, the ranchers just went along with them the best they could. People nearer to the fort, which was at Pipe Springs, Arizona, would go there for protection. It was too dangerous for the ranchers to go, so they just stayed home and hoped and prayed. Andrew was very diplomatic in dealing with the Indians. They knew that they would always be dealt with fairly in their trading, so there was seldom any trouble for the Siler family. By fair trading and letting the Indians have their own way, they usually got along fine.

In about 1881, two young Indians came to the ranch during the summer and told the Siler Family that if they did not move before fall, they would set fire to the barn when it was full of hay. The Indians were making one last try at getting rid of white people. They had burned two stacks of the Siler's hay and barns, and hay on other ranches over a period of several years.

The Indians also stole cattle from time to time. One time they took eight head of Andrew's Durham cows as they were grazing in the meadow. When the boys went to get the cows in the morning to milk them, they found that they were gone. They learned that there had been ten or twelve Indians through the night before.

But, the Indians were becoming more resigned to the intrusion of the white man into their erritory, although there was still some hostility. They asked the chief why he didn't want the settlers to farm the land. He was told that the Indians feared their hunting grounds would be destroyed and the deerr killed off.

Andrew promised that neither he nor his sons would kill deer, a promise that he kept until after the Indians were settled on reservations.

Indians Jake, chief of the tribe, made a treaty with the settlers a few years after their arrival. They were allowed to use the land in exchange for horses and supplies. Byron and Bill (Andrew's neighbors), each gave two cayuses. Andrew Siler gave blankets and bdding. But perhaps the main consideration was the fact that Ruth Siler took the chief's infant son, one-eyed Johnny, after his mother died and raised him to the age of 15. The chief brought him to her one midnight. The other Indians thought the chief had destroyed the child, and would not believe him until they checked with the Silers. After they had learned the truth, they became very friendly and each fall when they came to clean the fields, gather pine nuts and hunt, they would bring the meat from two bucks and two tanned deerskins to the Silers.

Andrew had a very large Dutch oven, which he brought home with him when he served with the Mormon Battalion. It served to cook many good meals of venison or mutton and potatoes. A horse stepped on the lid, breaking it and the bale was lost, but he continued to use it. His son, Hinton, fell heir to it and it was still used for many y ears, despite its losses. After many years, it was used to water animals in. One night the water froze and cracked the bottom.

Andrew did his own blacksmithing. The large bellows were still laying on the ground around the old ranch in 1959 when some pictures were taken.

Any kind of travelers passing through that sparsely settled country were in the habit of stopping with whoever was the closest when night overtook them. Andrew enjoyed their company and with his naturally generous natures, he often entertained those who chanced to need food and lodging. Drummers or Peddlers were a Godsend to those early settlers, as it was hard to get supplies. They always shared news of the outside world and the things they carried in their packs were of interest and many times very useful to the entire family. Once in the early spring, a drummer stopped at the Siler Ranch overnight. There was a snow storm and blizzard during the night. It lasted for a week, so the drummer was forced to stay for a week at the Ranch. When the storm was over, Andrew took the fellow to Panguitch, Garfield County, Utah where he could start for home. As they parted, he offered to pay Andrew. That was entirely against his ethics, so he answered, "You don't owe me anything for the weeks stay until you can get out through the show by yourself. Then you can pay for your stay." The drummer went on his way, presumably rejoicing.

The following incident illustrates Andrew's customary gruffness with all who did not meet with his approval. It was told by one of his grand-on-in-laws, John Watson.

The Bishop of Kanab stopped for the night at the Siler Ranch on his way to Panguitch to Kanab. Knowing that he would be welcomed, he did not bother to go to the house to ask for permission to stay, but unharnessed his horses, put them in the barn and fed them hay. Then he started for the house.

"Wait a minute Bishop," called Andrew," And I'll get some grain for your horses."

"Oh, that isn't necessary Brother Siler," returned the Bishop. "They've got enough to eat. They're not used to grain anyway."

"They're going to have grain tonight just the same", answered Andrew. "You've driven them hard all day and they look ready to drop in the harness."

So saying, Andrew gave each animal a generous portion of grain. He then led the Bishop to the road saying with many of his characteristic embellishments, "There's no supper or bed here for such as you sir. A man who thinks no more than you do for his faithful animals does not deserve food and a bed. Get going!"

The Bishop continued on foot to the Watson Ranch near by. The next morning, he sent John Watson and his brother to the Siler Ranch to get his outfit, not daring to face the wrath of Andrew himself. Andrew refused to let the animals be taken away until they had rested for several days.

Andrew suffered a stroke a number of years before his death. Af first it was only one side and then on the other. It was a great tragedy for the entire family. When he could not hold a book in his hands to read, it required someone to hold it for him. The task of taking care of him was tremendous. He died at his home on the Ranch at Upper Kanab on 19 May 1898 at the age of 73 and was buried in a small family cemetery on the Ranch.

By Andrew Lafayette Siler

18 February, 1865

Last night I dreamed that I was in Capville, Georgia., that I was in the Stein Room formerly occupied by Dr. B. H. Patten, in the conversation with that person, when a man came into the room. The spirit whispered to me "That man wants to do you an injury." I went out onto the porch and ran into the room, found it occupied by Julina M. Patten, as a law officer. There I found Mrs. Patten sitting and spoke to her after telling her who I was. She said that she was blind and I saw that her eyes were white like skimmed milk. After expounding the scriptures to her, she pushed back her camp and asked for an exercise of faith. Then I laid my hands on her haead and prayed that her eyesight might be restored. In a few minutes, she looked up at me and said "I can see you now, I know you have …….(this is where the writing stopped) This experience would have been while he was on his mission.

Samuel Hardy Siler was born Feb. 24, 1858 at Brigham City, Weber, Utah,m of a polygamist family. He was the firest son of Ruvina Jane Mount and Andrew Lafeyette Siler. He didn't see too much as of his father as they didn't live near the same town as the firest wife, Ruth Ann VanValkenburn, and Andrew Lafeyette was traveling much of the time. Then the marriage was annulled so he saw nothing of him until Sam was nearing manhood.

His mother remarried, a man named Henry Mower Jr., the son of our grandfather Henry Mower Sr. So Grandpa Siler's mother was married to the man that became his father-in-law's brother. But going back to his childhood days:
A group of older boys had received much pleasure in getting Samuel to smoke. They would give him the tobacco and make over him when he would "manfully" puff it and sputter away, and him not even old enough to be baptized yet. The attention he got filled the little boy's lonely heart and the nicotine filled the little boy's lungs. He rapidly became quite addicted . His step father tried hard to put a halt to it and would be very cross.

Henry was a good man and tried to be a good father to Samuel and to "straighten him out". He used much firmness and force, but Samuel was addicted and was not used to having a man boxx him around. He responded with rebellion and distanced himself from Henry, first psychologically, then physically. He left home and worked where ever he could get work until he was grown. He spend much time working with horses and he loved it. He was very good with horses and used that skill the rest of his life. He came home often enough to know his little half sisters and brother, but he never stayed.

He married Mary Melvina Gee on December 10, 1880, when he was twenty two years of age, but they were never blessd with children. Once again what he loved most dear was taken away. His beloved wife died on Oct. 9, 1888 at Pleasant View, Utah.

He married a second time on December 20, 1890 to Emma Elizabeth Mower (Kirby), a widow with two young daughters. Samuel was now thirty two years old. All the children from both All the children from both marriages were born in Pleasant View, Weber County, Utah.

The two daughters from her marriage were:

Samuel made trips to Southern Utah frequently to buy horses. He would trail them home and break and sell them for profit. It is obvious that Samuel visited with his father, Andrew Lafeyette, while down there and had learned the genealogy of his family from him. Samuel's children are as follows:

Samuel would have had to be in contact with is father to have known the family genealogy so well. Too bad no one was interested enough to listen to him and write the history down. It would have saved many, many people many, many hours of searching.

For hundreds of years, the Mower Family had moved enmass from community to community, state to state, even country to country. Today our modern travel, modern communication, colleges, and jobs encourage our young people to spread their wings, meet new people and settle in places far from the home nest. One family unit can be spread thousands of miles in just one generation> perhaps there are advantages as well as disadvantages. The advantage being that the children marry new blood lines from different roots, sometimes even different nations. Of course the downside is losing the closeness of the family unit and the advantage of the association, council, and love that are easily available from the close proximity of the extended family.

George Caldwell Mower, Samuel's father-in-law, had left Pleasant View to move out in the American Falls area and Samuel followed suite. He moved to Landing. The oldest daughter Mae was married to Laurence Steward and also moved to Landing. They homesteaded one hundred sixty acres of land a piece. He loaded all of his earthly possessions that couldn't walk, into wagons and the family started the seven day trek. The oldest boy, Sam, herded the cows from horseback. When a cow broke away from the herd and headed for home on a dead run, the group waited while Sam chased her, roped her, and dragged her back up to the rest of the herd. At another point in time, the group all rested while a cow calved. The calf was placed on the back end of a wagon where the cow could see it, lick it, nose it, and would willingly follow the wagon.

Son John was responsible for Ludlow wagon with chickens loaded three tiers deep on it. One night they camped near a jack fence. While the women fixed supper, John turned the chickens loose so they could get some exercise, green food, bugs, seeds, and especially grit. After supper had been cooked and eaten and the camp chores all finished, it was dark. John had been watching and making sure that the chickens had returned to roose on th epole fence. When it was dark, so the chickens wouldn't panic and fly, John quietly slipped his hand under each chicken, firmly clutched the legs, and placed it into its cage. The next morning, the chickens were all ready to continue the journey.

When they arrived at their destination, the ground had to be cleared of sagebrush so grain and hay, as well as a garden, could be raised. Sam, George, and Bill were their father's helpers. They would tie the team of horses to a sagebrush and pull it out, after digging around the roots with picks and shovels. It was a slow process. They would do more each year. It wasn't long before Sam left the nest and went to Ogden to work. Mae and Annie were both married with good sized families, but true to the Mower tradition, they too had left enmass to come to Idaho.

Sam made frequent trips to Southern Utah to buy unbroken horses and trail them the long ways back up to Landing, where they would be broken and trained for resale. He did well, he was a very good horseman and a good businessman as well.

Sam's health began to fail and his marriage left him much to be desired. His wife had a chair which had it's back broken off sitting in the corner, and that was the only place Sam was allowed to sit. Sam cherished his Book of Mormon. He had had since boyhood, but if it was left out he was sarcastically told to take care of "his book". Bill and George were the only children that got to know their father. They would talk as they worked outside or as in the case of Bill, who made several trips with Sam to Utah for horses. Each trip along the long trail gave them many days together.

The two boys knew and had a lot of respect for our Grandpa. When I talked to George about him, he would smile a little far away smile and softly repeat, "He was a good old hardworking man."

Sam had symptoms of Parkinson's disease as well as having several minor strokes. He borrowed money against the ranch at Landing to make a trip to Utah one more time to buy horses. Bill didn't go with him that time. What happened to him, we will only learn when we meet him on the other side. He never returned. He could easily have had a stroke out on the trail, been found by some passerby and the passerby went on his way with a pocket full of money after burying him in an unmarked grave. Or he could have been robbed and murdered. Or he could have left for parts unknown; this I doubt, even though life at home was becoming intolerable for him. When his health was better, he could stay outside and work or go to Utah to avoid the stress in home. But, his health was such that it was becoming more and more difficult. So we say goodbye to "a good old hard working man" and an unsolved mystery.

From the book

Born of Goodly Parents

Siler - Volume 1

Compiled by Velma Hansen (Daughter of John Andrew Siler - Grand-daughter of Samuel Hardy Siler)