Nathan Seiberling

As printed in 1881

NATHAN SEIBERLING, farmer; P. O. Western Star. More than fifty years ago.

there came among the " Yankees " of Norton Township one of the first of that industrious and thriving German population which now inhabit the township, and who became the successors to the first "Yankee" settlers in that part of the Western Reserve. Mr. Seiberling, to whom the writer alludes, was born April 14, 1810, in Lynn Township, Northampton Co., Penn.; he is a son of John F. and Catharine (Bear) Seiberling; his grandfather was Frederick, his great-grandfather Christian, all natives of Pennsylvania. The Seiberling family are noted for longevity, all the ancestry mentioned living in the early remembrance of our subject. The father of Nathan was a shoemaker and farmer, and, at the time of his death, which occiuTed in his 93d year, was the oldest office-holder in the United States Government, having held the office of Postmaster in his native county for more than sixty years. Our subject worked on the farm and learned the trade of shoemaking in the shop with his father; his school-days were of less than one year's duration, he obtaining his education by closely economizing the spare moments. He was named, Dec. 6. 1829, to Catharine Peter, born June 27, 1811, a daughter of Jacob and Margaret (Moser) Peter, natives of Northampton Co.; in June, 1831, he came to his present home, where he purchased 96 acres in the woods, and began life with a determination which won for him wealth and honor in after years; after working hard all day in the woods, he would return at night with a light heart to his humble home and faithful wife, where, after the frugal meal, he would work until 12 o'clock at night, his wife beside him, whittling out pegs, at shoemaking, for the few neighbors, that he might earn bread for his family's support; but, by industry and frugal living, he became very prosperous, owning, at one time, several hundred acres of valuable land, besides investments in stocks and bonds, all of which he has shared liberally with his large family, fifteen in number, eleven of whom are living, one having died in infancy; two sons and one daughter after arriving at maturity. His sons have become very prominent as inventors and manufacturers of machinery, their farming implements being used throughout the different States and Territories; six sons are represented in this work, with their farming and manufacturing interests. Mr, Seiberling is a stanch Republican; has the office of Justice of the Peace, and, with his family, are members of the Lutheran Church, he and wife having been members of that organization for about fifty-five years.

As printed in History of Summit County, with an outline sketch of Ohio (1881). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.