Frederick (Zeh) See
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Johann Frederick (Zeh) See (abt. 1720 - 1763)

Johann Frederick (Frederick) See formerly Zeh aka Sea
Born about in Schoharie Valley, New Yorkmap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married 1744 in Walpack, New Jerseymap
Husband of — married 22 May 1744 in Swatara, Tulpehocken, Pennsylvaniamap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 43 in Muddy Creek, Greenbrier, Virginiamap
Profile last modified | Created 4 Mar 2012
This page has been accessed 10,925 times.
The Birth Date is a rough estimate. See the text for details.

Biography

Frederick is referred to as the "eldest son" in his mother's will.

NOTES:

While earlier, undocumented genealogies incorrectly identify Frederick Zeh as Frederick Michael See, his actual name was Johann Frederick Zeh, as documented in the Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever, living in the Swatara region of Pennsylvania before moving to Virginia. His father George is also listed in those same records. Based on 18th century German naming patterns which use the middle name rather than the first or saint's name (Johann) show that Johann Frederick Zeh went by the name of Frederick. By mistakenly calling him Frederick Michael See, family researchers continually confuse his with his brother Michael See of the South Branch Valley.

Frederick is listed in his mother's will and all other Virginia documents in the South Branch Valley and in Greenbrier as Frederick See, while his brother is listed as Michael of the South Branch.

Frederick's birth date and place has not been documented to date even though numerous family histories claim a variety of locations and dates. Among these are Schoharie NY and Silesia, Germany between 1710-1720. Based upon the documented year of his first marriage to Maria Stempel in 1744 (listed in Rev. Stoever's records), his year of birth appears to have occurred in the early 1720s. Being born before 1725 would place his birth in Schoharie, New York as it is known that the family was still living there before moving to the Tulpehocke and Swatara regions of Pennsylvania around 1725. (His father George first appears in PA records in Jan. 1726.) An effort to uncover any existing records which prove the time and location of his birth is still underway, as of 03 Feb 2012.

DEATH Frederick See was killed by Shawnee Indians on his farm on Muddy Creek in the Greenbrier region of West Virginia. Contemporary accounts of the event state that he and brother-in-law Felty Yoakum, welcomed the large party of Indians (about 60) who were encamped on See land, killing a hog and giving them bread and other things they asked for. The following quote is from the story told to Felix Renick in 1798 by Catherine See Johnson/Johnston, the daughter of Frederick See, who was present at the time of the attack: "Several Indians one day entered the house in a friendly manner as usual, and at a certain signal drove their tomahawks into the heads of the old gentleman and his son-in-law, and made prisoners of all the balance of the family. The blood of the father fell on the head and face of a little son, who was at the time fondling on him. The Indian not wishing to kill the boy, on seeing him so bloody, was fearful he might be hurt, took him up, carried him to the creek, and washed him, and found that he was safe. The Indians had divided, and while this tragedy was going on many other families nearby were sharing the same fate." [1]

In addition to killing Frederick and his son-in-law , the warriors also killed brother-in-law, Valentine (nickname Felty) Yoakum. Only one man in the Greenbrier settlements is said to have escaped -- Conrad Yoakum, the younger brother of Felty. The remainder of both families, along with most of the neighboring wives and children, were taken captive and marched across the mountains, canoed across the Ohio River to the Shawnee towns in Ohio. Most of the family was released a year and a half later, except for daughter Elizabeth and son John. Upon their release, they were taken in with their families in the South Branch, later returning to the Greenbrier in the early 1770s.

Some 8 months after the Shawnee attack, the estates of Frederick See and brother in law, Valentine Yoakum were appraised and administered by the same men--all from Bedford County, VA, located on the eastern side of the Blue Ridge. Since the See and Yoakum wives were in captivity and no other immediate family remained in Augusta Co, Charles Lynch as the chief creditor, was allowed to settle the estates. His appointment as administrator provides an important clue as to the whereabouts of Frederick See during the perod between 1756-1761 before his death, when the French and Indian War forced the abandonment of the Greenbrier region.

While there is no record of Frederick See in area court or land records during this period, we do find evidence of Valentine (Felty) Yoakum living in Bedford Co, along with his father and several siblings. (Bedford Co. was a popular destination for families fleeing Indian hostilities west of the Blue Ridge during the French and Indian War.) Both men appear to return to the Greenbrier about the same time. Lynch's listing as "greatest creditor" to both ment indicates that Frederick may have been with Felty in Bedford, both men borrowing money from Lynch prior to their return to the Greenbrier. Their estates are listed in sequence in Augusta Co court records.

Based on the appraisals of both Frederick See and Valentine Yoakum, the appraisers of the estate, John Candler, Robert Brooks, and Zachariah Moorman, didn't find much of value after the Indian attack. They only mention a "small stone colt of three years old also one mare of the same age belonging to the Estate of Frederick See deceased to Fifty shillings each" (dated August 1764, Augusta Co. WB4) It was common practice for the Indians to take what they thought was valuable--horses, pots, rifles, etc-- and burn the cabins and kill the livestock they couldn't take with them. These horses may have been pastured elsewhere or got loose during the attack.

The Shawnee attack on the Muddy Creek settlement occurred in mid-July around the 13th-15th. Several contemporary accounts ( John Stuart's Memorandum, Felix Renick's account given him by Catherine See, and the Clendening version related in 1826 Anne Royall book) provide a good description of the actual attack. See text under MISC NOTES.


1764, March 21: Charles Lynch bond to administer estate of Frederick Sea with William Thompson and Alexr Thomspon as securities. Signed in presents of Pet Hog. March 21 1764 (Augusta Co, VA Will Bk 3:319-20)

1764-1769: Estate of Frederick See appraised and recorded. (Augusta Co, VA Will Bk 4:185) "August 1764 Agreeable to an Order of Augusta Court we being first sworn do appraise one Small Stone Colt of three years old also one mare of the same Age belonging To the Estate of Frederick See deceased to fifty Shilling each 5- - John Candler Robert Brooks Zachariah Moorman (Note: All men from Bedford Co.)

To the Worshipfull Court of Augusta The above Horses is all of the Estate of Frederick (page torn) that has ever Come to my Knowledge. Chas Lynch Admr

At a Court held for Augusta County March the 21st 17 (page torn) This Appraisement of the Estate of Fredrick See (torn) being returned is Ordered to be Recorded Test. [Note: Preceding entry was appraisal of Valentine "Yoacon" estate, dated March 21, 1769, also for one colt--apparently the only property not taken or destroyed by the Indians.]


Administrator of the estates of Frederick See and Valentine Yoakum was Charles Lynch, the "greatest creditor" to both men. CHARLES LYNCH came from Ireland to settle large tract on James River in sight of Peaks of Otter in early 1700s. The Lynches lived near Matthias Yoakum's family during the latter part of the French and Indian War. The Lynches, Candlers, Brooks, and Moormans (the last 3 appointed appraisers of the 2 estates), were all from Bedford Co and all interrelated. Originally they appear to be tied to the Quaker church.

MUDDY CREEK MASSACRE:

On Saturday, July 16, 1763, a party of 80 or 90 Shawnees, led by Chief Cornstalk and assisted by the Great War Chief Puksinwah, having crossed over the Ohio River, swept up the Kanawha on a murderous rampage. Simultaneously, they hit the 9 member See Family and the 6 member Felty Yocum Family.

Suddenly the Indians appeared at the See cabin, with all the appearance of friendship, grinning and laughing. The Sees welcomed them, and as it was near mealtime they offered to share food with them. The Shawnees agreed, and when the meal was finished, they lounged around for a bit and rested. Suddenly with a whoop the Indians fell upon the whites, killing the father (Frederick) and the son-in-law, scalping them before the eyes of their families. Other men & older boys were also killed. The remaining family was placed under guard and hurried along the back trail to Old Town, Ohio.

A monument commemorating the Muddy Creek Massacre in the area where it occurred, proclaims the names of Frederick "Sea", Felty (Valentine) Yokum, and Joseph Carroll as victims. However, the earliest narrative on the Muddy Creek Massacre and the Clendenin Massacre, which was not written down until the year 1798, a full 35 years after the incident, by Col. John Stuart, does not give a great deal of detail as to exactly which persons were killed on Muddy Creek. This account was published in the William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. XXII, Apr. 1914, No. 4., covering pages 229-234. Here is an excerpt on the happenings at Muddy Creek that day of 14th July in 1763:

"The Indians breaking out again in 1763, came up the Kanawha in a large body to the number of sixty and coming to the house of Frederick Sea on Muddy Creek, were kindly entertained by him and Felty Yolkum; not suspecting their hostile design were suddenly killed & their families, with many others made prisoners; then, proceeding over the mountain they came to Archibald Clendenens, who like Sea & Yolkum, entertained them until they put him to death, his family with a number of others living with him being all made prisoners or killed, not any one escaping except Conrad Yolkom who doubting the design of the Indians when they came to Clendenens took his horse out under the pretense of hobbling him at some distance from the house. Soon after, some guns were fired at the house and a loud cry raised the people, whereupon Yolkom, taking the alarm, mounted his horse and rode off as far as where the Court House now stands, and there beginning to ruminate whether he might not be mistaken in his apprehension, concluded to return to know the truth; but, just as he came to the corner of Clendenens fence some Indians placed there, presented their guns and attempted to shoot him; but, their guns all missing fire (he thinks at least ten) he immediately fled to Jackson's river alarming the people as he went, but few were willing to believe him. The Indians pursued after him and all that fell in their way were slain until they went on Carr's Creek now in Rockbridge County. So much were people in them days intimidated by an attack of the Indians that they suffered to retreat with all their Booty, and more prisoners than there was Indians in their party."

An accounting of this and other early narratives of the incident may be found on the web site of the West Virginia State Archives at the following address:

http://www.wvculture.org/history/cornstalkraid.html

Here, also, it is presented that the actual date of the Muddy Creek Massacre was 14 July 1763, the day before the Clendenen Massacre, which occurred on 15 July 1763, rather than 26 June 1763, as is reported elsewhere.

LAND HOLDINGS:

480 Acres surveyed on 24 Apr 1751 in Augusta County, Virginia. Parts of Augusta County later became Greenbrier County, Virginia.

Frederick was born 1710 New York the son of George Zeh and Margaret Unknown.

or 1720 Tulpehocken Creek, Pennsylvania
or 1720 Schoharie, Schoharie, New York.

Marriage: NOTE: That his wife's maiden name was Vanderpool has not been proven.

Death:

Date: 14 Jul 1763
Place: Muddy Creek, Greenbrier, West Virginia
Killed by Indians during the Muddy Creek Massacre.

Can you add any information on Frederick See? Please help grow his WikiTree profile. Everything you see here is a collaborative work-in-progress.

Try this as a starting point A Chronicle of the SEE family and their Kindred. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~dderrico3333/SeeFamilyChronicles2.HTM

Sources

  1. Felix Renick, "A Trip to The West" . (AMERICAN PIONEER, V1:73-80. 1842 )
  • Will of Margaret See, written 28 Mar 1757, letters of administration 14 Feb 1758. On file at Romney, Hamsphire Co., WVA among the loose documents and listed under "Lee."
  • Felix Renick, "A Trip to The West" . (AMERICAN PIONEER, V1:73-80. 1842 )
  • Palatine Origins of Some Pennsylvania Pioneers by Annette Kunselman Burgert, AKB Publications, Myerstown, Pennsylvania, 2000, page 343 ( Rev. John Casper Stoever's Records).
  • Early Lutheran Baptisms & Marriages In Southeastern Pennsylvania: The Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever from 1730 to 1779, p. 60, "1744, May 22, John Frederick Zeh & Maria Ottilia Stempel, Swatara."
  • Greenbrier Co, WVA Deed Book #2, p. 143
  • Augusta Co, VA Survey Records #2 (1761-1774) p. 274
  • Augusta Co. VA Order Bk 3:180, Augusta Co, VA Will Bk1:375-377. Signed FZ
  • Augusta Co. VA Order Bk 3:181.
  • Augusta Co Will Bk 2:156-7
  • Augusta Co, VA Court Martial Records 1756-96; Reel 111 p.9 VSL) Augusta Co, VA Will Bk 3:319-20 Augusta Co, VA Will Bk 4:185
  • John Stewart's Memorandum July 15, 1798 in Greenbrier Co, WV Deed Bk1:754-756
  • Lyman Chalkley, Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish Settlement in Virginia, 1745-1800 , Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County, Virginia, Book WB4, p. 185,
  • A Chronicle of the See Family and their Kindred by Irene See Brasel This manuscript should be accepted with caution. Unless specifically undocumented, the interpretation of the earlier generations were based on undocumented and often mistaken theories of Thomas Jefferson Jackson See, an early genealogist whose unsubstantiated theories are still be passed around and accepted as true. Brasel's use of his work and her own stories of life as captives of the Shawnee are not substantiated by any documentation and make for interesting but unsupported reading. The information on later generations, especially those of her own family line, are much more accurate.
  • Ancestry Family Trees
  • Source: S4 Media: Index Abbreviation: International Genealogical Index, Online Database Title: International Genealogical Index, Online Database Author: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints [LDS]. Publication: \i FamilySearch\i0 . http://www.familysearch.org : 2 Feb 2011 Date: 20 May 2011 Italicized: Y Paranthetical: Y
  • Source: S-2134466396 Repository: #R-2146861572 Title: Ancestry Family Trees Publication: Online publication - Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network. Original data: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members. Note: This information comes from 1 or more individual Ancestry Family Tree files. This source citation points you to a current version of those files. Note: The owners of these tree files may have removed or changed information since this source citation was created. Page: Ancestry Family Trees Note: Data: Text: http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=8806704&pid=1090
  • Repository: R-2146861572 Name: Ancestry.com Address: http://www.Ancestry.com Note:

Acknowledgements

  • WikiTree profile See-151 created through the import of Coley Wolford Stayton McCarroll Bond.ged on Aug 7, 2011 by Tom Coley.
  • WikiTree profile See-156 created through the import of MaryStamperMcKague2011-08-06_01.ged on Aug 7, 2011 by Masm x.
  • WikiTree profile See-260 created through the import of Dankowski Family Tree.ged on May 28, 2012 by Laura Mercado.




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DNA Connections
It may be possible to confirm family relationships with Frederick by comparing test results with other carriers of his Y-chromosome or his mother's mitochondrial DNA. However, there are no known yDNA or mtDNA test-takers in his direct paternal or maternal line. It is likely that these autosomal DNA test-takers will share some percentage of DNA with Frederick:

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Comments: 18

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Reference to Catherine Vanderpool See from the Vanderpool newsletter

https://www.geni.com/documents/view?doc_id=6000000017937879020

posted by Laura Biddle
These are from the See Family Themselves. As are the next 4 posts in my gallery. A lot of my family trees there too. They are my ancestors, and I also have lists of all the See family, their spouses, and children up to the mid to late 1900s. It's a family scrap book I have that has passed down a few generations. True Stories. A See Family member was also a guard of Abraham Lincoln. Another owned the biggest Ox in the world. It has lots of stories. They had pigs so big that when they slaughtered them and sent them to sale, they sent a not back with the meat saying they aren't accepting horse hams. Good farmers. There was also a black boy that escaped the massacre that became a Chief of some tribe. It's a bit detailed. https://www.deviantart.com/raymasters0/art/Wilma-P-Mankiller-to-my-Aunt-851037615
posted by Tyler Matters
edited by Tyler Matters
Is there someplace I can access this whole album? This is fascinating stuff!
posted by Laura Biddle
See-142 and Zeh-57 appear to represent the same person because: Same parents, same wife (Catharina van der Poel), same death. I think that Zeh is more likely to be his original name and should be used as his LNAB. (See is an anglicization that is unlikely to have been used in the German-dominated community in which he was born.)

The reason why Catharina is connected to two husbands is that these two profiles seem to be the same man.

I searched the Minisink area church records (Walpack, whether New Jersey or New York, is in that area) and I did not find any evidence of a marriage of a man named See or Zeh to a woman named Catharina or van der Poel in or near 1744. There were hardly any marriages recorded there in 1744. I may have missed a record, of course....

posted by Ellen Smith
See-142 and Zeh-57 do not represent the same person because: The wife Catherine seems to be attached to twp spouses
posted by Chris Hoult
See-142 and Zeh-57 appear to represent the same person because: Zeh seems to be the original spelling and should be used as the lnab. Make sure See appears in the other profile boxes
posted by Chris Hoult
Submit a merge request.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Tom Coley
This profile should be merged with Zeh-57 (Johann Frederick Zeh/See). 18th century German naming patterns which use the middle name rather than the saint's name (Johann) plus actual documentation for Johann Friederich Zeh and father George Zeh in Swatara, PA (in The Records of Rev. John Casper Stoever) show the correct name to be Johann Frederick Zeh/See. He is listed in all Virginia documents in the South Branch and Greenbrier as Frederick, while his brother is listed as Michael of the South Branch. The name "Frederick Michael" comes from early, incorrect and UNDOCUMENTED family histories that continue to circulate.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Sara (Stevens) Patton
Just because two names are the same does not mean that two people are the same. It seems no one realizes that there was more than one Michael See. I was the person who originally entered Michael, his father Frederick, his grandfather George, and great grandfather Johannes Zeh into this database. Sadly, once they made it a rule to allow anyone to change a profile of someone dead more than 200 years, and then changed that to 100 years, people have made so many "merges" and changes that one would never, ever be able to bring it back to the pristine, documented, original profile. This is truly the downside of wikitree because it is passing on misinformation to those who know no better and do not check for validation before they pass it on, as well. Check out See-3 and it's changes and you will see what I mean.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Dee Christophel D'Errico
Thank You for this merge. This is the best source I have seen regarding the Massacre At Muddy Creek.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Anonymous Roach
See-142 and See-260 appear to represent the same person because: I am proposing this merge again because these profiles represent the same man. The profile managers should be working together to work out the differences. That is what the Honor Code is about right.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Anonymous Roach
The fact that Fredrick See's wife Catherine's maiden name was not proven DOES NOT negate the fact that the three Catherine Vanderpoole 's And Catherine-unknown are intended to be the same person and should be merged.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Anonymous Roach
At one time there was a accurate Catherine Vanderpoole profile. And See profiles. Is there a way to get them back.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Anonymous Roach
See-151 and See-142 appear to represent the same person because: Re parents: It is no presumptuous to consider the parents a match. It is an easy jump from George to Johan and an even easier jump from Mary Judy to Margaret Tschudi Judy would be the Anglicized version on Tschudi. George and Johan often go together as names in the Germanic families. Plus the wives names are Identical and finally each share a common child in Michael See and DOD's are identical. Theses two profiles should be merged
posted on See-142 (merged) by Tom Coley
Re parents: It is no presumptuous to consider the parents a match. It is an easy jump from George to Johan and an even easier jump from Mary Judy to Margaret Tschudi Judy would be the Anglicized version on Tschudi. George and Johan often go together as names in the Germanic families. Plus the wives names are Identical and finally each share a common child in Michael See and DOD's are identical. Theses two profiles should be merged
posted on See-142 (merged) by Tom Coley
See-151 and See-142 are not ready to be merged because: The parents are not similar enough to make this cut and dry.
posted on See-142 (merged) by Anne B

Z  >  Zeh  |  S  >  See  >  Johann Frederick (Zeh) See

Categories: Schoharie, New York | Greenbrier County, Virginia | Estimated Birth Date | Palatine Migrants' Children