Wilhelm Sypher Sr (abt. 1705 - bef. 1764)

Born about 1705 in Kurfürstentum Pfalz, Heiliges Römisches Reich

Husband of Petronela (Storm) Sypher — married 1731 in Province of New York

Descendants

Died before 10 Jan 1764 before about age 59 in Poughkeepsie, Dutchess County, New York

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Biography

Name: Wilhelm "William" /Sypher/^[1]

Name: William /Cypher/

Found multiple versions of NAME. Using Wilhelm, William and Willem and also family name spelled many ways including Syfen, Sifer,Siefer, Seyfer, Cypher, Zyfer, Pyfer and more. Spelling of the name seems to have become more settled from about 1800 and Sypher, Syphers or Cypher, came to be used more consistently.

"William Sypher (possibly Seifer in German) was probably born ca. 1705 in Germany likely around the Rhineland Palitinate/Pfalz area. His parents have been speculated by many but none so far stand up to scrutiny so Ken Syphers says are yet to be established, He is known to have been the younger brother of Johannis Sypher with whom he arrived by ship at New York in 1726 from parts unknown, possibly from England and as Palatine migrants. Ken Syphers thinks It unlikely that his parents ever made it to America. British American port Immigration officials recorded their names as "Johannes" and "William" Sypher (the record was made by English officials (New York was at the time a British colony) in English, neither brother was literate so it is possible that Seifer became Sypher at that point in 1726 (This appears to be the earliest documented fact that we have for either brother). Both were in their 20's and there is no record of them having been accompanied by anyone else. They both joined the Old Dutch Church near Philipsburg on October 15 1726 where they were recorded in Dutch. The first known English translation was not made until after 1900. (See records of "the First Reformed Church of Tarrytown (later the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow"). Translations of these records originally in Dutch are widely available on line.
"Wilhelm had moved to Dutchess County by 1729....He purchased land at Poughkeepsie 21 April 1732....He was naturalized in 1750"^[2]
He married Petronela, the dau of Peter Storm and Grietje Van Texel (bap June 1 1709 ^[3] Birth dates would precede documented baptism dates.
Wilhelm was a farmer and his 8 children with "Nellie"are recorded in this profile. He was Naturalized (as British American ?) in 1750 and passed away before 1764 leaving a will made 1760. The will (which must be regarded as factual) provides excellent Genealogical reference points and when analyzed proves that the well regarded publication "^ Settlers of the Beekman Patent" is incorrect regarding some aspects of the family Cypher/Sypher. Many of Wilhelms direct descendants aligned with the British in the Revolutionary war and faced with confiscation of their land retreated to Canada from about 1780.

will
The will of Wilhelm Cypher was written 30 Jan 1760 and proved 10 Jan 1764. He was of Poughkeepsie Precinct. He named his wife Nelle, sons David, William, Lodwyck, and daus. Elizabeth, Margriet, Altie, Annatie and Sarah in the will. Note that the will specifically names David as the Eldest son, likely born 1732 or 1733 (records not found) given that William Jnr was certainly born Sept 15 1734. (see Records of New York City Lutheran Church Vol 1 Book 85 page 233.)

"In the name of God, Amen. I, WILLIAM CYPHER, of Poughkeepsie Precinct, Duchess County, being sick. I leave to my wife Nelle all my estate, real and personal, during her being my widow, to maintain and bring up all my children in such a manner as my estate will afford, and she is to take advice and counsel of my executors therein. If she marries she is to relinquish all claim to my real estate, and my executors are to allow her one-third of the personal estate. I leave to my eldest son, David, my longest gun and a sword and belt for his birthright. I leave to my children, David, William, Lodwyck,Elizabeth, wife of Carel Hoffman, Margaret, Altie, Annettie, and Sarah, all my estate. My executors may sell all estate after the death or marriage of my wife or when my youngest child is of age. I make my son-in-law, Carel Hoffman, and my friends, John Concklin and Teunis Tappen, and my son David, when 21, executors".

Dated January 30, 1760. Witnesses,

Henry Livingston, Eoelof Westervelt, Job Concklin.

Proved, January 10, 1764.

Research Notes

Circumstantial evidence supports cases that either of the Petronella's could have married Wilhelm but after significant research and deliberation Ken Syphers now accepts the status quo which concludes that Petronela (one "L") daughter of Peter Storm and Grietje (Van Texel) married Wilhelm. The historical work "Family record by Daniel Van Tassel" informs (p 13) that "After the birth of the children Peter Storm with his children moved to Duchess County" (where Wilhelm resided from 1729). (Peter Storms' youngest child was Margriet b at ODC ref # 328 August 21 1716) The second Petronella Storm (daughter of David) married Willem Davids at ODC in 1733 and they were regular attendees of the church until at least 1755. (evidenced by 4 baptisms and 5 times as witnesses over that period.) Based on the above the evidence is more compelling that Petronela (d of Peter) married Wilhelm. The Petronela v Petronella issue is of particular Genealogical significance as follows:- Petronela (the earlier of the two) was the daughter of Peter Storm a Dutch immigrant and Grietje Van Texel (b 1670) daughter of Jan Cornelissen Van Texel, (b abt 1625). Jan was the first American born ^Van Texel, the son of Cornelis Jansen Van Texel (b Holland abt 1600) who supposedly married the Indigenous girl "Catoneras" about 1624. Jan therefore was not only the first American born Van Texel but perhaps was also 50% indigenous American. The children of Wilhelm and Petronela may therefore be descendants of an historically very important American. Note that there is significant but unsettled debate regarding the union of Catoneras and Cornelis Jansen Van Texel.

Sources

1. ↑ Source: #S120 Page: Place: New York; Year: 1726; Page Number: 262
2. ↑ Settlers of the Beekman Patent
3. ↑ Church records 1697-1714 # 182 not to be confused with Petronella the dau of David Storm and Esther Sie (bap March 21,1710 who married Willem Davids. as above record # 195

• Abstracts of Wills on File in the Surrogates Office, City of New York, Volume IX, January 7, 1777 - February 7, 1783 pgs 237-238
• Source: S120 Ancestry.com Title: U.S. and Canada, Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s Publication: Name: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc; Location: Provo, UT, USA; Date: 2010; Repository: #R1
• Sypher, Francis Jaques, Jr. "The Family of William Cypher of Poughkeepsie." New York Genealogical and Biographical Record, Vol. 103 (1972), pages 147-149.
• The records of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow (ODC) are accessible online in various forms. The version accessible via link from the Van Tassell Family History Page, allows easy access to the records from "First Record Book of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow" which was transcribed and translated from the original Dutch version in 1901.This version is typed and referenced. The full version also gives historical and compilation notes including references regarding spelling names and Dutch translation.Thanks to the Van Tassel's for sharing this large and excellent work. Note also that the original document was handwritten in Dutch some 250 years before it was copied, translated to English and typed. Persons covered were mostly illiterate, and unable to comprehend or correct spell errors. Records should be considered in this context.

• Book 2 of the records of the Old Dutch Church of Sleepy Hollow, accessed via the Van Tassel family History page records #183 and #184 evidence the confirmation of the brothers in 1726. see also the wedding and baptism records for other entries of interest.

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, "Ancestral File," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:1:M7KJ-WM3 : accessed 2016-07-24), entry for Or Syffer William CYPHER.

• Also US and Canada Passenger and Immigration lists index 1500's - 1900's publication code 3618 page #262 Ancestry.com

• Good background information is provided in "Settlers of the Beekman Patent" Chapter 74 "Cypher Family" but beware that there are some errors and omissions regarding Cypher Family. Cross check to verify (eg. Wilhelms' will) where possible.

• The genealogical novel "Family record by Daniel Van Tassel" especially the first 20 pages.

• Other Ken Syphers Research