Reconstructed list of likely Fort Seybert Captives 28 Apr 1758
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In reply to:
Re: Abstracts in Chalkley's Chronicles re Ulrich Conrad
Ric Strickler 9/21/07
Steve Zuraff sent me a list with various supporting citations of the likely captives from Fort Seybert [then Augusta County, Va now Pendleton County, WV] on the day of the massacre 28 Apr 1758.The only thing close to an official count is a citation found in Chalkley's Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish which indicates that 24 were taken captive at that event.
Without going into detail on the supporting citations, I'm posting Steve's working list of those most likely to have actually been captives from Fort Seybert.
4 named Seybert [Sivers, Siebert] children
3 Reager children
3 Mouse [Maus] children
6 Mallos [Mallow] - 1 woman, five children
1 Harper woman later known as Mrs. Peterson
2 Dyers - James Dyer and Widow Sarah Dyer Hawse
1 Heavener girl
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Subtotal 20 captives
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6 Conrads - 1 woman, five children
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26 Total captives
My comments:
The first group of 20 captives are mentioned in various documents and histories relating to Fort Seybert or its victims.The Conrads are mentioned in the ad for the return of Ulrich's daughter, Barbara.Depending on the source, there have been additional Seybert children mentioned, a difference of opinion as to the identity of the woman known as Mrs. Jacob Peterson, and family lore that the Mallos were at home (on land adjoining Jacob Seybert), while Michael was away, when they were taken captive.It's also possible that one Mallo child was not in the count since it seems the infant was killed or abandoned by the Indians very soon after the massacre.
Just as it seems unlikely, with all the previous deadly and ongoing incursions by the Indians, that Michael Mallo would have left his family at home while away, the same argument applies to Ulrich Conrad. With the family letter, the ad for the return of Barbara Conrad, and the fact that we can deduce Ulrich was not present at the time his family was taken (he would have been killed), it seems a great deal more likely than not that they were at Fort Seybert when taken captive.
Additional supporting documentation has been found for the Mallos being at the Fort instead of at home in the ad for Adam Mallo's return and a letter from Rev. Wilhelm Stoy to Col. Bouquet regarding the Maus children but also mentioning Mrs. Mallo - both of which state that they were taken from at Fort Seybert.Perhaps there is additional documentation for the location of the Conrad family.