In the pioneer home of Philip and Eliza Fawyer Seipel near Joetta, Ill., in Hancock county their fourth child came to them on Feb. 25, 1856.  The father was born in Germany and the mother in Virginia and from this state in pioneer fashion, they moved to Illinois in November, 1854, with their three children.

Nathaniel Asa Seipel at his home in Tennessee where he had lived for twelve years on July 20, 1926, heard the Master say "Come unto Me."  *The days of his years had been three score years and ten.

On December 24, 1884, at the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Knoedler, near Blandinsville, he was married to their eldest daughter, Fannie, who now tarries with her children till she shall hear the same summons.

To them were born four children: Edith M., wife of Finis E. Nichols of Peoria; John, who died March 12, 1901, at 12 years of age; Morris, who entered the kingdom, June 9, 1891, when he was one year old, and Edna B., wife of Edward Kimbrough, who lives on the farm which was the family home for twenty-nine years.

There are five grandchildren: Evelyn, Elwin and Charles Nichols, and Lawrence and Mary Kimbrough.  Two grandchildren with his own two boys were waiting to bid him welcome, Harold Nichols and Albert Kimbrough.

In young manhood he enlisted in the Christian army and with unfaltering courage fought the good fight and has earned his reward.  He has always been an official member of his church and at one time held an exhorter's license.  He was gifted in prayer and when he brought his humble petitions to the throne of grace all who heard him felt that the Divine presence was in their midst.

There is left one sister, Vina, wife of Mr. Abe Dunham, of Camp Point.  Mrs. Mary J. James, Mrs. Ellen White and John and George have gone on before.  There are many nephews and nieces who will miss his cheerful comradeship and he has scores of friends who will remember him with respect and affection.

A good man has gone from us.

The funeral was held at Friendship, the sermon by his pastor, Rev. H. M. Ellis, who was assisted by Rev. Lawrence P. Bear, of Sheldon, Ill.  Rev. Bear, who had been a personal friend since his boyhood days, spoke of the Christian character of Mr. Seipel and paid a fitting tribute to his influence which will last through many years.  The service at the grave was conducted by the Masonic Lodge of Colchester of which he was a member.  He was also a member of the Modern Woodmen.

*In the published text, this sentence was completely garbled.  Substituted is the sentence as it probably was intended.

Other corrections to the above:
- The first daughter's name was spelled Edythe.
- The surviving sister was Lovina Frances Siepel, wife of Winset Abel Dunham.

Funeral services for Mrs. Fannie Seipel, 86, of near Tennessee, were held at 2:30 o'clock Tuesday afternoon at Friendship church, four miles northwest of Tennessee, with the Rev. E. M. Ditch of Plymouth officiating.  Burial was made in Friendship cemetery.

Mrs. Seipel died suddenly Saturday of a heart ailment at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Edna Kimbrough, of west of Tennessee.

Mrs. Seipel, daughter of John and Katharine (George) Knoedler, was born near Plymouth in Hancock county, May 27, 1858, the oldest of nine children.  She spent most of her girlhood near Blandinsville, where she was married on December 24, 1884, to Nathaniel Asa Seipel, who preceded her in death July 20, 1926.  Except for 12 years spent in Tennessee, they lived their entire married life on a farm five miles west of Tennessee.  She was a lifelong member of the Methodist church.

Surviving, besides her two daughters, Edythe M. Nichols of Peoria and Mrs. Kimbrough, are five grandchildren, Evelyn Nichols Meyers, Merle Nichols and Charles Nichols, all of Peoria, Lawrence Kimbrough, who has been overseas 17 months, and Mary Kimbrough Webb of Alton; ten great-grandchildren; two sisters, Mrs. Clara Sweasy and Miss Amanda Knoedler of Blandinsville and two brothers, John Knoedler of Tennessee and L. F. Knoedler of Blandinsville.

From the files of the LaHarpe Historical and Genealogical Society, unknown original news source.

See also: Marriage Documents Philip & Eliza Fawver Siepel (Nathaniel's parents) John Knoedler and & Catherine George (Frances' parents)

Various resources, including census records, State of Illinois death records, and Nathaniel and Fannie's own tombstone, show Nathaniel's surname spelled Siepel.  Later on in life, Nathaniel decided his surname should be spelled Seipel to be correct, so he adopted that spelling ever after. Why the tombstone shows Siepel is odd - one would think that if Fannie ordered it, she would have used Seipel.  Regardless, it's an interesting twist that keeps his descendants on their toes when recording family information.  We use that spelling for Nathaniel out of respect for his preference.

Along with a number of close relatives, three of Nathaniel and Fannie's children are also buried at Friendship Cemetery.  They were all born in Hancock Township, Hancock County.

Edythe, John and Edna attended Woodville School District 105, near Joetta, during the 1900 and 1901 school terms, as did Edythe's future husband.

i.	Edythe Mae Siepel, October 11, 1885.  She died November 30, 1974, last address of record: Peoria, Peoria County, Illinois. On October 18, 1905, she married Finis Ewing Nichols.  He was born December 17, 1882, in Illinois, the son of William H. Nichols and Rachel Osborn. After living in Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, for an unknown interval, Edythe and Finis moved to Peoria, and for some years ran a laundry business out of their home.  When Finis registered for the draft on September 12, 1918, he and Edythe were living at 813 E. Republic St., Peoria.  His occupation was laundry man, business address the same as the residence. He was described as being of medium height, stout build, brown eyes, black hair, no physical defects. Finis died in Peoria on March 21, 1949.
ii.	John P. Siepel, born September 3, 1887, died March 12, 1901, buried at Friendship Cemetery.
iii.	Morris Siepel, born July 28, 1890, died June 9, 1891, buried at Friendship Cemetery.
iv.	Edna Blanch Siepel, born in 1894, died in 1989, buried at Friendship Cemetery.

Philip Sieple, 41, male, farmer, value of real estate 400, value of personal estate 300, Hesse Dahmstadt
Elizabeth, 37, female, born VA
Mary J, 11, female, born VA, attended school within the year
John W, 9, male, born VA, attended school within the year
Ellen, 9, female, born VA, attended school within the year
Nathaniel, 4, male, born IL
George W, 3 male, born IL
Lavnia F, 1, female, born IL

John Kanodeler, 33, male, farmer, value of real estate 400, value of personal estate 200, born Germany
Kate, 20, female, born VA
Fanny, 2, female, born IL
Mary, 1, female, born IL

Family #43
Sifel, Phillip, 52, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 3000, value of personal estate 1000, born Hesse Darnstadt, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U. S. aged 21 or more
Eliza, 41, female, white, keeping house, born VA
John W, 20, male, white, born VA, father foreign born
Nathaniel, 14, male, white, born IL, father foreign born
George W, 12, male, white, born IL, father foreign born
Levina F, 10, female, white, born IL, father foreign born
[no indication of school attendance for any of the children]

Family #44
Melon, Frank, 23, male, white, farm laborer, value of personal estate 100, born IL, married in May, male citizen of the U. S. aged 21 or more
May J, 21, female, white, keeping house, born IL, married in May
Bloyd, James, 62, male, white, laborer, born KY, male citizen of the U. S. aged 21 or more
Elisabeth, 54, female, white, keeping house, born KY
Adaline, 26, female, white, keeping house, born IL

Needland, John, 42, male, white, farmer, value of real estate 3000, value of personal estate 500, born Germany, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Catharin ?, 30, female, white, keep house, born VA
Fannie, 12, female, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Mary, 10, female, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Louis, 4, male, white, born IL, father foreign born
Carline, 2, female, white, born IL, father foreign born

Knoedler, John, white, male, 53, married, farmer, born Germany, both parents born Germany
Catharine, white, female, 45, wife, married, keeps house, born VA, both parents born Germany
Fanney, white, female, 22, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born Germany, mother
born VA
Mary, white, female, 20, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Lewis, white, male, 14, son, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Caroline, white, female, 11, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Clara, white, female, 8, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
Amanda, white, female, 5, daughter, single, at school, attended school within the year, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany
John, white, male, 3, son, single, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Germany

Siple, Nathaniel A, head, white, male, Feb 1856, 44, married for 16 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born Virginia, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read write and speak English, paying on the mortgage of his farm home, farm schedule 14

Fannie, wife, white, female, May 1858, 42 , married for 16 years; mother of 4 children, 3 living; born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, could read, write and speak English

Edyth M, daughter, white, female, Oct 1885, 14, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 6 months, could read, write and speak English

John P, son, white, male, Sept 1887, 12, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 5 months, could read, write and speak English

Edny B, daughter, white, female, Jan 1894, 6, single, born IL, both parents born IL, at school for 2 months, could read and speak English

Siepel, Nathan, head, male, white, 54, married (1st) for 25 years, born IL; father born Germany - Ger; mother born VA; spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 133

Fanny, wife, female, white, 51, married (1st) for 25 years; mother of 4 children, 2 living; born IL, father born Germany - Ger, mother born VA, spoke English, could read and write

Edney, daughter, female, white, 16, single, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English, could read and write, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Siepel, Nathanial, head, owned his home free of mortgage, male, white, 63, married, could read and write, born IL; father born Hessen Ger, native tongue German; mother born VA; spoke English, laborer, odd "jobes", working for wages

Fannie, wife, female, white, 61, married, could read and write, born IL; father born Wartemburg Ger, native tongue German; mother born VA; spoke English

Kimbrough, Edward, head, renter, [no entry for monthly rental], did not own a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 57, married, age at first marriage - 25, could read and write, born IL, father born TN, mother born KY, spoke English, farmer, general farm, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no, farm schedule 100

Edna, wife, female, white, 36, married, age at first marriage - 19, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Laurence E, son, male, white, 15, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, spoke English

Mary F, daughter, female, white, 12, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, spoke English

Sieple, Fanny, mother-in-law, female, white, 71, widow, age at first marriage - 26, could read and write, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, spoke English