Philipp Siepel was born in Germany in 1819, a son of Milton Siepel, also a native of Germany, born in 1785.  When Philipp was 14 years old he was apprenticed to the cooper trade; when 34 years of age he emigrated to America and located in Shenandoah county, Virginia, where he remained until 1854, when he moved to his present farm in Hancock county, Ill., where he still lives, owning a nice farm of 330 acres, which he has secured by his own honesty and economy.  He was married in 1848 to Liza A. Fivever [sic], a native of Virginia, born in 1823. Their living children are, Handley, John, Eleanor, Nathaniel, George W. and Lavina F.  Mr. Siepel and his estimable wife are members of the Christian Church.

The biography above is from the 1880 Gregg History of Hancock County, Illinois.  At the time it was written, the living children were, in fact, Mary Jane Siepel Huntley, John William Siepel, Elnora Siepel White, Nathaniel Asa Seipel (he preferred this spelling of his surname), George Washington Siepel, and Lovina Frances Siepel Dunham.

On Friday last week Philip Seiple, an old citizen of Hancock twp., Hancock County, just over the McDonough Co. line, met with a singular accident which resulted in his death.  He and his grandson were riding on the running gear of a wagon.  The boy, a lad of 16, was in front driving and the old man was sitting behind.   The horses got frightened and ran away at break neck speed.  The front wheels struck a stump, tipping the wagon and throwing the old man against the wagon wheel.  His head caught in between the spokes and he hurled 3 times around as the wheel revolved, striking against the ground with terrible force each time.  His head was terribly bruised and although the skull was not fractured, the concussion of the brain rendered him insensible.  He remained unconscious until Monday night when he died, the immediate cause of his death being inflammation of the brain. He was 69 years of age.

Philip and Eliza's children had to really work to get Eliza to agree to bury Philip at Majorville.  Their baby, Etta Virginia, had been buried for over 30 years at Willis Cemetery.  But Majorville Cemetery was larger, newer, and had more space for burial of other family members.  Add to that the fact that family was active in the Majorville church.  Eliza's painful decision meant that baby Etta Virginia would be left buried away from the family, albeit just a few miles, but still alone.

Sale Bill, 1887, after the death of Philip Siepel

Eliza A. Fawver was the daughter of Joseph Fawver and Mary (Polly) Ellinger.  Mary Ellinger Fawver and two sons, Christian and Joseph, came to Hancock County, Illinois.  It is believed that they made this move at the same time as Philip and Eliza.  The senior Joseph Fawver remained in Virginia, as did a third son, Jacob.

The following published obituary is from an unknown original news source.  Due to the many misspellings, correct information is shown in brackets.

Eliza A. Farver [Fawver] was born in Shanandoah [Shenandoah] county, Va., March 16, 1823, and died March 27, 1905, age 82 years and 11 days.

She was united in marriage to Philip Seiple [Siepel] in the year of 1848.  She came with her husband to Illinois in 1854 and settled on the place where she lived until the time of her death. Her husband preceded her to the better land some eighteen years ago.  To this union seven children were bornn, two of them, John W. and Etta B. [Etta Virginia] having passed away.  She leaves to mourn her departure five children as follows: Mary Jane James, of Gatva [Galva], Kans., Ellen N. White, N. A. Sieple [Seipel], George W. Sieple [Siepel] of Joetta and Vina F. Dunum [Lovina F. Siepel Dunham], of Terra Haut [Terre Haute], Ill, and twenty-four grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren, besides a large number of friends.

Deceased united with the Lutheran church at the age of sixteen and was a devoted member of that church until 1900, when she united with the M. E. church at Majorville, where she has ever been a faithful helper.  She contributed quite largely to the building of the new church at Majorville when it was built, which was in the year of 1900.  The loss of this woman comes not to the family alone but the church will miss her too, for never was the contribution passed but what "Grandma Siepe" [Siepel], as she was called by all in the community, contributed liberally.  The funeral services were held at Majorville on Wednesday, March 29, at 11 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Lawrence Bear, assisted by Rev. Obenshane, after which she was laid to rest in the old cemetery she loved so well.  The floral offerings were beautiful.  She was a lover of flowers in life, and it was fitting to place upon her casket these sweet tokens of friendship and love.

According to oral family history, Eliza also donated from her land the timber that was used to make lumber for the new church.

The children of Philip Ira Siepel and Eliza A. Fawver were:

i.	Mary Jane Siepel, called Molly by immediate family members, born February 23, 1849, in Shenandoah County, Virginia.  She died April 22, 1920, in Ashland, Jackson County, Oregon.  Interment at Mountain View Cemetery, Ashland.
ii.	John William Siepel, born June 12, 1850, Shenandoah County, Virginia.  He died at his home in Hancock County, Illinois, April 3, 1893, burial at Majorville Cemetery.
iii.	Elnora Siepel, born February 9, 1852, in Shenandoah County, Virginia.  She died September 9, 1922, in Hancock Township, interment at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County, Illinois.
iv.	Etta Virginia Siepel, born and died at the family home near Joetta in Hancock Township, March 31, 1854 - October 12, 1855.  She was buried at Willis Cemetery, in Hancock Township.
v.	Nathaniel Asa Seipel (he preferred that spelling of his surname), born February 25, 1856, at the family home near Joetta.  He died July 20, 1926, and was buried at Friendship Cemetery, McDonough County.
vi.	George Washington Siepel, born November 6, 1857, at the family home.  He died at his home in Colchester, McDonough County, December 9, 1919.  He was the last of the immediate family members to be buried at Majorville Cemetery.
vi.	Lovina Frances Siepel, born March 21, 1860, at the family home.  She died November 23, 1938, at Camp Point, Adams County, Illinois.  She was buried at Glade City Cemetery, Blandinsville, McDonough County.

Philip Sippel, 31, male, cooper, value of real estate 200, born Germany
Elizabeth Sippel, 27, female, born VA
Mary J Sippel, 1, female, born VA

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

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

Siple, Philip, white, male, 61, married, farmer; Is the person sick or temporarily disabled, so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what is the sickness or disability? - broken arm; born Hesse Darmstadt, both parents born Hesse Darmstadt
Eliza A, white, female, 56, wife, married, keeping house, born VA, both parents born VA
George W, white, male, 22, son, single, farmer, born IL, father born Hesse Darmstadt, mother
born VA
Lavina F, white, male, 20, daughter, single, farmer, born IL, father born Hesse Darmstadt, mother born VA

Siple, George W, head, white, male, Nov 1857, 42, married for 15 years, born IL, father born Germany, mother born VA, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm home free of mortgage, farm schedule 133

Lizzie B, wife, white, female, Aug 1859, 40, married for 15 years; mother of 5 children, 4 living; born IA, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English

Lester P, son, white, male, Mar 1887, 12, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, at school for 5 months, could read, write and speak English

Bertha E, daughter, white, female, June 1888, 11, single, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, at school for 7 months, could read, write and speak English

Isam E, son, white, male, Mar 1894, 6, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA, at school for 2 months, could read, write and speak English

Martha F, daughter, white, female, Aug 1896, 3, single, born IL, father born IL, mother born IA

Eliza A, mother, white, female, Mar 1823, 77, widow; mother of 1 child, living; born VA, both parents born VA, could read, write and speak English

Shields, Jemima, mother-in-law, white, female, July 1828, 71, widow; mother of 1 child, living; born OH, both parents born OH, could read, write and speak English [Jemima was Lizzie Siepel's stepmother.]