admin SIMON SEIBERT, former Senator and Assemblyman, member of the Buffalo Board of Fire Commissioners, and General Manager of the Magnus Beck Brewing Company, is a leading Republican, a prominent figure in business and a representative public man. The parents of Mr. Seibert came from Germany to this country in 1853, and settled in Buffalo, where the elder Seibert was for forty-five years one of the foremost German Americans. Simon Seibert was born in Buffalo September 12, 1857. After attending the public schools and Bryant & Stratton’s Business College, he entered his father’s coal office as clerk. Later he opened a men’s furnishings store at East Buffalo and prosperously carried on the business till 1889, when he retired to accept the appointment’ as United States Ganger at Buffalo, a position which he held until 1893, The following year he became connected with the Magnus Beck Brewing Company as a traveling salesman and solicitor. He exhibited marked capability and soon rose to be General Manager, an office which he has ever since retained.
Always an earnest Republican, Mr. Seibert has for many years been prominent in his party and is one of its pillars of strength on the Buffalo East Side. For sixteen years he has served as Republican Committeeman of the 8th Ward, and for a quarter of a century has represented his district in every important convention, having been a delegate to every Republican State Convention since 1888. In 1893 he was nominated for Member of Assembly, and though the normal Democratic majority in his district was estimated at 600, Mr. Seibert won by a majority of 1,356 votes. In the fall of 1894 he was renominated and elected by a still greater majority. At the end of his second term he was nominated by acclamation for State Senator from the 48th Senatorial District, and was elected by a majority of 2,206. Though under the new ballot law he lost nearly 1,000 votes, he ran ahead of the record of Grover Cleveland, who in 1892 had carried the same district by a majority of 2,000. In the Assembly and the Senate Mr. Seibert served on many important committees and took an active part in the general work of legislation. Throughout his legislative career he was always mindful of the interests of Buffalo, furthering her welfare in every legitimate way. In 1896 he was chosen alternate delegate to the Republican National Convention at St. Louis, and in 1900 was delegate to the National Convention at Philadelphia. In 1904 he was again honored by his party, which made him a Presidential Elector.
In 1903 Mr. Seibert was appointed by Mayor Knight a member of the Buffalo Board of Fire Commissioners for a term of six years. The duties of this office he has performed with signal ability, being concerned in many measures for the wellbeing of the Fire Department and the protection of the city from conflagration. In 1904 he was elected President of the Board.
Socially as well as politically, Mr. Seibert is widely, popular. He is a 32d degree Mason, a member of Concordia Lodge, a Noble of the Mystic Shrine, and a member of the Acacia Club. He is a member of Mystic Star Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Millard Fillmore Lodge, Knights of Pythias, and Buffalo Lodge, No. 23, Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. He is also prominently identified with various social bodies, among which may be mentioned the Silver King Fishing Club and the Orpheus Singing Society.
SOURCE: Memorial and Family History of Erie County New York; Volume I