Isaac Eyer Dreisbach - 1819-1897
Isaac was the second son of the Rev. John Dreisbach.
From The Annals of Martin Dreisbach, Sr, pp. 37-39:
Sketch of the life of Isaac Eyer Dreisbach
Written by Himself in 1891 on the Occasion of Their Golden Wedding Anniversary
According to my father's family record, I was born March 28, 1819, in Buffalo Valley, Penn., and was baptised when an infant by my Father.
At a suitable age I was sent to a common school, about 40 rods from my father's house. The house was a double one, the teacher living in the east and the school in the west end. We had to come home for our dinners, a thing which I disliked very much. My parents were opposed to ball playing and on that account, I never became an expert player. We would hurry home, hurry through dinner, and run over to the school to play a few rounds. Somehow it got to the ears of my parents and to put an end to our ball playing, there was a task given to us, viz., to chop a certain number of sticks of stove wood, to take the place of playing.
Our first teacher was Peter Montillious, he spoke English but taught a mixed school German and English, but spoke German all the time to the children. Our next teacher was Daniel Bryfogle, who was a better teacher. He had a little knowledge of English Grammar. Father gave Abraham and myself each a book called Kirckham's Grammar. The teacher put us all to learning the course print and that was about all we knew about grammar until we came to Ohio.
I was 12 years old, March 28, 1831 when in August of that year we, as a family, started for "the west" as it was then called. We started with two two-horse wagons, and a one-horse wagon. Abraham, who was one year old and one month older than I, had charge of the first two-horse wagon and I of the other. The one-horse wagon was in charge of the family and such of the children who were too small to walk and others who got tired of walking. It carried the bedding that was needed nights to spread on the floors of the rooms of the taverns.
We were 19 days on the road when on Sunday the 11th of September 1831 we arrived at our destination viz., the west half of Section 9, Pickaway Township, Ohio. I now own the East half. I toiled on this section of land most of my life since I was 12 and one-half years old.
In June of that year at a camp meeting I was Born Again, converted. I felt that a change had taken place, I was happy and loved the services of the Christians. Though afterward, after we came to Ohio, attending the services of the M. E. Church and listening to the experiences of them, I began to doubt and wished for the experiences that others said they had. With all my seeking, I never found anything more than that experienced when I was 12 years old, that is love towards God and man. When my heart is full of love then I feel that all is right, otherwise all wrong.
In the year 1840 when I was 21 years old, I was elected Class Leader and I have tried, up to now, in a weak way, to do my duty in that responsible office and up to this time we have no regular services as prayer and class meetings, much as I desire them as in past years.
After we came to Ohio, we had better schools, but the trouble was we did not get to go much. We always had a good deal of wheat to tramp out with horses which took most of the winter. One winter we managed to go to school about two months and I got a little knowledge of Grammar and Arithmetic. One winter we got to go only eleven days and scarcely any time, more than a month in a year. Our parents often boarded teachers and then we took advantage by learning in the evenings, thereby acquiring further knowledge of Grammar, etc., how much you may readily see and learn by my imperfect writing. Think of 13 children to provide for and you will not think so hard of them for not sending us to school more. The younger children of teh family had much better school opportunities.
During the year 1840 I got partially acquainted with Lydia Hittle and took a liking for her, but before I took any advanced steps I enquired of my Father who was then preaching some on the circuit, and had been in the family of the Hittles, what he thought of the family. I made it a point to go to see her one Saturday eve, stayed all night, and on Sunday morning was back to prayer meeting in time. It was about ten miles and all the young men rode horseback as did the young women, too, as they did in Rebecca's time. There is a bit of difference, however, Rebeccas and Isaacs acquaintance and that of Lydia and the later Isaac. I do not know what made Rebecca jump off her camel and veil herself when she saw Isaac in the field.
Was it Fright or what was it? If it was, there is a bit of similarity, as Lydia was somewhat scared when I asked her to be my wife, and she thought she was too young to be married. But somehow she got over her scare in a few months and I started early in the morning. I saddled my horse and one for her (not a camel) and traveled ten miles. So we were married, after regular Preaching service in the evening by Rev. L. Einsel. The next day I took my wife home, accompanied by others, as it was the fashion, those days to have an "Infare" next day. And such was our wedding trip.
STATEMENT BY DAUGHTER-IN-LAW (Cora Pamelia Hyde Dreisbach)
To this I wish to add that when I entered the Dreisbach family in 1880 as the wife of Charles, son of Isaac, I found them living in comfort and contentment. They had raised a family of seven children, all being Christians and active in their respective churches. Father and Mother were greatly respected by their many relatives, friends and neighbors.
Father has written of his lack of an education, but when I first knew him he had painstakingly secured the equivalent of a school education. He was well versed in politics, in what was going on in this wonderful world, and in religion which he ever placed first. I learned that it was the custom of many years' standing, for him to spend his odd minutes and half hours in the study of either the Bible or dictionary and it has been his plan to look up any word that he had read or heard spoken that was to him a new word, look it up carefully as to pronunciation, derivatives, and use in sentences. It was not strange for him to kindly call attention to a word mispronounced by one of his children or even a Preacher of a Sunday morning service, and I never knew him to be mistaken about it... this in spite of the fact that their children were all given the school opportunities he so greatly must have wanted himself. They were, all of them, sent to college, to North Western College, now North Central College, at Naperville, Illinois where the oldest daughter and husband were located so many years.
Letter to B. F. Dreisback, Plainfield, Will Co., Ill. postmarked Circleville, Ohio:
Home April 21st 1865
Dear ones at Plainfield:-
Again Friday evening is at hand, and as it appears Rosa had too much company to write. Martha Gildersleeve and her children were up to see us this week. Rosa staid and is here now. She and Rosa went to Ben Steely one night from school. The next night they went to Mary R. and Spicklers. Tomorrow she is going along to town to stay a week. It is pretty late already and I don't think I write much of a letter this time. Today we were harrowing and croping out, and in a few days we will be ready to plant. It has been very warm for a few days. Today and last night we had a few light showers. It is very nice growing weather and still great prospects for fruit of all kinds - but we can't tell what a day will bring forth. -
Yesterday mother was over to visit Old Mr. Rofs' and today down to Mary R. and Spicklers. The foxes re-appeared at their den, and Charley had a compsition about them. Stollard disappointed us about our out kitchen so I went to see John Weaver. he is coming next monday to commence the job. It is windy and looks for rain. Last wednesday their was I believe preching in all the churches in Circleville Calhoun. I was told preached a very good and affective sermon.
I suppose the corpse of the President is now enrout for Ill. via Philadelphia, Newyork, Cleveland, etc. Notwithstanding the conduct of our vice president (now president) in the inaugural there is much confidence placed in him. His action then it is said can all be satisfactorily explained - I hope it may. Mr. Burnside in a speech made in New York said he had been with and around Mr. Johnson a great deal and never saw him use any intoxicating drinks. And Johnson himself says that he is bound to outlive the slander. He don't deny that he was treated with stimlates, but denies being drunk. Well let that be as it may, the rebels will not find in him the leniency as they did in Abraham Lincoln. I hope you all have got better of your colds. Our love to Father Smith and Lady Anna and others.
Your father
I. E. DreisbackApril 22 - Today it is cold and stormy. I just received yours of 18th but have not time now to read it.
Letter transcribed by Christi Calvert Brogan
Notes by Mr. Gayle O. Kamp, author of The Kamp Papers Vol. I., 1984:
Martha Gildersleeve is a sister of Isaac's.
Martha Steely would be his niece, a dau. of his sister, Eliz. who m. Benj. Steely.
Spickler's...His sister Fanny m. Lewis Spickler
Charles is Isaac's son.
Father Smith--- Isaac's daughter, Mary (1841-1921), Circleville, OH., m. 1863, Henry C. Smith, Henry Smith was Prof. Music and Latin at North West College, Plainfield, IL (later Naperville). Father Smith, Henry's father was Pres. of the College for years and his wife may have been Anna?
Descendants of Isaac Eyer Dreisbach
Isaac Eyer DREISBACH
b: Mar 28, 1819 Union Co. PA
d: Mar 27, 1897 in Pickaway Co. OH
. +Lydia HITTLE
b: Nov 10, 1821 Lehigh Co. PA
m: Feb 09, 1841 in Pickaway Co. OH
d: Apr 16, 1910 in Circleville, Pickaway Co, OH.... 2 Mary Hittle DREISBACH
b: Nov 18, 1841 Circleville, OH d: May 30, 1921 in Naperville, IL
........ +Henry Cowles SMITH b: 1839 m: Jul 30, 1863.... 2 Benjamin Franklin DREISBACH
b: Jun 13, 1845 Circleville, OH d: Oct 07, 1915 in Pickaway Co. OH
........ +Alice May HITTLE m: Nov 06, 1873 d: Jul 25, 1921 in Circleville, OH.... 2 Martha Hittle DREISBACH
b: Oct 29, 1848 OH d: Feb 23, 1916 in KS
........ +Lewis Melville EARNEST b: Apr 18, 1842 Pickaway Co, OH m: Aug 13, 1868 d: May 23, 1920 in Vashon Island, WA.... 2 Rosalie Hittle DREISBACH
b: Sep 03, 1851 Circleville, OH d: Feb 14, 1924 in Pickaway Co. OH
........ +David Shelby LUDWIG b: Jun 16, 1842 m: Dec 26, 1872 d: Mar 25, 1925.... 2 Charles Hittle DREISBACH
b: Jul 01, 1854 Circleville, Ross Co, OH d: Aft. 1890 in prob Redfield, SD
........ +Cora Pamelia Pyle HYDE m: Aug 05, 1880 in Naperville, IL.... 2 Reuben Hittle DREISBACH
b: Aug 23, 1858 Pickaway Co. OH d: May 29, 1893 in Pickaway Co. OH
........ +Amelia Catherine RICKERT b: Nov 18, 1862 Naperville, Ill m: Feb 10, 1887 d: Feb 07, 1924.... 2 Emma Grace DREISBACH
b: Nov 05, 1861 Pickaway Co. OH d: Feb 21, 1951 in Hudson, IL
........ +Thomas W. WOODSIDE b: Dec 25, 1852 Brookville, IL m: Dec 28, 1882 d: Sep 19, 1929 in Winter Park, FL