Dreisbach-Dresbach Family Association

The children of Martin and Anna Eva Dreisbach began the westward trek to Ohio in the early 1800’s. When they arrived in Ohio, they began using two spellings of their surname, both Dreisbach and Dresbach. Eventually, the latter triumphed.

Not many of Simon Dreisbach Sr’s descendants moved to Ohio.

Much more information is coming on this page… as soon as I get time to fill it in!

Maps designed by Ardis Grosjean-Dreisbach for The Dreisbach Book

1. Philadelphia
2. Simon Dreisbach's settlement area
3. Henry Dreisbach's settlement area
4. Martin Dreisbach's settlement area
5. Lancaster
6. Harrisburg

The Exodus to Ohio: Dreisbachs become Dresbachs and Dresbacks

Pioneers: When Ohio was opened for settlement around 1800 many Pennsylvanians were attracted by its cheap and plentiful virgin land.  A number of descendants of Martin Dreisbach were among them, as well as at least one descendant of Simon Dreisbach.  Two roads led through southern Pennsylvania to the Ohio River: Forbes' Road and Braddock's Road.  Zane's Trace was an overland track in Ohio itself.  The countryside which the settlers encountered was described in the Biographical History of the Scioto Valley, Ohio, Illustrated (1894) as an "almost unbroken wilderness, the forest abounding in wolves, deer, bears and wild turkeys."  Once settled in Ohio, many Dreisbachs changed the spelling of their name to Dresbach or Dresback.

One of the earliest members of the family know to have gone west was Henry Dreisbach, second son of Martin.  He took his wife and children to Pickaway County in 1802.  There his son Daniel laid out the original Circleville in 1810.

In 1806 Abraham Dreisbach/Dresback, a grandson of immigrant Simon's son Simon Jr., came to Pickaway County.  Abraham may have married Maria Drum in either Pennsylvania or Ohio.  In any event, by 1812 he had acquired a deed to land in Fairfield Co., not far from that of his father-in-law, Henry Drum, who was an 1806 settler of Saltcreek Township, Pickaway Co.  Old records spell Abraham's name both Dresback and Dresbach.  It is possible that the Jacob Dresback who went from Pennsylvania to Fairfield Co., and eventually settled in Logan Co. in 1835, was Abraham's younger brother.

A large Dreisbach influx occurred after the death of Jacob Dreisbach, the eldest son of Martin, in 1804.  In the years around 1811 his eight sons and most of his daughters settled in Pickaway and Ross Counties.  A number of them were already married when they left for Ohio.  Jacob's widow, Magdalena, moved west with her children, and is buried in Pickaway County. The eight sons had large families, and their descendants are numerous.

At least three Aurands, descended from Martin's daughter Rebecca Dreisbach and Henry Aurand, moved from Pennsylvania to Ohio. Daniel Aurand settled in Pickaway County between 1805 and 1810, while George and Jonathan lived in Crawford.

Samuel and John Dreisbach, born in Central Pennsylvania to gunsmith John Sr., were cousins of the Aurands and of many other Dreisbachs who went to Ohio.  They, too, settled in Pickaway County.

The Dreisbach exodus to Ohio, numerically impressive as it was, was nevertheless only one stage in the process whereby North American Dreisbachs, starting from their various bases in Pennsylvania, spread out to all parts of the United States.

Source: The Dreisbach Book, 1998, pp. 27-28

In addition to the families listed above, Martin Dreisbach's son Martin settled in Ross County, Ohio.  His son Ephraim was one of the founders of the Village of Economy, which later was renamed Hallsville.  Many Dresbachs built homes in the 19th century which are still standing.  Follow this link to Hallsville Dresbachs.