Samuel Dresbach - 1817 - 1874
Samuel was the son of Martin and Anna (Eyer) Dresbach, the grandson of Jacob and Magdalena (Buchs) Dreisbach, and the great-grandson of Martin I (the immmigrant). He lived on a farm that was once a portion of farmland owned by his father, Martin, at the edge of Hallsville. Samuel was a life-long farmer. A biography for Samuel appears in the Portrait and Biographical Record of the Scioto Valley, Lewis Pub., 1894, Pg. 87:
Samuel Dresbach, deceased, was born on the old Dresbach homestead in Colerain township, Ross county, Ohio, in the year 1817. His boyhood days were spent on the farm and his education was received in the log schoolhouse nearby. About the time he reached his majority he began farming for himself, and some time afterward he and his brother Henry purchased the old home place and farmed together for several years. They subsequently divided the farm, Samuel taking the part that lies north of the turnpike.
July 27, 1851, Mr. Dresbach married Hannah Ranck, a native of Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, daughter of Louis and Sarah (Wolf) Ranck, both natives of Pennsylvania. The Ranck family emigrated to Ohio in May, 1833, making the journey hither by wagon and settling in Ross county. Her father and mother both died at a ripe old age. They were people of high respectability, and were consistent members of the United Brethren Church. Six of their nine children are still living.
Mr. and Mrs. Dresbach became the parents of thirteen children, of whom we make record as follows: Infant daughter and Martin, deceased; William H., married and settled in Green township, this county; Josiah, married and living in Colerain township; Sarah A., wife of Francis Reichelderfer, Pickaway county, Ohio; Lewis, married and living in Reno county, Kansas; Florella, wife of Lewis Leist, a farmer of Pickaway county; John, married and settled on a farm in Colerain township; Nelson, a member of the home circle; Clayton, de ceased; Jane, wife of Samuel W. Bell, a farmer of Pickaway county; Susan, at home; and Ulysess S. G. also at home.
Mr. Dresbach spent nearly the whole of his life on the farm above referred to, where he died February 15, 1874. He was a man of untiring energy and of sound judgment, and as a consequence his farming operations were characterized by success. From time to time he had made additional land purchases until at the time of his death he was the owner of five farms altogether comprising about 828 acres, nearly all of which he had made himself. After his death the family added to this tract another farm of 143 acres. Since then the land has all been divided, Mrs. Dresbach and the two youngest children, Susan and Ulysess S. G., retaining the old homestead, on which she still lives. Mrs. Dresbach is a woman of many estimable qualities and is held in high esteem by a large circle of friends. One of her daughters, Mrs. Jane Bell, is an artist of some note.