Benjamin F. Dreisbach - 1837-1914
Source: History of Columbia and Montour Counties, pp. 1060-1061
Benjamin F. Dreisbach is a descendant of a long line of ancestors, some of whom assisted in the carving of this country from the dense wilderness in the past days of Indian occupations and aggressions. Mr. Dreisbach was born in Roaringcreek township, Columbia county, Oct. 30, 1837, son of Nathan and Sarah (Levan) Dreisbach, and is of German and French descent.
Great-grandfather Simon Dreisbach emigrated from Germany to Philadelphia and afterwards settled in Northampton county, Pa., where he died. He served on the Colonial side during the Revolution. His son, Yost Dreisbach, moved from Northampton to Luzerne county, settling in Salem township, near Beach Haven, in 1800, and worked at the trade of millwright. He bought about one thousand acres of land in Roaringcreek township, which upon his death he divided among his sons, of whom Nathan, father of Benjamin F., was one. He died in Roaringcreek township. [NOTE: See correct lineage of Benjamin, below --CEB]
Nathan Dreisbach was born in Beach Haven, Luzerne county, and followed his father's occupation of millwright. He came to Jonestown, Columbia county, where he became a prominent man, conducting a mercantile business and filling several public positions, serving as tax collector, assessor and school director of Roaringcreek township. He died in 1911, at the age of ninety years. He married Sarah, daughter of Benjamin Levan, and they had eight children, of whom Christina, wife of Isaac Forninger, resided in Jonestown and is now deceased; Benjamin F. is mentioned below; Eliza is the wife of Elias N. Kunkle, of Jonestown; Mary E., widow of White Hosler, is living in Jonestown; William Albert is a resident of Altoona. The mother died in Jonestown, whither the family removed from Roaringcreek township.
The Levan family, of which Mr. Dreisbach's mother was a member, is of French Huguenot extraction, and the first members in America came to this country from France in 1729, to Philadelphia, in 1732 settling in Philadelphia county. They were three brothers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and they bought land which they occupied the rest of their lives. The name was originally "Le Van."
Mr. Dreisbach's maternal great-grandparents were living in the Wyoming valley at the time of the massacre, when the great-grandmother, who was a Booth, was captured by the Indians, and held in captivity eleven years. A two-year-old daughter was with her, Eva Booth, all the other children being burned to death in the cabin. The Booths had settled in Baltimore upon their immigration to America, and Edwin and John Wilkes Booth, the actors, were of this stock. According to tradition Mrs. Booth was taken into Ohio, made several unsuccessful attempts at escape, and was compelled to marry an Indian chief, by whom she had two sons. While the Indians were on a trading trip she finally regained her freedom, journeying to Fort Pitt, near Pittsburgh, whence she was sent to Reading, eventually coming to Columbia county and finally to Baltimore, where she died. Her husband remarried during her captivity, thinking her dead. Eva Booth, the child she had with her in captivity, is now buried in Mifflinville, Columbia county.
Benjamin F. Dreisbach began his life on a farm, but was only two years old when his father removed to Kerntown, where he was in the mercantile business and resided for eight years. His first schooling was obtained in Numidia, in the little log schoolhouse with slab benches, and he began work as clerk in his father's store, also clerking for his uncle, John P. Levan. At the age of twenty-two he went to Ashland, Schuylkill county, where he clerked for fourteen years, later forming a partnership with his employer which continued for two years. He then sold his share and went to Conyngham, Luzerne county, entering business for himself, and also served as postmaster during the three years he remained there. After a short period in Bendertown, in Fishingcreek township, Columbia county, he came to Berwick in the late seventies, and took a position on the road for a Philadelphia dry goods house, which he held for three years. He then established a piano, organ and sewing machine business in Berwick and carried it on very successfully until 1910, when he retired. He has been a resident of Berwick for over thirty-five years and has occupied his present commodious home for eleven years.
Mr. Dreisbach demonstrated his patriotism during the Civil war by enlisting from Ashland in 1863 in the "Emergency Defenders," Company C, 6th Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry. He served three months, was discharged, and reenlisted in 1863, for ninety days, in the 51st Pennsylvania Regiment, Company C, serving until the end of the term, when he was mustered out at Reading. He was then drafted, but did not get out. While in the service he participated in the battles of Antietam, Gettysburg, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg, also in several skirmishes.
On Jan. 7, 1867, Mr. Dreisbach married Doretta, daughter of William Distlehurst, of Conyngham township, Luzerne county. They had no children. Mrs. Dreisbach was born June 15, 1845 and died March 7, 1914.
Mr. Dreisbach has held the offices of Chaplain and senior vice commander in Captain Jackson Post, G.A.R. and is a member of the Odd Fellows. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, to which his wife also belonged, and he was the first elder in Holy Trinity Church at Berwick.
Corrected Lineage of Benjamin F. Dreisbach
from the Dreisbach Family Association Database
Note that the History above, as was common with these turn-of-the-century compilations, has some errors and missing generations. The following is a more accurate lineage for Benjamin.
Simon DREISBACH, Sr. - immigrant ancestor
b: Bef. Aug 07, 1698 Oberndorf, Wittgenstein
Baptism: Aug 07, 1698 Obendorf, Wittgenstein, Germany
d: Mar 31, 1785 in Northampton Co, PA
Burial: Kreidersville, Northampton Co., PA
. +Maria Katharina KELLER
b: May 17, 1696 Holzhausen
m: Nov 07, 1720 in Feudingen, Germany
d: May 22, 1768 in Northampton Co. PA
Burial: 1768 Yost "D" private cemetery, Howersville
Father: Hans Wilhelm KELLER Mother: Anna Catharine GOBEL
.... 2 Simon DREISBACH, Jr.
b: Bef. Jan 29, 1729/30 Oberndorf, Wittgenstein
Baptism: Jan 29, 1729/30 Oberndorf, Wittgenstein
d: Dec 17, 1806 in Howertown, Allen Twp, Northampton Co., PA
Burial: Zion Stone Church, Kreidersville, Allen twp, Northampton Co, PA
........ +Maria Dorothea DIES
b: Apr 26, 1734
m: Apr 07, 1752 in St. Michaels and Zion's Luth Church, Philadelphia, PA
d: Jul 08, 1773 in Northampton Co, PA
Father: Peter TEISS Mother: Elizabeth STAHLNECKER
........... 3 John George DREISBACH
b: Jan 31, 1756 Northampton Co., PA
d: Aug 01, 1826 in Allen twp, Northampton Co, PA
Burial: Zion Stone Church, Kreidersville, Allen twp, Northampton Co, PA
............... +Sophia Catherine YOUNG
b: Abt. Feb 01, 1755
m: Jun 10, 1774
d: Mar 31, 1834
.................. 4 Jost William DREISBACH
b: Jan 08, 1775 Allen twp, Northampton Co, PA
Baptism: Feb 12, 1775 Zion Stone Church, Kreidersville, Allen twp, Northampton Co, PA
d: Jan 18, 1857 in Columbia Co, PA
Burial: 1857 Numidia Reformed, Locust Twp, Columbia Co, PA
...................... +Christine HOPPES
b: Aug 27, 1779 PA
m: May 18, 1799
d: Feb 11, 1857 in Columbia Co, PA
Burial: 1857 Numidia Reformed, Locust Twp, Columbia Co, PA
Father: Johannes Michael HOPPES Mother: Catharine HARR
......................... 5 Nathan DREISBACH
b: May 14, 1816 Nescopeck Twp, Luzerne Co. PA.
Baptism: Jun 09, 1816 Nescopeck Church, Nescopeck Twp, Luzerne Co. PA
d: 1911 in Jonestown, Columbia Co, PA
............................. +Sarah LEVAN
b: Jun 05, 1814 Jonestown, Columbia Co, PA
m: Feb 03, 1835
d: Feb 08, 1873 in St. James, PA
Father: Benjamin LEVAN Mother: Mary POE
................................ 6 Benjamin F. DREISBACH
b: Oct 30, 1837 Numidia, Locust Twp, Columbia Co. PA
Baptism: Mar 25, 1838 St. Pauls United Lutheran Church, Numidia, Columbia Co. PA
d: Aft. 1914 in prob Berwick, Columbia Co, PA