Dreisbach-Dresbach Family Association

The Dresbach Church on Tarlton Road, Circleville, OH - Fairfield and Pickaway Counties

This little church began its life as a United Brethren Church. The congregation was organized about 1820 and the present brick structure was built in 1828. It was erected on land donated by Jonathan and George Dresbach, grandsons of Martin Dreisbach who emigrated to American in 1751 from Wittgenstein, Germany. George was born 13 Jan 1784 and Jonathan was born 23 July 1796 near the town of Lewisburg in what is now Union County, PA. The brothers moved to Ohio about 1808 and took up land directly across the road from each other - the county line road between Fairfield and Pickaway. Both George and Jonathan donated land for the church and adjoining cemetery - thus the center aisle of the church is the county line! There is an oral tradition which says the bricks for the church were fired on the farm of George, at a site just across the road - south of the present church building. The exterior of the church is essentially as it was when it was built with the exception of a new door, a social hall added to north side and general heating and electrical improvements. The original pews are still in use.

Source:  page 168, History of Pickaway County, Van Cleaf, 1906

The Dresbach U. B. Church was organized about 1820 at the house of George Dreisbach; among the first members were George Dreisbach and wife, Henry Dreisbach and wife, John Dreisbach and Elizabeth Whitesel. The appointment has been for many years on the Pickaway Circuit, which now embraces four appointments: Pontius, Morris, Dresbach and Fairview. The pastor of the circuit is Rev. 0. M. Martin, who succeeded Rev. D. W. Lambert in September, 1906. In 1829 the present brick church on the north line of the township was built. Until six years ago, when the parsonage at Circleville was bought, the pastor of the Pickaway Circuit resided at Tarlton. The church has present membership of 42. In 1841 general conference of the United Brethren churches of the United States was held at the Dresbach Church.

Source:  page 254, History of Franklin and Pickaway Counties, Ohio, William Bros., 1880

The Dreisbach United Brethren Church was organized at the house of George Dreisbach (where his son, William Dreisbach, now lives), about the year 1820.  The members were George Dreisbach and wife, Henry Dreisbach and wife, John Dreisbach, Elizabeth Whetsel, and a few others, whose names are now forgotten.  This appointment was, and is still, on the Pickaway circuit, which originally embraced some thirty appointments, but now has only four.  The regular services of the class were held at the dwelling of George Dreisbach, every other Sabbath, until 1835, when the present brick church was erected, which is located at the north line of the township.  Revs. Louis Kramer, Jacob Antrim, John Russell, Joseph Hoffman, Jacob Daup, ____ Benedum, and Henry Kumler, were among the early preachers on this circuit.  The membership of the church is now about twenty, George W. Devers, of Tarlton, being the pastor.