Known Dreisbach Immigrant Lines to North America
Under Construction
Source of this narrative: The Dreisbach Book p. 12
The flow of Germans to the New World increased rapidly between the late 1720's and the late 1740's. The number of Germans arriving annually in Philadelphia went from about 600 to 1800. Ships that originally took about 170 passengers, later carried an average of 200 or more "Palatines" as they were generally called.
No Dreisbachs are found in the extant ships' passenger lists of this period until the arrival of Simon Dreisbach and his family in 1743. It is possible that some Dreisbach arrivals went undetected, but recent scholarship indicates that the procedures followed in Philadelphia to register arrivals were so thoroughly applied that passenger lists exist for all but 8.33% of the ships arriving between 1727 and 1775.
The arrival of the Simon Dreisbach family in September 1743 is well documented as is their departure from Wittgenstein on May 25th of that year. How much time the family spent traveling overland to the Rhine or one of its tributaries is not known. In this period, prospective emigrants could sometimes make preliminary arrangements for their passage with the river-boatmen even before reaching Rotterdam. There, a few firms of English merchants, some of them with Quaker connections, handled the trade in German emigrants.
Not long after Simon's arrival in Pennsylvania, German immigration to North America rose to unparalleled numbers. In the years around 1750, an average of 5600 German-speaking immigrants arrived in Philadelphia yearly, crowded into only twenty ships or so!
The Journey to the New World
Source of this narrative: The Dreisbach Book pp. 15-16
There are not many surviving accounts by 18th century German immigrants describing their ocean voyage. In 1733, one Johannes Naas wrote a letter to his son Jacob telling how the ship Pennsylvania Merchant left Rotterdam on June 24th, was becalmed before reaching Dordrecht, sailed out to sea on July 3rd, arriving at the port of Plymouth in southern England on July 13th. After customs procedures and provisioning, they finally set sail for America on July 21st.
A child died on the 25th and was buried at sea. On August 7th a child was born, died within an hour, and was also buried at sea. A storm on the 17th created high seas, lasting one and a half days, and caused much dizziness and vomiting among the passengers. On August 23rd another child died.
By now many people had consumed all their provisions, having expected that the voyage would last only four weeks. They had to live on the meagre ship's fare. On September 20th a young married woman died. A heavy rain storm accompanied by a strong wind made great waves. Many of the beds that were near the holes were filled with water, and the next morning the Captain ordered a kettle of rice to be boiled so the people could eat something warm. On the 22nd the ship lay still, and the people dried their clothes. The next day a sounding showed that they were close to the Delaware River, though no land could be seen. Land was sighted on the 24th.
The last baby born on board died, and was buried in the Delaware River. In the afternoon of September 29th they landed at Philadelphia. By then the passengers had been on board for more than three months.
In another account, that of a crossing in 1737, the winds were unfavorable, and this voyage also lasted three months, with even more children dying during the trip. The Simon and Martin families were fortunate to have arrived with all members still alive.
Source of the 1733 letter: "The Voyage to America," pp. 3-4 of The Heffner Family Association 1997 Newsletter, Lower Burrell, Pennsylvania.
Name: (Johan) Simon Dreisbach, Sr.
Migration: 1743 Immigrant - 19 September, coming from Oberndorf in Wittgenstein, arrived Philadelphia on the ship Lydia
Reference: Dreisbach Book, Appendix B, Supplement Appendices B, F, H, K, L, O, pg. 25
Birth: Obendorf 1698
Death: Northampton County, PA 1785
Name: Martin Dreisbach
Migration: 1751 Immigrant - 4 October, arrived in Philadelphia from Rotterdam on Queen of Denmark
Reference: Dreisbach Book, Appendix C, Supplement Appendix C, pg. 263
Birth: Raumland 1717
Death: Buffalo Valley, Union Cty PA 1799
Name: Johann Heinrich Dreisbach
Migration: Ancestor of immigrant Christian "Oscar" Dreisbach, c1893, from Berghausen, Wittgenstein
Reference: Dreisbach Book, Appendix D, Supplement Appendix D, pg. 461 - This information was supplied by descendant John Gustave Dreisbach
Birth: Berghausen 1703
Death: Berghausen 1757
Name: Henry Dreisbach
Migration: 1754 Immigrant, 7 November, arrived in Philadelphia from Amsterdam on the John & Elizabeth.
Reference: Appendix E - Relationship discovered since publication (see p. 13 The Dreisbach Book & Supplement Appendices E & I, pg. 469)
Birth: Richstein 1735
Death: Bucks County, PA 1808
Name: George Dreisbach
Migration: 1806 - 8 November, from Wittgenstein, arrived in Philadelphia from Amsterdam on the Atlantic
Reference: Relationship discovered since publication (see p. 13 TDB, Supplement C, pg. 543)
Birth: Raumland 1765
Death: prob Pennsylvania, date and place unknown
Name: George Henry Dreisbach
Migration: 1806 - 8 November, from Wittgenstein, arrived in Philadelphia from Amsterdam on the Atlantic
Reference: Relationship discovered since publication (see p. 13 TDB)
Birth: Berghausen 1782
Death: prob Pennsylvania, date and place unknown
Name: Heinrich Dreisbach
Migration: Immigrated c 1860-1868?
Reference: Appendix N, Supplement Appendix N, pg. 517
Birth: Germany 1844
Death: Philadelphia, PA 1904
Name: Stephen Dreisigmayer
Migration: Immigrant Changed name to Dreisbach
Reference: Appendix Q, Supplement Appendix Q, pg. 529
Birth: Burgenland, Austria-Hungary before 1900
Death: Northampton, PA after 1928
Name: Anthony Benedict Dreisbach
Migration: Immigrant
Reference: Supplement F, pg. 557
Birth: Westfalin, Weisbaden, Germany 1861
Death: Louisville, KY 1950
Name: Joseph Dresbach
Migration: Immigrant 20th century
Reference: Supplement D, pg. 549
Birth: Overath, Germany before 1900
Death: Pittsburgh, PA 1912
Name: William and Phillip Dresbach
Migration: Immigrants Arrived before 1860
Reference: Discovered after publication, Supplement E, pg. 533
Birth: Germany in the 1820s
Death: Cass County, IL
Name: Anthony "Tony" Dresbach
Migration: Immigrant
Reference: Discovered after publication
Birth: Germany 1886
Death:
Billings, Montana 1925 (family settled in Oregon)
Name: George Dreisbach of California
Migration: Immigrant
Reference: Discovered after publication
Birth: Germany 1865
Death: Oakland, Alameda Co, California
In addition to these immigrants, several other lines exist here in the U.S. that have not yet been connected to a known immigrant, and that are currently being researched. Several of the Appendices from The Dreisbach Book (TDB), which was published in 1998, have subsequently been connected to the main immigrants. Others have surfaced since then. If your line is among them, we invite you to check from time to time to see what we've learned about your ancestors.
Appendix refers to The Dreisbach Book published in 1998. Supplement refers to the Supplement to the book distributed in 2001 on CD-ROM.
Name: Jost Driesbach
Parents & Migration: Parents unknown - Probably brother to Conrad 1784
Reference: Appendix F - Almost certainly from Simon and believed to be from his son George William
Birth: Pennsylvania 1773
Death: Luzerne Cty, PA 1858
Name: Conrad Dreisbach
Parents & Migration: Sawyer, parents unknown - Probably brother to Jost 1773
Reference: Appendix H - Almost certainly from Simon
Birth: Pennsylvania 1784
Death: Gilbert, Monroe Cty, PA 1863
Name: Charles F. Dreisbach
Parents & Migration: Father was Jost 1773 - (Appendix F, above)
Reference: Appendix K - Solved!
Birth: Pennsylvania c1810
Death: Summit County, OH
Name: Jacob Dresback
Parents & Migration: Moved from PA to OH
Reference: Appendix G, Supplement pg. 483
Birth: Pennsylvania c1779
Death: Logan Cty, OH 1857
Name: John Treisbach
Parents & Migration: Lived in Upper Montgomery Cty, PA - Connected to Bucks Co Henry line per The Dreisbach Book
Reference: Appendix I - Solved!
Birth: Pennsylvania 1791
Death: Upper Montgomery Cty, PA, 1867
Name: Henry Dreisbach - aka "Mysterious Henry" and "Northampton Co. Henry" - no longer “Mysterious!”
Parents & Migration: Shoemaker, parents unknown
Reference: Appendix J - Almost certainly from Simon and believed to be from his son George William, Supplement Appendix J, pg. 497
Birth: Pennsylvania 1800
Death: Kreidersville, Northampton Cty, PA 1890
Name: Aaron D. Dreisbach
Parents & Migration: Father of George Washington Dreisbach -
Simon> Simon> J.George> Jost Wm> Jacob> Aaron> George Washington Dreisbach
Reference: Appendix L - Solved!
Birth: Pennsylvania, Oct 1838
Death: Wapwallopen, Luzerne Cty, PA, 1919 - Buried Black Creek Cem.
Name: George Tricebock
Parents & Migration: Born in U.S., parents unknown
Reference: Appendix M, Supplement Appendix M, pg. 513
Birth: Philadelphia, PA 1826
Death: Philadelphia, PA 1893
Name: Alfred Dreisbach
Parents & Migration: Simon> John> Jost> William> Alfred
Reference: Appendix O - Solved!
Birth: Weissport, Carbon Co, PA 1852
Death: Weissport, Carbon Cty, PA 1933
Name: Schuylkill Dreisbachs
Parents & Migration: Ancestors of Oliver Dreisbach: Line traces back to a mysterious Simon born before 1775
Reference: Appendix P
Birth: PA
Death: West Penn twp, Schuylkill Co, PA, 1830-1840
Name: John Dreisbach
Parents & Migration: Parents unknown
Reference: Supplement A, pg. 533
Birth: Pennsylvania 1790
Death: Newport, Luzerne Cty, PA 1843
Some Dreisbach, etc. arrivals in North America c1727 to c1900
Sources of information on arrivals:
1. Egle, William Henry, ed., Names of Foreigners who took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania 1727-1775, Penna. Archives, 2nd Series, vol. 17, 1890, reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, 1967.
2. Filby, P. William and Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and Immigration Lists Index (many volumes and supplements), Gale Research Co., Detroit, Mich., 1981.
3. Glazier, Ira A. and Filby, P. William, Germans to America: Lists of Passengers Arriving at U.S. Ports, 1850-1855, (v. 1-9 consulted), Scholarly Resources Inc., Wilmington, Del., 1988.
4. Knittle, W. A., "The Embarkation Lists from Holland," in Early Eighteenth Century Palatine Emigration, (1937), reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co, Baltimore, 1970.
5. Mertz, Marian S., "Juniata County, Pennsylvania, Naturalization Records", National Genealogical Society Quarterly, vol. 55 no. 1 (March 1957).
6. Mundel, Hedwig and Yoder, Don, "A 1725 List of Wittgenstein Emigrants," Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine, vol. 26, no. 3 (1970), pp. 133-143.
7. Rasmussen, Louis J., San Francisco Passenger Lists, Coloma, Calif (published by the author.)
8. Strassburger, R. B. and Hincke, W. J., Pennsylvania German Pioneers... from 1727 to 1808, Pennsylvania German Society, vols. 42-44 (1-3), Norristown, Pennsylvania, 1934.
9. United States, Works Projects Administration, Index to Records of Aliens' Declarations of Intention and/or Oaths of Allegiance, 1789-1880 in ...Philadelphia, no pl, sponsored by the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, 1940(?). Recorded in Prothonotary Office of Court of Common Pleas.
10. See also: Teppe, M. H., Passenger Arrivals at the Port of Philadelphia 1800-1819, Genealogical Publishing Company, Baltimore, 1986, which lists 8 Driesbach arrivals, 1 Dreisbach and 1 Drisbach arrival.