Dreisbach-Dresbach Family Association

 Sibbell Dressback - Indian Woman Doctor
and her husband, Doctor Zebedee Dressback

According to folk lore, Sibbell was born in Champaign County, possibly in the American Indian tribe called, Oneida. She married Doctor Zebedee Dressback, and had two sons, Williams and Alfred,

She was in great demand as an Herbal Healer and Midwife, and administered to the needs, wants, and illnesses of many of the early settlers of the canal boat era. Sibbell had her own way of healing and was seen many nights gathering herbs for her American Indian remedies. Many of the babies in the area had her to thank for their healthy births. Some of her remedies were more powerful than those of her husband, Doctor Zebedee Dressback, and many times her Indian medicines were preferred to those of her Doctor husband.

Sibbell died of consumption on January 7, 1882 at the young age of 37. She is buried just outside the cemetery line in Kossuth, Ohio, due to a controversy that arose as to where she would be buried. There are two stories concerning this dispute, one that she did not wish to be buried in the white cemetery along with her white neighbors. And the other is that her white neighbors did not want this Indian woman buried along side of their people, despite the fact that she undoubtedly had doctored many of them in times of illness. The debate was settled when the founder of the tile mile, beside which the cemetery is located, granted a bit of land to one side of the cemetery where this lady could be laid to rest. Her stone is inscribed: "Behold I stand at the door and knock"

Dr. Zebedee died July 1906, aged 66 years and is buried beside her.

More family information is detailed on her Find-A-Grave Memorial:
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/20842864/sibbell-o-dressback