“Remember, remember always, that all of us, and you and I especially, are descended from immigrants and revolutionists."
― Franklin D. Roosevelt
The Palatinate is a region in south-western Germany. Many thousands of Palatine immigrants were driven out of Germany by war, famine, despotic rule and disease. They were attracted to Pennsylvania by the first settlers who sent back favorable reports.
Lutherans are Protestants who follow Martin Luther's religious teachings, especially the doctrine of justification by faith alone.
Johannes (John) Dreisbach was born in Oberndorf, Germany and his christening was recorded at the Evangelical Lutheran church in Feudingen on February 6, 1735. His parents were Johann Simon Dreisbach and Maria Katharina Keller.
Johannes has at times been called "John George" causing confusion with his older brother George. In 1995, the Veterans Administration furnished a new, granite stone tombstone which incorrectly has his name as John George instead of Johannes.
He came to America with his family on the ship Lydia which departed Rotterdam and arrived in Philadelphia on September 20, 1743.
He married Elizabeth Waldman. Elizabeth was born on was born July 25, 1742. Her parents were Conrad Waltman and Katherine Bierly.
Johannes appears as "John Dreasbaugh" on the May 14, 1778 muster roll of the Northampton County Militia.
He died in Northampton County on September 27, 1796. He and his wife are buried in the Zion Stone Church cemetery.
Feudingen is a village in the city of Bad Laasphe and its 13th century church ministered to the entire surrounding area. The church has been Protestant since 1555.
Zion Stone Church is a Lutheran church near Kreidersville, Pennsylvania. It was dedicated on June 18, 1772.
Oberndorf is a village in northwest Germany and part of the city of Bad Laasphe. It was in the feudal country of Wittgenstein in the 18th century.
17th and 18th century Germans often gave children two names at baptism. The first was a saint's name. The second a secular name which is what the child was called. The saint's name was usually given to all the children of that family of the same gender. Johannes was rarely a saint's name, but Johann was.
Dreisbach is also spelled Dresbach, Dresback, Driesbach, Driesbaugh, Dreisback, and Treisbach.
A militia is a military unit composed of citizens who are called up in time of need.
Europeans who made the voyage to America faced a difficult journey of several months.
Northampton County, Pennsylvania is on the eastern border of the state in the Lehigh Valley. It was formed in 1752 from parts of Bucks County. Easton is the county seat.
from Lineage Book
Conrad Waltman (1710-96) served as private in the "Flying Camp," Pennsylvania troops, under Capt. Peter Runio. He was born in Germany; died in Northampton County, Pa.
The Flying Camp was an American military formation used during the second half of 1776. It was a mobile, strategic reserve of 10,000 men. The men recruited for the Flying Camp were militiamen from Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware.
