Son of Georg Ihrich & Anna Christina Wuellenbuecher, born in Gammelsbach, Oldenwald, Hesse Germany

Johann Gottlieb3 Ihrich (Georg2, Michael1)[vi] was born in Gammelsbach, Odenwald, Hesse, Germany 18 Feb 1723/24. Johann died bef 24 Sep 1781 in Rockingham Co, VA, at approximately 56 years of age.

He married twice. He married Elizabeth ?? abt 1753. Elizabeth died bet 1764-1767 in Shenandoah Co, VA. He married Margaret Mary ?? in Augusta Co, VA, 1766. (Additional notes for Margaret Mary ?? [vii]) She married Heinrich 'Henry' Null Sr. in Rockingham Co, VA, 08 Nov 1781. Margaret died aft 1810. Margaret Mary was the widow of Cutlip Arey.

He was baptized in Beerfelden Lutheran Parish, Oldenwald, 18 Feb 1724. Religion: religion unknown. In Germany the name is now Ihrig and was such about 1730 in the church records. The various ministers spelled it as they thought as there was no set way for spelling any words back then. But they now spell it Ihrig. The same with Wuellenbuecher (which is really the umlated u) after the W and the b. Now it is spelled Willenbucher.

A book was published about the immigrants in Germany by a Ella Geig in the past several years. In volume 5 (there are 5 volumes) she lists our Johann Gottlieb. He is the only Johann Gottlieb in the church records for many years so made it easy to know which was he. He and his immediate ancestors resided in the villages of Beerfelden Parish, Hesse, Germany.

Johann Gottlib Ihrich was the tenth child of sixteen children born to Georg Ihrich and Anna Christina Wuellenbuecher. He was the only one of his immediate family to come to America. He arrived on the ship St. Andrew at the Port of Philadelphia, from Rotterdam via Cowes, England on the 14th of September, 1751. It is known that he was literate as he signed the "Oath of Allegiance" on Saturday, the 14th of September, 1751 at the Court House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Between 1751 and 1769 Gottlieb was married and six children were born. His wife's name was probably Elizabeth, as his first daughter was named Elizabeth and a genealogy of the Casper Branner family lists this name. At the time of his death, however, his wife's name is given as Mary. It is possible he was married twice, but no record has been located.

On the 12th of May, 1770, Gottlieb received a patent for 190 acres of land in Augusta County, Virginia. The site had been surveyed for Cutlip Earriss on the 10th of February, 1769 by surveyor Thomas Lewis and was located on the southeast side of the Shenandoah River at the "Fairfax Boundry". The Fairfax Boundry (Line) was very close to what would later become the county line between Shenandoah and Rockingham Counties. Gottlieb's property became part of Rockingham County in 1778.

This area had only recently become free of indian-related strife and very few individuals located in this area had actually owned their land up until that time. Cutlip had paid "twenty shillings of good and lawful money" for his land. Other families living in this area of Shenandoah, Page and Rockingham Counties who were to later become linked to the Ihrich family were the Longs, the Readers, the Branners, the Nulls and the Zirkles; all mentioned frequently in histories of the area. Gottlieb may have lived in other areas of Virginia prior to receiving this grant, in particular Frederick County. When his sixth child, Christina, was married she was identified as "the daughter of Cutlip Airy of Frederick County". Cutlip "Arie" appeared on Felix Gilbert's list of tithables in 1775 in what was to be "East Rockingham County".

Gottlieb Ihrich died as a fairly young man. His first three children were married and his daughter Margaret married the same year. However, he left three young sons orphaned. Since they were not yet of age, they were "bound out" to other families where they could be taught a trade, as was the custom of that time. His wife, Mary, was living, however, she "relinquished her right" in the matter of his estate, "in favor of her son-in-law Anthony Reader" who was a gentlemen of the area and active in such court matters on a routine basis. A bond of 100,000 lbs was required. The final disposition of Gottlieb's land is not clear, however, the estate was settled in 1785 with an amount due the estate of 168 lbs. He was married to Unknown before 1755 in Pennsylvania or Virginia.