The following biography has been updated with information from the September 2012 Newsletter of the Dreisbach Family Association which details diligent research by some wonderful Dreisbach family members. (https://www.dreisbach-dresbach.org/)

Martin was born in Raumland, Kreis Wittgenstein, Germany (near Bad Berleburg) on 23 May 1717 and was baptized in St. Martin's Church, on the 26th of May, 1717. He was the youngest of nine known children born to Anna Elisabeth (Leyendecker) and Hans (Johann) Georg Dreisbach. His mother died when he was only one and a half years.

Martin and Anna Eva Hoffman were married in the Evangelical Reformed Church in Krombach, Kreis Wittgenstein, Germany, on 9 November 1742 when Martin was 25 years old and Anna Eva was 20.

"Martin and Anna Eva continued to live in Krombach for the next nine years. Five children were born to them during this time. Two of them died, one as a three month old infant, the other as a three and a half year old child. The birth and death dates of these children are found in the register of the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church . (Deaths in PA. are not recorded in the Krombach Church book but are included here for completeness.) They are:
Johann Henrich: b. 25 June 1743 - d. 11 Oct 1743 in Krombach
Elisabeth: b. 15 Oct 1744 - d. 5 Feb 1748 in Krombach
Martinus: b. 5 Nov 1745 - d. about 1763 in Cocalico, PA.
Margaretha: b. 4 Dec 1748 - d. about 1825 in Lewisburg, PA.
Johann Jacob: b. 7 Dec 1750 - d.1804 in Buffalo Valley, Northumberland Co., PA."

Martin and Anna Eve came from Germany to PA in 1751 with three children aged 6, 3, and 7 months. They sailed from Rotterdam on the ship "Queen of Denmark" on 8 July 1751, and arrived in Philadelphia on 4 October 1751. By 1755 they were in Cocalico Twp. In 1761 there is a record of sale for 100 acres near the Black Horse tavern, where he blacksmithed and had a grist and saw mill. After having lost by sudden death his oldest son, he sold his farm and mills and bought a farm in Berks Co. on Easton Road, 3 mi. from Reading in 1763. Ten years later they moved on to Lewisburg, Union Co., the area called Buffalo Valley. He donated land for the Dreisbach Church at Lewisburg, PA.

Martin Sr. and his family had to flee from the Buffalo Valley in 1778 from the Indians' tomahawk and scalping knife (the Great Runaway), back to their former neighborhood; but returned to their new residence when the danger had passed. The settlers fled several times during the Indian uprisings, sometimes only the men returned to harvest or plant crops and then returned back to civilization until they felt the Indians were finished with their raids.

The DAR Patriot Index lists: Martin Sr., b. 1717 Germany, d. 18 Feb 1799 PA m. Anna Eve Hoffman CS PA.

Martin's Parents and Grandparents:
Father: Hans Georg DREISBACH
Birth: 17 JUL 1670 in Balde;
Death: 24 JUN 1734 in Raumland
Married: 22 FEB 1694 in Raumland to

Mother: Anna Elisabeth LEYENDECKER
Birth: 3 MAY 1674 in Raumland
Death: 22 DEC 1718 in Raumland

Grandfather: Johannes DREISBACH
Birth: ABT 1625 in Balde, Wittgenstein, Germany
Death: 25 MAR 1699 in Balde
Married: ABT 1652 to
Grandmother: Anna Elizabeth ROHRBACH
Birth: ABT 1635 in Rohrbach
Death: 13 JUN 1716 in Balde, Wittgenstein, Germany

Grandfather: Tilmann LEYENDECKER
Grandmother: Angela HEYGE

Martin and Anna Eva had the following children:

1 Johann Henrich DREISBACH was born June 25, 1743 at Krombach, Germany. Johann died October 11, 1743 as recorded in the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church records at Krombach, Germany.

2 Elisabeth DREISBACH was born October 15, 1744 at Krombach, Germany. Elisabeth died February 5, 1748 as recorded in the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church records at Krombach, Germany.

3 Martinus DRESBACH was born November 5, 1745 as recorded in the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church records at Krombach, Germany. This son died about 1763 at Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., PA.

4 Margaretha DREISBACH (Marg. Rebecca) was born December 4, 1748 as recorded in the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church records at Krombach, Germany. Margaretha married Henry Aurand. She died about 1825 in PA (poss. Union Co., PA).

5 Johann Jacob DRESBACH was born December 7, 1750 as recorded in the Krombach Evangelical Reformed Church records at Krombach, Germany. Jacob married Margaretha Buchs. He died June 11, 1804 at Lewisburg, Northumberland Co, PA. Jacob was buried at Dreisbach Church Cemetery, Lewisburg, PA.

6 Henry DRESBACH was born in 1755 and christened Swamp Reformed Church, Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. Henry married Margaret Rimmel and Mary Hedges. He died in 1814 at Pickaway Co., OH.

7 Catharine DRESBACH was born and was christened May 3, 1759 at Swamp Reformed Church by Rev. Waldschmidt in Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., PA. Catharine married Peter Fisher. She died in PA (possibly in Snyder Co., PA).

8 John DRESBACH was born September 26, 1762 and christened at Swamp Reformed Church by Rev. Waldschmidt in Cocalico Twp., Lancaster Co., Pennsylvania. John married Catherine Youngman. He died March 27, 1823 at Mifflinburg, Union Co., PA.

9 Martin II DRESBACH was born July 12, 1764 at Reading, Berks Co., Pennsylvania. Martin married Sabina Buchs. He died October 20, 1831 at Lewisburg, Union Co, PA, and was buried at Dreisbach Ch. Cem., Lewisburg, PA.

For much more information about the Dreisbach Family, visit Dreisbach-Dresbach Family Association at https://www.dreisbach-dresbach.org/