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- Henry Driesbach, Sr., was one of the pioneers and one of the advance guard of those emigrants who, turning their backs to the home of their youth and the comforts and luxuries of the older States, moved to a country covered with forests to make it the home of civilization, and to displace the wigwam of the Indian for the school-house, the church, and the comfortable dwelling. They were conquerors, not by sword and musket, but by proper and rugged tools moved by stalwart arms, strong native intelligence and by the immutable truths of the Bible and that religion which teaches an intelligent an heartfelt devotion to the God of their fathers. No one among their number is more worthy a place in this History of Livingston County than Henry Driesbach, Sr., for he was one whose strong arm, brave heart, and unwearied industry aided in making her foremost among the agricultural counties of the State. It is with peculiar pleasure that we record the name of such men on the pages of this History. He was born in Pennsylvania, April 3, 1790. In the year 1806 he removed to Sparta with his father's family. When old enough he purchased a piece of land containing seventy acres.
One day a land agent called at his father's and proposed to sell Henry this piece of land . He replied that he had no money with which to purchase it. The agent informed him that he would trust him for it and give him all the time needed in which to pay, provided he pay the cost of making out the contracts which was $1.50. This was another poser to the young man for he saw no means by which to raise the required sum. But his mother came to the rescue and said, "Henry, if you really wish to take up that land I'll pay for the contract." Accordingly she paid the agent the money, papers were made out and Henry became the possessor of the seventy acres of land.
At this time the land was valued at ten shillings per acre, and here was a debt of $87.50 for Henry to pay. Soon the sound of his ax began to resound through the forest. In short time he made a small clearing and then commenced building him a house, working at it at odd times until he enclosed it and finished off one room. This done, like Jacob of old, he looked around for a wife, a companion who would share with him the comforts of his home. He soon found one in the person of Lydia, daughter of Harmon Hartman, of Dansville, whom he married in 1819. She was in every sense of the word worthy of her husband, and their life was a happy one.
He used to relate in a pleasing manner how ardently he struggled to pay for his first seventy acres of land. The land office from which he purchased was at Geneva, fifty or more miles distant for his home, and nothing but a foot path marked by blazed trees to guide him there. He says, "I remember on one occasion when there was ten dollars due the office, by the hardest kind of scarping I got the money together and with a gun on my shoulder, I started on foot for Geneva. In due time reaching there, I paid my money an started for home." "In those days deer and bears were plenty in the country and often, too, a panther was to be seen prowling about. I saw but little game until nearly home and then espied a noble deer some rods for me. I raised my gun, fired, and the deer giving one jump dropped dead. With my hunting knife I skinned it, cut out the hind quarters, strung them over my shoulders and marched home with my venison." This took place near what is now called Reeds Corners. Another time, when on his way home, as he reached a dense part of the forest, he heard a strange noise which came from a large tree.
Looking up he saw a huge panther glaring down at him. Bringing his gun to bear on the frightful beast he fired. The bullet entered its throat just under its mouth, inflicting a fatal wound. The panther fell to the ground, snapping his teeth at him in the most ferocious manner. He fired again and this time the ball entered his brain, causing instant death, Mr. D. sold the skin for eight dollars, thereby receiving nearly enouh to pay the next installment on his contract.
At length having paid for his seventy acres he gradually took up land and paid for it till many years before his death he owned six hundred acres of land, the most valuable in the county. Mr. Driesbach was successful as a mechanic as well as an excellent farmer. At an early age he united with the Lutheran Reformed Church at Dansville, and during the remainder of his life was a devoted and prayerful member of that church. He was always a Democrat but never troubled others with his politics. He died at the advanced age of eighty-two, honored and respected by all who knew him. Although he had gone to his final rest, his widow still lived in the very house to which her husband took her when a bride. Mr. and Mrs. Driesbach were the parents of eight children, four of whom died in childhood.
(History of Livingston County, by James H. Smith, 1881)
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1790 - 1872 (81 years)
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