Martin Dreisbach lived between 1717 and 1799. He was born in Wittgenstein, Germany and came to Pennsylvania with his wife and young family in 1751. He was a blacksmith and we believe he was a hammerschmidt - a man who forges wrought iron. He, and his family, lived through the French and Indian War, the American Revolution and the 1778 Great Runaway in Northumberland County, Pa. It was quite a life. Through it all Martin persevered and served. His descendants benefit even now from his courage.