Simon Ashbrook (Eschback) Hardman Horn
Michael Dennis (Dinges) Lawrence Stricker (Stracker)
Michael Ely (Ohli) Jacob Wolff (Wolf)
In Buffalo Township a group of German settlers began arriving in
1773. They visited on adjoining farms as shown on the map. Three had
original grants: Michael Dennis, Lawrence Stricker and Jacob (via
William) Wolf. Others bough their land: Simon Ashbrook 1786, Michael
Ely 1791, Hardman Horn 1796.
Included are: (1) the family of George Ely (relation to Michael
known known), who died in Finley Township, although some of his children
were in Buffalo Township for a while; (2) the families of John and
William Wolf, who lived in Canton and buffalo Townships.
There was considerable intermarriage:
4 Dennis' m Elys, 2 Horns m Elys, 4 Wolfs m Ashbrooks, an Ely m
a Stricker, a Wolf m a Dennis, a Horn m a Dennis, an Ely m an Ely.
The closeness of the group is shown by the building of a Lutheran
church - known as Wolf Meeting House - on a 3-acre piece of land where
the Horn, Stricker and Michael Ely farms joined (now East Buffalo
United Presbyterian Church). on March 5-1802 Hardman and Elizabeth
Horn, Lawrence and Barbara Stricker, Michael and Mary Ely (Ili),
for 5 shillings, deeded 3 acres for a school house, a meeting house
and a burying ground. Jacob Wolf was a witness.
The following data may be of interest: (census MS6+ ML6- F)
arrival census house
date from 1790 1800 1810 1798 died
Ashbrook, Simon 1786 Lebanon Co 103 124 253 $24 1848
Dennis, Michael cl775 Lebanon Co 135 245 122 40 1812
Ely, Michael 1782 Lebanon Co 137 226 324 20 1819
Horn, Hardman 1787 Amwell Twp 244 323 302 20 1811
Stricker, Lawrence 1773 Lebanon Co 248 403 201 175 1816
Wolf, Jacob c1773 Dauphin Co 125 204 101 24 1835
Likely the first to make a settlement were Lawrence Stricker and
Jacob Wolf, who were neighbors in Dauphin County. Stricker's date is
from his Virginia certificate. The shape of the farms shows that they
came together. Before long Michael Dennis and other members of the
Wolf family arrived. Jacob Wolf had brothers Peter, John, Christopher
and William. Peter and Christopher moved to Ohio. In 1782 Michael Ely
came from Lebanon County, followed about 1786 by Simon Ashbrook (Ash-
baugh). Hardman Horn came from Amwell Township, Washington County in
1787 (his oldest son was born in Virginia in 1772) and John Wolf from
Dauphin County about 1787. Members of the George Ely family began to
arrive from Schuylkill County shortly before 1800.
Indian wars from 1777-82 necessitated forts. Jacob Wolf fortified
his cabin and surrounded it with a stockade. He was a lieutenant in
the militia in 1778. Stricker built a 2-story blockhouse about 35 by
35, with overshots on two sides. There was no stockade, but under the
floor was a cellar. Wolf was a tavern-keeper. Until the organization
of Washington County in 1781, the area was under the jurisdiction of
the Ohio County (then Virginia) courts. From 1781 to 1799 present
Buffalo Township was a part of Donegal Township. The western boundary
of Pennsylvania was not established until November 1782.
The spelling of the family names went through changes except for
HORN. WOLFF became Wolf and Wolfe: ESCHBACH (ash brook in German)
became Ashbaugh and Ashbrookt STRACKER became Strecker and Strciker:
DINGES turned into Dennis. The most changes were made in Ely.
In Hochstadt, Germany it was OHLI. George Ely sighed YHLY, Michael ILI.
George's family began using Ealy. The various spellings can be summarized:
Ö ÿ
ÿ y
I hl ie
E ll ey
Ea l i
y
The Elys may have come from Hochstadt, the Strickers from Pfedders-
heim, the Wolfs from Meisenheim, the Dennis' from Daimbach. Don Yoder
in his RHINELAND EMIGRANTS tells of the death of Gerhard Dinges
in 1743 and the migration of his son, Philip from Daimbach, near Mörs-
feld to America in 1749. In 1761 Philip Dennis and Peter Wolf (father
of Jacob, above) went to Philadelphia together for naturalization.
A number of the sons migrated to Ohio. Those in CAPITALS died in
Washington County as far as can be ascertained.
Ashbrook John SIMON SOLOMON William ABRAHAM ABSALOM
Dennis Philip Michael John David Jacob
Ely, George Henry GEORGE John Peter Jonas Daniel
Ely, Michael Jacob Michael MARTIN
Horn Martin Christian ISSAC Jacob Joseph Benjamin
Stricker Jacob Danile William
Wolf, Jacob JOHN Jacob
Wolf, John JACOB JOHN WILLIAM Henry
Wolf, William WILLIAM PETER John SIMON Christopher
ASHBROOK - ASHBAUGH - ESCHBACH
Simon Eschbach landed in Philadelphia in 1749. He went to Bethel
Township, now Berks or Lebanon County. He lived near Little Swatara
(Atolhoe) Creek. He married Apr 19-1752 Eva Kautzmann. There is
record of five children:
Elizabeth b Feb 2-1753 baptized Feb 11 m c1770 Peter Wolf Jr
Margaret m Jan 25-1774 Michael Conradt
Barbara m May 31-1774 Martin George Leonhardt
Susan b 1759 d Jul 11-1818 m c1781 William Wolf
Simon b 1766 d Jun 17-1848 m Mary Fennell b 1767 d Oct 11-1855
Simon (Jr) "Ashbaugh" went to Washington County (Pa) about 1786.
He made an agreement on Jan 2-1786 with George Meily of Lebanon Twp,
then Dauphin co to purchase a farm about a mile north of Jacob Wolf.
William and Jacob Wolf were witnesses. William Wolf (Simon's brother
-in-law) was to handle the details. He eventually backed down, so the
land went back to Meffey. Simon's tombstone in East Buffalo Cemetery,
where Jacob and William Wolf are buried, reads "Ashbrook".
Simon Ashbrook m c1785 Mary Fennell
1. Margaret b c1786 m --- Howell
2. Mary b c1788 m --- Sheeley
3. John b c1791 m c1815 - in Buffalo 1820
4. Simon b 1793 living Buffalo 1850 m c1817 Naomi ?Shearer b 1797
Ch: Absalom 1818-, Mary, Margaret, Naomi (Wolf) 1825-1907, Nancy 1828
5. Jacob b Dec 1795 d Jul 14-1796
6. Solomon b Oct 26-1798 d Feb 2-1890 m Rebecca -1869 - buried E Buffalo
7. Nancy b Jun 11-1800 d Mar 29-1889 m Isaac Huston 1795-1862
8. William b 1802 - in E Finley 1850 m c1827 Sarah b 1807
Ch: John 1828-1866, Mary 1829-, Absalom 1830-, Lemon 1833-, Nancy
1837-, William 1838-, Sarah J 1841-, Abraham 1843-, Solomon 1845
9. Abraham b 1805 d Mar 28-1845 m 1828 Nancy Lane 1807-1887
Ch: Thomas F 1828-1902, Mary F 1830-1900, Elizabeth (Wolf) 1832-,
Margaret 1834-
/1813 -
10. Absalom Baird b Jan 3-1808 4 Jun 7-1894 m 1833 Elizabeth Braddock
Ch: Mary 1834-, Simon F 1836-1910, William B 1843-, Abraham 1836-
DENNIS - DINGAS
Michael Dennis died in 1812. He is listed in Buffalo Twp as early as
1778 and is on the first tax list in 1782. His farm was surveyed in 1793
with rent from 1784. He signed his will as "Michael Dinges". He may have
been a son of Philip Dingas who landed in 1749 and was in Lebanon Twp 1761.
Michael Dennis b c1750 d 1812 m c1776 Rosanna --- b c1756
1. Philip b c1777 - in Finley Twp 1810 m Elizabeth Horn b c1780
/b c1776
2. Christina b 1779 d Nov 16-1820 m c1797 Jacob (son of Michael) Ely
Ch: Mary 1810-1828 and others
3. Mary b c1781 m c1798 John (son of George) Ely b c 1781
4. Elizabeth b c1783 m John Shuman
/b c1792
5. Michael b c1785 - in Buffalo 1810 m 1810 Barbara (dau of Michael) Ely
6. John b c1787 - in Buffalo 1810 m 1810 Catharine (dau of George) Ely
\b c1791
7. Catharine b 1789 d Jul 11-1842 m 1808 William Wolf 1785-1876
Ch: Hannah (Price) 1809-1872, Michael, Rosanna (Weil) b1818-1835,
William 1816-1837, Joseph Dennis 1820-1897
8. Hannah b c1792, single
9. David b c1794 - in Buffalo 1820 m c1819 Chs ?Robert 1820- and others
10. Jacob b c1796
GEORGE ELY
George was living in Pinegrove Twp, now Schuylkill Co, Pa 1779-85.
He came to Canton Twp about 1805, His children migrated before and after
this date. He died in 1830 in Finley Twp. His estate was settled in 1854.
George Ely b c1750 d 1830 m c1774 Christina --- b c1754 - now Ealy
1. Henry b c1775 - in Buffalo 1810, Finley 1830 m c1795
2. Rosanna b 1777 d Jan 5-1863 m 1800 Andrew Stollar 1777-1846
Ch: Rosanna (Earnest) 1801-, Peter 1802-, Christina (Earnest)1803-
Catharine (Plants) to Ill, Henry 1811-1905, William 1811-1905
Daniel 1818-, Mary (Sprowls) 1820-
3. George b c1779 d Jan 19-1869 m1 1801 --- m2 1814 Christina (dau of
Michael) Ely 1786-1845
Ch: John 1802-1857, Polly (Meharter) 1804-, Henry 1806-1883,
George 1808-: Mary (Stollar) 1815-1840, Michael to Highland Co O.
Catharine (Scott), Christina (Sprowls) 1824-, Martin 1826-1885.
4. John b c1781- in Buffalo 1800, 1810: Finley 1820 m c1798 Mary Dennis
\b c1781
5. Christina b c1783 m --- Stollar
6. Peter b c1785 m Polly Horn b c1784
7. Jonas b c1787 m Euphen Wilson
8. Daniel b c1789
9. Catharine b c1791 m 1810 John Dennis b c1787
10. Mary b c1793 m --- Helt
MICHAEL ELY
Michael Ely died in 1819: his wife was dead in 1816. "Late of Dauphin
Co (Pa)" he bought his farm in 1791. He was taxed in Londonderry Twp,
Lebanon Co 1782, in Buffalo Twp 1783. His estate was settled in 1834.
Michael Ely b c1752 d late in 1819 m c1775 Mary b c1755
/d Nov 16-1820
1. Jacob b c1776 - in Buffalo Twp 1810 m c1797 Christina Dennis b 1779
Ch: Mary 1810-1828 and others
2. Elizabeth b c1778 m c1797 Jacob Stricker b c1773 - Buffalo 1800 1810
Ch: Barbara 1798- and others
3. Mary b c1780 m c1800 George Cellison
4. Michael b c1782 - Buffalo 1820 m
5. Molly (?Magdalena) m c1805 Jacob Horn b c1782
6. Christina b 1786 d 1845 m 1814 George Ely 1779-1869, see above
7. Susanna b 1788 d 1874 m Joseph Horn 1786-1853 Knox Co O 1881
8. Martin b 1790 d Dec 13-1871 Buffalo m 1811 Ann b Nov 30-1795 d Feb 21-
Ch: James 1812-, Nancy (Marshall) 1814-, Elisha 1816-, John 1820
Mary (Donaughy) 1825-, Sarah Ann (Knox) 1827-, Jeremiah 1829, Wm
\1833-
9. Barbara b c1792 m 1810 Michael Dennis b c1785
10. Catharine b c1794 d c1815 m c1810 Archibald McNeal
Ch: Mary (Porter), John 1812-1851, Michael
11. Margaret b c1802 m --- Dylinger
Another Michael Ely, blacksmith, was in Somerset Twp, Washington Co
1784-85, He was in Donegal Twp 1790, the census 1 1 6, He was "late
of Washington County" in 1800, when he sold his blacksmith tools.
HORN
Hardman Horn first appears in Amwell Twp, Washington co in 1782. His
oldest son was born in Virginia in 1772. Hardman may have been a son of
Jacob 1721-1778, He had brothersl John 1742-1826 Amwell in 1790 1 4 1:
Christopher 1745-1809 West Bethlehem Twp in 1790 3 1 7. Hardman Horn
is taxed in Buffalo (then Donegal) Twp from 1787. He bought his farm 1796.
Hardman Horn b Jun 17-1747 d Oct 1811 m c1771 Elizabeth Hough b c1751.
1. Martin b 1772 Va - in Buffalo 1850 d 1856 likely Knox Co O
m c1793 Margaret Wilkins b 1774
Ch: Hardman to Knox co, Rosanna (Gantz) b 1796, Joseph 1802-,
Martin to Knox Co, Jacob, Mary (Meloy) -1859, John 1799-1885
2. Christian b c1774 - in Buffalo 1800 m c1795
3. Isaac b 1776 d Nov 16-1844 Buffalo m c1802 Polly --- 1779-1838
Ch: Mary, Abraham 1805-1834, Christopher 1807-1882 Mansfield O,
Delilah (Wilkins), Polly (Bartilson), Isaac
4. Catharine b 1779 d Feb 3-1805 m c1797 Lewis Hewit b 1773
Ch: Mary 1798-, Isaac 1800-, John 1803- and others
5. Elizabeth b c1800 m Philip Dennis b c1777
/b c1784
6. Jacob b c1782 - in Buffalo 1810 m c1805 Molly (dau of Michael) Ely
7. Polly (?Mary) b c1784 m Peter Ely b c1785 (son of George)
8. Joseph b 1786 d 1853 m Susanna (dau of Michael) Ely 1788-1874 Knox Co
9. Benjamin b c1790
STRICKER
Lawrence Stricker signed his name on an 1804 road petition as Johan
Lorentz Stricker. In 1747 a Johan Lorentz Sträcker landed at Philadelphia
with Martin Strecker, His signature is similar to that in 1804. In 1764
Johan Lorentz Stricker was a witness to a deed in Paxton Twp, then Lan-
caster Co. He was taxed in East Hanover Twp, now Dauphin Co in 1770 and
1771 with Jacob and Peter Wolf Jr. They were renters: their names are
together. In 1772 Lawrence is taxed for 1 cow in adjoining Londonderry
Twp, now Lebanon Co. In 1773 he settled in Buffalo Twp, Washington Co,
Pa according to his Virginia certificate dated Feb 10-1780. In 1779 his
name is on the Ohio Co, Va court record, He is on the Buffalo Twp (then
Donegal) tax list from 1783, His land was surveyed and patented 1786-87.
A George Stricker was on Middle Island Creek in now West Virginia 1776.
After Lawrence's death in April 1816, his executors sold the farm.
The deed "reserved one acre for the Presbyterian and Lutheran meeting-
house, best known by the name of Wolf's Meeting-House". His blockhouse
has been described above,
/c1825
Lawrence Stricker b c1730 d Apr 1816 m c1766 Barbara ??Wolf b c1749 d
1. Catharine b 1767 d 1843 m 1787 George Harsh 1760-1833 - Stark Co O
Ch: Elizabeth 1794-, Joseph 1796- and others
2. Christina b c1769 m c1789 Philip Harsh
Ch: Barbara 1795-, Catharine 1796-, William 1797-, Ludwig 1799-,
Leonard 1801-, Susanna 1803-, Christian 1805-, John 1810-,
Levi 1818
3. William b Feb 1771 d yg - baptism sponsored by Jacob Wolf & wife
4. Jacob b c1773 - in Buffalo 1800 1810 m c1797 Elizabeth (dau of
Michael) Ely b c1778
Ch: Barbara 1798- and others
5. Elizabeth b c1776 m c1794 Samuel Black - Champaign Co O
6. Hannah b c1779 m c1798 Lewis Harsh
Ch: Margaret 1799-, Barbara 1800-, Adam 1802-, Elizabeth 1810-,
Samuel 1813-, Abraham 1815-, Hannah 1818-
7. Daniel b c1781 - in Buffalo 1806
8. William b c1783 - in Buffalo 1806-13 - ? to Knox Co O
9. Mary b c1786 m Abraham Nascher
10. Susanna b c1789 m 1810 John Nyswaner
WOLF
The sons of Peter Wolf Sr came from East Hanover Twp, Dauphin Co
the 1770s. Peter and Christopher went to Ohio.Jacob died in Buffalo,
John in Canton, William in Washington.
Jacob Wolf b 1738 ?Germany d Apr 20-1835 Buffalo
ml c1770 Elizabeth Cline b 1752 d Sep 2-1817 - related to Conrad Cline
m2 Aug 16-1819 Barbara Ritzel (widow of Henry) d 1845
1. Sabina b 1771 d Peb 18-lh45 Pittsburgh m 1789
Hugh Henry Brackenridge b 1748 d Jun 95-1816 Carlisle, Pa
2. John b Feb 6-1773 d Apr 16-1857 Buffalo m 1793
Elizabeth (dau of John) Devore b Oct 2-1776 d Dec 5-1829
Ch: Jacob 1794-1860 Ind, Hester (Wilson) 1797-1882 Columbus 0,
Abraham 1799-1874, Henry Kline 1801-1842, John W 1803-1886 Ohio,
Isaac 1806-1831, Elizabeth (Wherry) 1809-1876, James 1812-1890,
Samuel 1814-1851, David 1817-1847
3. Mary b Aug 17-1776 d I^eb 28-1832 m 1794 William (son of James)
Clemens b Jan 30-1767 d Jan 14-1849
4. Barbara b c1778 lived near Louisville Ky m c1798 --- McConnell
5. Elizabeth b c1780 m ?Apr 15-1799 Abraham Clemens (bro of Wm)
b Oct 3-1769 d Jul 4-1841
6. Jacob b Nov 16-1781 d Aug 16-1866 Richland Co O m c1809 Priscilla
(dau of Joshua) Martin b 1787
Ch: Joshua 1809-1861, ?John, ?Abner, Jacob c1818- Alexander Reed
1820-1855, Priscilla 1823-1886, George 1828-1847, ?Sabina (Gold-
smith)
7. Margaret b c1788 m c1810 John (son of James) Cleland
d 1828 Richland Co O
8. Delilah b c1790 m c1810 John McGaw - in Buffalo 1820
9. Rosanna b c1792 ml Sep 12-1810 John Shearer d 1824 m2 Dec 15-1825
John Tarleton d 1838 Chillicothe O
John Wolf bap Mar 31-1747 d Jan 15-1833 Canton Twp, Washington Co
m c1776 Barbara --- b c1756, living 1818
1. Jacob b Jun 8-1777 Lancaster Co d Jan 26-1857 Canton Twp m c1810
Catharine (dau of Abraham) Bedillion b 1793 Lancaster Co d Sep 10
Ch: ?Margaret b c1811 (Clark), Abraham Bedillion c1813-1891, 1868
John H c1815-, Isaac c1818-1892, ?James Taylor c1821 to Clark Co
Mo, Aaron C 1823-1825, ?Peter c1825-, Thomas G 1827-1912,
Mary (Cox) c1830-
2. John b 1780 d c1860 Canton Twp m c1800 Catharine ?Cook b 1776
Cumberland Co, Pa d Jan 12-1852
Ch: David 1801-1864, Joseph c1806-1879, Solomon c1808-1887, Jacob
1814-1898, John c1816- to Cal, Enoch 1818-1879
3. Mary b 1782 d St Louis m 1800 George Helt d Nov 1849 Finley Twp
4. William b 1785 d Sep 22-1876 Canton Twp m c1808 Catharine (dau of
Michael) Dennis b c1789 d Nov 16-1842
Ch: Hannah (Price) 1809-1872, Michael c1811- to Cal, Rosanna (Weil)
c1813-1835 Ohio, William 1816-1837, Joseph Dennis 1820-1897
Pensacola Fla
5. Henry b c1790 m Sarah Sears (Waters) to Ohio Sons John
6. Catharine b 1795 d 1878 single
7. Barbara b c1800 m c1817 Hugh Waters - to Ohio
8. Hannah b c1802 m c1818 Henry (son of Zachariah) Cox - to Ohio
William Wolf b Mar 14-1757 d Oct 16-1839 Washington, Pa ml c1781
Susan (dau of Simon) Ashbaugh b 1759 d Jul 11-1818 m2 --- --
1. Mary b c1782 m James Skiggins - d Ohio
2. William b Mar 28-1784 d Oct 31-1838 ~#ashington m c1809
Margaret Schuster b Mar 17-1790 d Oct 17-1867
Ch: Susan S 1810-1894, Elizabeth Clemens 1812-1910, Peter c1820
to Cal, William B 1822-1913, Jane (Porte-Mason) 1824-1910,
John B c1826 -
3. Peter b 1786 d Jul 27-1865 Washington m1 1813 Sarah McGonigal b 1790
d Jan 21-1846 m2 Nancy --- b 1794 d Apr 19-1880
Ch: William 1815-1898, Elizabeth (Shannon) 1816-1895, Jane (McGonigle
Copeland) b c1817, Sarah (Bristor) b c1818, Simon 1819-1847
4. Elizabeth b c1788 d W Va single
5. John b c1790 d c1868 Wheeling, W Va m c1811 Frances --
Ch: William 1812-living Cal 1892, Jane (?Halistead), Hiram to Cal,
?Margaret (Teter) Ky, John 1819-1881 E Finley Twp, Jackson
Washington 1822-1914 Cal, Jeremiah - Ohio, Susan (Black)
6. Simon S b May 23-1793 d Oct 9-1879 Washington m c1817
Mary Daniels b 1798 d May 17-1878
Ch: Susan 1818-1874, Sarah (Miller) 1822-, ?Rebecca (Slonaker) c1823-,
?James S 1827-, Maria K (Dickey) 1829-1914, Peter F 1832-,
Irena M 1837-, William Henry Harrison 1840-, Simon Christopher
1842-1908
7. Christopher b c1796 in Clark co Mo 1850 ml c1821 Eleanor --
b 1796 d Sep 18-1845 Buffalo Twp m2 Jul 4-1848 Margaret Wilson
Ch: William 1823-1891, Susanna 1829-, Simon 1831-, Samuel M 1834-1834,
Isaac H 1836-1838g Thomas 1849
8. Susan b 1802 m Apr 4-1820 Leonard Dickerson b 1801 in Washington
Twp, Morrow co, Ohio 1850
ARTICLE WRITTEN BY: Dr. Raymond M. Bell
413 Burton Avenue
Washington, Pa. 15301
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