Rev. Alfred Franklin Dreisbach, A. B., resident pastor of the Reformed Church at Shrewsbury, was born in Northampton County, Penn., September 8, 1851. His parents were Jacob and Matilda (Gormanton) Dreisbach, of Pennsylvania, and of German and French descent. They had a family of eight children, three sons and one daughter (of whom Rev. Alfred is the youngest) now living. Of the parents, the mother died in 1861, at the age of forty-nine years; while his father is still residing at his native place. The primary education of our subject was received at the public schools, but at the age of sixteen years he went to Easton Collegiate Institute, where he remained nine or ten terms. He studied the languages under Rev. Dr. E. W. Reinecke, of Nazareth, Penn., for two years, and also taught school for six terms. At the age of twenty-one he entered Franklin & Marshall College at Lancaster, Penn., and graduated in 1877 as A. B. He at once entered the theological seminary at Lancaster, from which he graduated in May, 1880, and in August he was called to his present charge, and was ordained as soon as called. June 29, 1880, he was married at Lancaster, Penn., to Mary E. Hoffmeier, daughter of William M. Hoffmeier, of Lancaster, and of German and Scotch-Irish descent. He organized a neglected congregation at New Freedom, and built a church and parsonage at Shrewsbury. At present he preaches at Shrewsbury; at St. Peter’s, in Springfield Township; at Jerusalem, in Shrewsbury Township; and at Bethlehem in Codorus Township, and at New Freedom.


Taken from the book, “History of York County, Illustrated 1886” by John Gibson, Historical Editor