Captain Albrecht Deibler

Albrecht Deibler was an early settler of the Lykens Valley in present-day Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.  He purchased property in 1773 when the area was still using the name of Upper Paxton or Wiconisco Valley in Lancaster County.  Today the land he owned is in Lykens Township just east of the border with Mifflin Township, Dauphin, Pennsylvania, adjacent to brother Matthias Deibler and his father Michael Divler.  It is probable that they moved to the area before they obtained the property.  Tax lists published for the years 1769, 1770, and 1775 assess him in the area as early as 1769.

He brought his wife Anna Catharine Shupp and their young children to the area and started to clear the land and farm. He is listed on the Lancaster County Warrant Register as Albrecht Deibler (see link).  

Life was difficult and made more challenging by the oppressive rule of England after the French and Indian War and other violent skermishes with the Indians.  Abrecht decided to join Colonel James Burd's Fourth Regiment of the Lancaster County Militia 14 March 1776 and was Captain of a Company that included several of his neighbors, including his two brothers Michael and Matthias.

The transcription below is from the images of both the Pennsylvania Archive Series VII, page 347 and the Muster Roll of Captain Albright Deibler Company given in Kelker, Luther Reily,. History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical memoirs. New York Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1907.  Volume 2, Pages 878-879 that are attached.

Captain Albright Deibler's Company, Fourth Battalion of Pennsylvania Militia Volunteers, commanded by Col. James Burd, Esq. March 14, 1776

[The Company of Captain Deibler was in active service for nearly a year, returning home in January 1777.  A portion of the command was captured at the battle of Long Island, and were not released until the year 1778.  During that and the following year, the company was commanded by Capt. John Hoffman, and under him they were on the frontiers, protecting the defenceless inhabitants from the encroachments of the Indians and Tories, who had their headquarters in Southern New York, and against whom Gen. Sullivan's army was successfully sent in 1779.]

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It was supposed by many, including myself, that Albrecht Deibler had been killed or taken prisoner at the Battle of Long Island in August 1776, since he never returned home.   However, further examination of the  document from the Pennsylvania Archive, page 353, bring new facts to light that indicate a different conclusion.  Since the gun, powder and horn lost were listed as belonging to Albright Diveler and not another soldier who had taken ownership after he died in August, it is reasonable to assume he was alive in November before the battle.  Since his wife is listed as Widow Diveler, it can be implied that he died either on the date of the battle or soon thereafter, especially since when she received the letter of administration on 9 June 1777 as a widow, she had already married her second husband Benjamin Buffington.

Extracted from a second source of the list of equipment losses in Kelker, Luther Reily,. History of Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, with genealogical memoirs. New York Chicago: Lewis Pub. Co., 1907.  Volume 2 Pages 881-882:

I do hereby certify that the Losses herein mentioned were sustained on the 16th Novr., 1776, at the Reduction of Fort Washington. Given under my hand this 8th Day of August, 1777. /s/ James Cowden, Capt.

 Belonging to Captain Murray's Com.

 Soldier name: Albright Diveler

 Guns (£-s-d): 5-5-0

 Pouches & Horns (£-s-d): 0-7-6

 Widow Diveler to repair of George Coopers gun:    60

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 Since there is no known location for the burial of Captain Albright Deibler, the Find A Grave memorial for him was placed in the Virtual Cemetery created for the Prison Ship Monument errected to honor Revolutionary soldiers and civilians who died aboard these ships.  The description from the Find A Grave page for this memorial is quoted:

"The memorial pays tribute to the soldiers and civilians who perished aboard the British Prison Ships that docked in New York Harbor during the Revolutionary War. The crypt contains the remains of more than 11,000 American patriots.

"Long after the war ended, the bones of the dead, who had been buried in shallow graves along the East River, washed up on the shores of Brooklyn. Residents collected them and eventually created an initial memorial in the early 19th century at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for those who perished aboard the prison ships."

Since Albrecht fought and died alongside those honored, and may have been one of those 11,000 bodies buried in a shallow grave along the East River, I felt it was appropriate to add his memorial to this site.  Find A Grave memorial # 88338830 (see link)  

Albrecht and Catharine had six children (multiple variations for all surnames): 
1. Catharina "Kitty", wife of George Bellis (Bealis)
2. Susanna, wife of Johan Christian Hoffman
3. Daniel, husband of Anna Maria Fissel
4. Christina, wife of John Hoffman
5. Mary Magdelena "Molly", wife of Andrew Harter
6. George, husband of Barbara Garman