dech, william, hanover twp., born nov. 19, 1817, s/o jacob and polly a. (oberly) dech, also natives of northampton co., pa. jacob dech, the father, was a valiant soldier in the rev. he was a native of bucks co, his father in turn was believed to be a native of germany. our subject's father devoted his entire life to farming, and for many years was a member of east allen twp. of his family 4 survive, william, erin, mary a., w/o samuel keller and stephen. william dech, subject, married oct. 22, 1846 to eliza m. heller, d/o jacob and polly (hammel) heller, were natives of northampton co. they had 5 children, 4 still living, christina, w/o a.d. siegfried, milton a., s. minerva, w/o henry c. fulmer and flora a., w/o dr. joseph heckenberger, of catasauqua. ida e. the other dau. died in 1853 dech, ausben w. subject, a son of joseph and elisabeth (ritter) dech, also natives of northampton co.. ausben was born in hanover twp, sept 16, 1847. the grandfather, andrew dech, was born in this country, though his ancestors were german, having emigrated from the fatherland in an early day. joseph dech, subject's father, a life-long resident of northampton co. in his family there were 3 children, eliza a., w/o p.j. heller, of kansas, elmira, of bethlehem, and ausben w. the marriage of mr. dech and miss laura, d/o stephen trumbower of east allen, "northumberland twp", jan 6. 1868. children; walter j., howard s. and herber a. desh, george j. subect, of bethlehem, he was born june 16, 1837, at hellertown, northampton, s/o henry desh, whose birth occurred in lehigh co, george desh, the grandfather, a native of germany, settled near macungie, lehigh co., where he died when still young. his son, henry desh, who was the father of the subject, was a buther, and later became a hotel man in hellertown. his death took place in phila. at age 60. the name originally was desch; our subject's mother, annie m., was tthe d/o william heisler, who came to the u.s. from germany in boyhood, and was sold at phila. to a berks co. man. he srv. in the rev. after the war he located in berks co, near reading. to mr. and mrs. henry desh were born 10 children, who lived to maturity and 6 are still living (1894). george j. the youngest, was reared in hellertown. in 1854 he went to phila, where he worked in a tobacco store, a few years later he went to ohio. returning to hellertown he went again to phila for a year and a-haft while a resident of the quaker city he married catharine crater who was born in chester co. after marriage located at bethlehem, in the fall of 1859 with his brother daniel, he started a butcher business. mr. and mrs. george j. desh have 10 living children, annie e., widow of charles rush, antoinetta c., w/o william sample of phila., clara e, w/o william winch, laura b., w/o charles DECH , bertha e., w/o edward osborne, of phila., adelaide c., warren e., henry c., grace g., and earl g. Best Wishes, Geri