John Strieby, son of Hans Michael and Barbara Strieby, married Maria Rishel, daughter of William Rishel. Heinrich Ulrich Rishel, native of Germany, came to America in 1753, settling in Bucks Co, Pennsylvania. He was father of Jacob, Leonard, Ludwig, Martin Luther, Michael, and William. All six sons served in the Revolutionary War (Genealogical and Biographical Annals of Northumberland Co, Pennsylvania, 1911, p. 377). Since the service records of several of the Rishel men are found in Northampton Co as well as in records of the Jordan Lutheran Reformed Church of South Whitehall Twp, the family undoubtedly settled in that part of Bucks Co that became Northampton Co in 1752 and Lehigh Co in 1812. Geographical proximity of the Strieby and Rishel families lends support to the belief that the correct spelling of John Strieby's wife was RISHEL.
An improved county road, which leads from the little village of Bolivar, Ohio, in Lawrence Twp, Tuscarawas Co, to the slightly larger village of Strasburg, in the neighboring township of Franklin, takes one over the beautiful hill country near the Stark Co line. Crossing this road, about a mile south of Bolivar, is the "Old Strasburg Road", a winding gravel trail through scenic territory, forking to the northwest. On the left hand side of the road, about a mile from the junction, is an abandoned cemetery almost hidden from view. It is here that the compiler found the graves of John Strieby and wife in a plot with corner posts, indicating it was once enclosed by an iron chain fence. The large tombstones had been laid flush with the ground rather than in the upright position and were scarcely visible through the overgrowth of myrtle. Another stone was found at one corner of the lot. This cemetery is probably located near the old home of John anf his wife in Lawrence Twp.
In Beers' "History of Tuscarawas County, Ohio", published in 1884, p. 566, the statement is made that, among the earliest settlers of Lawrence Twp on the military lots west of the river, were John and William Fashbaugh, Peter Himes, George Robinson, and John Streaby. "Peter Himes and John Streaby emigrated from Pennsylvania about 1812." In the 1800 U. S. Census for Northampton Co, Pennsylvania, John Strilby is shown with wife and one son living near his older brother Leonard Strieby. The exact name of his wife is unknown. It may have been Richel, Reichell, Raechel, Rickel, or more likely Rishel since families of this name were living in Northampton Co, the county where John's father died in 1790, in the latter half of the 18th century. Rishels were also numerous in York Co, Pennsylvania where it is possible that John Strieby spent some time before joining Peter Himes on the trek westward. Names of the other settlers near John Strieby, such as the Harnish family, were later familiar ones in the lake area between Wawasee and Tippecanoe. In fact, Beers' also said, p. 567, "quite an emigration from Lawrence Township to Kosciusko Co., Indiana commenced about 1830, and has continued to the present time."
John Strieby also owned land in the Salem Tract farther south in Tuscarawas. Several deeds in county records give evidence of his various transactions as also his estate administration documents and Chancery records. In the Census of 1820, John and his wife are shown with a family of ten children, five boys and five girls. This indicates a family of twelve children since their daughter, Caty Huff married in 1817, and son Samuel was not born until about 1821. However, there remains only documented record of nine surviving children after the death of John Strieby in 1841 unless the tombstone referred to above can be looked upon as a record of sorts. That the family clung to its German background is evidenced by books in that language listed in the sale of property (Probate Bk. 4:396ff) as well as in their membership in the Reformed Church. About 1835, Conrad Zutavern and wife, Anna Maria, together with John Strieby and wife, Anna Maria, signed a deed for parts of Lots 16 and 17, Section 2, Township 10, for a "German Presbyterian and Lutheran Church to be known as Paul's Church" (Deed Bk. 10:212). John was a trustee of this church, which was said to have been torn about 1925; it adjoined the cemetery where John and his wife are buried. According to Beers', p. 573, Striebys, Fernsells, and others were members of a Lutheran Society formed in 1822.
Sarah Strieby, daughter of John and Anna Maria (Rishel) Strieby married Timothy Lamberson, a widower, January 20, 1831 in Tuscarawas Co, Ohio. According to Chancery Record4:607-610, Sarah (Strieby) Lamberson was living in Iowa Territory in April, 1845. A timothy lamberson is found in Pickaway Co, Ohio in 1830. If the same asthe one of this name who married Sarah, then his first wife possibly died there. She was probably the daughter of Samuel Mosser who is considered the first settler in Lawrence Twp, Tuscarawas Co, Ohio. There was a Lamberson family from Warren Co, New Jersey in Ohio in 1820. Efforts to locate the Timothy Lambersons in Iowa have not met with success.