Biographical Sketch of Daniel Heinrich ESCH/ASH (1881); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Candace Roth . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* From THE HISTORY OF CHESTER COUNTY, by Futhey and Cope (1881); pg. 465 "ASH.--Daniel Heinrich Esch, son of Frederick Wilhelm Esch and Anna Elizabetha, nee Enspelerin, of the Reformed Church, was born April 10, 1717; studied the business of an apothecary, his father's profession, with George Herman Enspeler, court, city, and land apothecary in the high countal residence, city of Neuweid, on the Rhine, 1737-39, and another year with Dr. Goebel, at Dierdorff, and in 1741 came to Pennsylvania, bringing a certificate from Wilhelm Frederick Schnabelins, the pastor of his church at Hachenburg, dated June 3d of that year. This certificate, with others from the doctors under whom he served his apprenticeship, are now in possession of his great-grandson, Franklin P. Ash of West Chester. After his arrival here he married, but his exact residence is not stated. Persons of this name were living in the northern part of Chester County prior to 1740, who may have been related to him. Daniel Heinrich Esch and Elizabeth, his wife, had two children,--Joseph, b. March 7, 1744, and John, b. March 7, 1747. Before the birth of the youngest child the father sailed for Germany, to look after an estate belonging to him; but the vessel was never heard of after. It was his design to take his child Joseph with him, but after going on board the ship he was prevailed upon to send the child back. His widow died about the year 1807. Joseph Esch (or Ash, as it was anglicized) married Rachel Whitaker, a member of West Caln Friends' Meeting, and, the marriage being by a 'priest,' she made an acknowledgment to the meeting 2,17,1769, and in the 12th month following received a certificate of removal to Concord Monthly Meeting. In the 9th month, 1774, she received a certificate back to Bradford Monthly Meeting. She was perhaps a sister to Phinehas Whitaker, and a daughter of John and Dinah Whitaker. The children of Joseph and Rachel were thirteen in number: 1. John, m. Bathsheba Trego; 2. William, m. Ann Fisher; 3. Mary, m. Caleb Way; 4. Elizabth, m. James Lowrey and Carvel Cooley; 5, Rachel, m. Jonathan Webb; 6. Joseph, died without issue; 7, Peter, m. Elizabeth Thomas; 8. Phineas, m. Eleanor Alexander; 9. Susan, m. John Ross; 10. Julia Ann, m. George Lawrence; 11. Sarah, m. Peter Schroff; 12. Daniel, died in infancy; 13. David, b. Oct 21, 1789, m. Hannah Hayes. William was the father of Phineas Ash, of West Caln; Peter was the father of Franklin P. Ash, ex-recorder of deeds, formerly of Oxford."