John David Reese Sr

John D. Reese and his eight children

John David Reese lived in Shade Township, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, on a farm of about 105 acres beside land of Henry Kuntz, Mathias Reel and Christian Stoltman. He died shortly before 21 January 1847 without a will.

The Orphans' Court docket for February 1847 records a petition from his son-in-law John H. Snyder and describes the family. John D. Reese had 'lately died intestate leaving a Widow named Mary and issue Eight Children': George; Rachael, wife of John Cable; Catharine, wife of John Long; Mary, wife of George Ackerman; Nancy, wife of John Ackerman; John; Eliza, wife of Abraham Cable; and Juliana, wife of John H. Snyder. Two of them married into the Ackerman family; Rachael was living in Knox County, Ohio, and Catharine in Allegheny County.

On 21 January 1847 letters of administration were granted to John Reese Jr. and John H. Snyder, after the widow gave up her right. She was Mary, called Polly. Family trees say she was born Mary Trent, but we have found no document that gives her maiden name.

The Mary who married George Ackerman was our ancestor. Her daughter Mary Ellen Ackerman married Samuel Wilt in 1853, and their son Harry Stehman Wilt was the father of Mary Kathryn Wilt, whose story is told elsewhere on this site.

How we know

• Somerset County Orphans' Court docket, February 1847
• Somerset County administration records, 21 January 1847
• 1830 census, Shade Township

Confidence: proven for John D. Reese, his widow Mary and their children; probable only for the maiden name Trent, which is not yet documented

Timeline

1. 1780Born in Pennsylvania
2. 1810Lived in Stonycreek, Somerset, Pennsylvania
3. 1820Lived in Shade, Somerset, Pennsylvania
4. 1830Lived in Shade, Somerset, Pennsylvania
5. 1840Lived in Shade, Somerset, Pennsylvania
6. 1847Died in Somerset County, Pennsylvania