Reitz Family History

Caroline (Reitz) Howe July 4, 1838 - March 5, 1912

William Reitz married Mary Lease (or Lees) (see highlighted story below). William and Mary had 10 children: Daniel, Levi L., Peter L., Morris L., Jonathan L.(see highlighted story below), Sarah (married Berkhouse), Suzanne (married Swab), Margaret (married Shaffer), Lydia (married Spare) and Caroline (born near Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pennsylvania and her family moved by covered wagon to Beaver Township when she was quite small.)

Caroline Reitz married John Howe (Oct 21, 1828 - June 19, 1908)

Mary Della Howe (1861-1899) married Joseph Warren Hindman (1853-1924)

Claude Franklin Hindman (1892-1962) married Elsa Anna Steltenpohl (1895-1983)

Vernon Nelson Hindman (1924-1983) married Eleonora Gay Rasmussen (1934- )

Evan Nelson Hindman (1956-) married Sharon Lee Ellis (1958-)

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NEW! The following is a history of Jonathan Reitz (brother to Caroline Reitz Howe, my great-great-grandmother). It also mentions sister Caroline and parents William and Mary Reitz.

From Jefferson County Pennsylvania, Her Pioneers and People, Vol 2. Published Chicago, J. H. Beers & Company, 1917:

JONATHAN L. REITZ has resided on his present farm for more than sixty years and was a lad of five years when his parents here established their home, the farm at that time having been little more than virgin forest, awaiting the challenge of energy and constructive industry. Mr. Reitz was born in Northumberland county, on the 19th of March, 1849, and in the same county were born and reared his parents, William and Mary (Lees) Reitz, who came with their family to Jefferson county in 1854 and established a home on the farm now owned by their son Jonathan L. A small amount of development work had been done on the place, which comprised 126 acres, and under the vigorous control of William Reitz more land was cleared and brought under cultivation in the passing years. He was somewhat active in lumbering operations, and obtained from his land timber of the best order. His old house is still standing, not far distant from the residence of the subject of this sketch, and is one of the pioneer landmarks of this part of the county. William Reitz died at the age of seventy-four years, and his widow was about the same age at the time of her demise. Both were zealous communicants of the Berkhouse Lutheran Church, their remains resting in the cemetery near that church. Mr. Reitz took deep interest in community affairs, served as township supervisor and held other offices. Of the ten children who attained to years of maturity are the following: Daniel, who was a prominent lumberman and the owner of a saw mill, passed the closing years of his life at Brookville; Sarah was the wife of Simon Burkhouse and died some years ago; Peter L. continued his residence in Beaver township until his death; Caroline became the wife of John Howe, of Union township, and was a resident of Brookville at the time of her death; Lydia married Joseph Spare and is a resident of Clarion county; Susanne, the wife of Adam Schwab, died in Clarion county; Levi, who was a successful farmer and hotelkeeper, is living retired at Brookville; Morris resides on his farm near Shannondale, Clarion county; Jonathan L.; Margaret, the wife of George Shaffer, died in Clarion county.

Jonathan L. Reitz profited by the advantages of pioneer schools and has continued to reside on the old homestead to the present time, the property having come into his possession upon the death of his father, he caring for his widowed mother with deep filial solicitude until she too was summoned to eternal rest. He erected his commodious residence nearly thirty years ago, and on the place has since built a good house for his only son, who has active supervision of the farm. The substantial stock and produce barn was built nearly half a century ago and, like all other buildings on the farm, is kept in good repair; the old homestead now shows eighty-five acres under effective cultivation. Mr. Reitz retained some of the native timber until it became of appreciable value and gave good returns. For twenty years the underlying vein of coal was mined for local consumption, this being the Upper Freeport vein, four and a half feet in thickness. There is still much coal on the place, the mining leases having been held by others for a number of years without development work. Back of the residence the land rises to an elevation of seventy feet above it, and is one of the highest points in Beaver township. The farm is given over to diversified agriculture and raising of good livestock. Mr. Reitz has been an energetic and successful exponent of agricultural industry in Jefferson county, where his circle of friends is limited only by that of his acquaintances. He has held no public office save that of school director, but has been liberal and public-spirited as a citizen and his political allegiance is given to the Democratic party.

At the age of twenty-two years Mr. Reitz wedded Miss Elizabeth Young, born and reared in Beaver township and a daughter of the late Michael Young. They have one son and four daughters: Della is the wife of Frank Shaffer; Cora is Mrs. Emmanuel Reed, of Ringgold township; Ida, wife of Calvin Byerly, of Summerville; Carrie married Frank Sowers, of Beaver township; Elmer, who remains with his father on the old home farm, married Nora Sowers, only child of David Sowers, their three children being Alton, Mabel and Frank.

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