John R. Reese has been identified with the farming community of Perry Townshp in Noble County practically all his life, and has been an active factor therein for over a quarter of a century. He is a veteran of the threshing business, and owns a large acreage and a valuable farm which represents to a large extent his varied industry and capabilities. His home is two miles east of Ligonier.
He was born in Perry Township, June 30, 1871, son of John and Elizabeth (Peters) Reese. His parents were born in Germany, came to the United States when young, and two years later were married at Buffalo, New York. They subsequently removed to Noble County, Indiana, and settled in Elkhart Township. They were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. John Reese after acquiring American citizenship voted as a democrat. They had eight children, but only two are now living, Elizabeth and John R. Elizabeth is the wife of Ernest Sorgenfrei and lives with her brother.
John R. Reese has spent his entire life in the vicinity of his present home. He acquired a common school education and after reaching manhood he bought out the interests of the other heirs in the old homestead of 113 acres and has since made steady progress toward the acquisition of a large landed estate, and now has 422 acres all in Perry Township and most of it adjoining. He uses this land for the raising of general crops and livestock. As a thresherman he ran an outfit for twenty years, and became known to all the farmers in his and a number of adjoining townships. Mr. Reese is a democrat in politics, is affiliated with the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and with Ligonier Lodge No. 123, Knights of Pythias.
John R. Reese, History of Northeast Indiana, © 1884, Vol. 2, Pg. 11