Contents |
Daniel was born in 1834 in Northumberland, Pennsylvania.[1][2] He was the son of William Reitz and Anna Liese.
In 1872, he married Mary Lerch Spare.[1] They had no children.
He passed away in 1901, and was buried in the Brookville Cemetery.[2]
He was the second of ten children. At age 24, he left his parent's home and found work in the lumber woods of Jefferson county. He saved money to provide a home for his parents; William had "met with reserves in business." In 1865, he went to the Pacific coast, spending nearly seven years traveling in search of his fortune, apparently successful despite narrowly escaping "many hostile Indian tribes." He returned to PA in 1872, purchasing a farm in Beaver township, Jefferson county.
That same year, he married Mary Spare, nee Lurch. "For several years after his return, Mr. Reitz was actively engaged in general farming, and for fifteen years served as justice of the peace, during which time he administered and settled many estates." He was a member of the Masonic order, the I.O.O.F., the Grand Lodge, the Knights of Pythias, the American Mechanics, and the Farmers Alliance.
He supported Lincoln in 1860 despite being a Democrat. Starting in 1864, he "entertained Greenback proclivities". In 1884, he attended the Democratic and Greenback Congressional Convension, and was nominated for representative, but lost his strongly Republican district. He was nominated for State Senator in 1896, but declined the honor.
"No man in Jefferson county stands higher in the estimation of his fellow citizens, or is more deserving their regard than Daniel Reitz."[1]
In 1850, he lived in Lower Augusta, Northumberland with his parents and 8 siblings.[3]
He does not seem to appear in the 1860 census, perhaps due to his work in the lumber woods, nor in 1870, when he was on the west coast.
In 1880, he lived in Beaver township with his wife Mary and his stepdaughter Frances Spare, age 16. His occupation is listed as farmer.[4]
In 1900, he lived in Brookville with his wife Mary and his niece Sydney Raymen, age 20. His occupation is listed as real estate agent.[5]
This week's featured connections are Redheads: Daniel is 20 degrees from Catherine of Aragón, 19 degrees from Clara Bow, 28 degrees from Julia Gillard, 15 degrees from Nancy Hart, 17 degrees from Rutherford Hayes, 19 degrees from Rita Hayworth, 20 degrees from Leonard Kelly, 23 degrees from Rose Leslie, 22 degrees from Damian Lewis, 21 degrees from Maureen O'Hara, 25 degrees from Jopie Schaft and 37 degrees from Eirik Thorvaldsson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.