Daniel Reitz (1834 - 1901)

Born 13 Jan 1834 in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, USA

Ancestors

Died 13 Apr 1901 at age 67 in Brookville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, USA

Biography

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]

From Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania, 1898

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]

Residence

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]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2} J.H. Beers & Co (1898). Commemorative biographical record of central Pennsylvania : including the counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion. Chicago, IL: J.H. Beers. Pages 1103-4. Retrieved August 28, 2018, from https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio02jhbe_0.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 28 August 2018), memorial page for Daniel Reitz (13 Jan 1834–13 Apr 1901), Find A Grave Memorial no. 99625763, citing Brookville Cemetery, Brookville, Jefferson County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by pcarney (contributor 47051010) .
3. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4CC-BHT : 12 April 2016), Daniel Reitz in household of William Reitz, Lower Augusta, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family 176, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
4. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWFK-4TB : 15 July 2017), Daniel Reitz, Beaver, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district ED 187, sheet 28A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1136; FHL microfilm 1,255,136.
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M339-HFL : accessed 28 August 2018), Daniel Reitz, Brookville borough, Jefferson, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 59, sheet 6B, family 154, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,241,416.