Catherine (Reitz) Fegley (1822 - 1888)

Born 1822 in Upper Mahanoy Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States

Ancestors

Wife of John Fegley — married 23 Apr 1839 in Jackson Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States

Descendants

Died 28 Jul 1888 at about age 66 in Eldred Township, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Beth Stephenson [send private message]

Biography

Catherine Reitz was born circa 1822.^[1][2] She was the daughter of Jacob Reitz and Anna Maria Hepler.^[3] The family was living in Upper Mahanoy Township at the time of her birth. In 1836, the area where the Reitz farm was located was re-districted into Jackson Township in Northumberland County.

Catherine Reitz was married to John Fegley, called "Vogely" in the Sunbury Gazette Miners Register, on April 23, 1839.^[4][5][6]

Marriage Record Detail

The couple were enumerated with one infant daughter at the 1840 census at Little Mahanoy Township, Northumberland County.^[7] This was eldest daughter, Eliza Fegley Fry.

In 1841, the Estate Distribution of Jacob Reitz was completed.^[8] John and Catharine Reitz Fegley were named heirs in the Jacob Reitz Estate. This can be found in Deed Book CC, page 42 of the Northumberland County, Pennsylvania Land Records at the Family History Library. Here is the record:

Jacob Reitz Deed Naming All Surviving Children

The John Fegley family moved about 20 miles northwest before the 1850 Census. The couple lived for many years near Catawissa, Columbia County, Pennsylvania. There, the family operated a fulling mill for turning sheep's wool into felt textiles and fabrics. Based upon comparisons between their children's death certificates, census records and probate documents, the family of John and Catherine (Reitz) Fegley can be determined as follows:

Eliza Fegley Fry^[9] whose death certificate has her mother's maiden name "Reitz" but the incorrect first name of Susan:

Eliza Fegley Fry Death Certificate

Nathaniel Fegley^[10] whose death certificate has his mother's surname "Reitz" but the incorrect first name of Mary:

Pennsylvania Death Certificate

Here is eldest son Nathaniel Fegley's renunciation of the Administration of his mother's probate:^[11]

Proof that Catherine Fegley who died in Eldred Twp was mother of Nathaniel

Cornelius Fegley^[12] of whom very little is known.

Samuel Fegley^[13] whose death certificate names his mother "Mary Reitz."

Pennsylvania Death Certificate of Samuel Fegley

Mary Catherine Fegley^[14] of whom very little is known.

Anna L Fegley Goss^[15] whose death certificate correctly names both parents.

Pennsylvania Death Certificate of Anna L Fegley Goss

Ellen Fegley Baylor^[16] whose death certificate correctly names both parents.

Pennsylvania Death Certificate of Ellen Fegley Baylor

Caroline Fegley Zimmerman^[17][18] who died in 1899, before death certificates. She is called "my sister" in her elder brother Nathaniel's Renunciation of Administration, above. Caroline Fegley and Hiram Zimmerman lived directly next door to John and Catherine Fegley at the 1880 Census:

1880 Census Detail

John Fegley Junior^[19] whose death certificate simply names his parents "john and Catherine Fegley."

Pennsylvania Death Certificate of John Fegley Junior

John Fegley's 1890 Northumberland County marriage license also names his parents:^[20]

Marriage Record Naming Parents

Sometime after the Civil War, but before the 1870 Census, John and Catherine Fegley moved to Upper Mahantongo Township in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania.^[21] Their youngest two children, Caroline and John Fegley, were still in the household at the 1870 Census. Additionally, a granddaughter, Elenora Malick, was also enumerated with the Fegleys. She is thought to be the child of Anna L Fegley and Jeremiah Malick, who may or may not have been married.

In their elder years, when their children were grown, John and Catherine Fegley moved to Eldred Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, which was just over the county line from Northumberland County. Catherine Reitz and John Fegley were both still living at the 1880 Census.^[22]

John Fegley died in 1881. There is a land record naming the heirs of John Fegley that can be found in Schuylkill County Deed Book 195, page 651.^[23] This 1886 record names all of the heirs of John and Catherine Reitz Fegley:

Probate Distribution of John Fegley Estate

The following page contains the signatures of the heirs.^[24]

Sale of John Fegley Estate Page 2

Catherine Reitz Fegley has a clear date and place of death of July 28, 1888 in Eldred Township, Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania:

Catharine Reitz Fegley Death Date

Her brief probate file names just two of her children, "eldest son" Nathaniel Fegley and his younger "sister" Caroline Fegley, the wife of Hiram Zimmerman, who was tasked with Administration of the small estate.

DNA Testers Needed

There is clear evidence of 4th cousin DNA matching between the descendants of the above sibling group on AncestryDNA. Additionally, there are shared segments of DNA from 42 cM to 56 cM of shared DNA into the Reitz, Hepler and Brosius families. This is sufficient segment size to be relatively confident that this the correct lineage. More testers would be needed for triangulation to get the DNA confirmed sticker on the wikitree.

Research Notes on Other John and Catherine Fegleys

Catherine Reitz Fegley is often confused with Catherine Frymeyer Fegley, who married one of her husband's cousins. Cousin John Fegley appears to have been a cousin about 9 years older than the husband of this profile. That John Fegley was married to Catherine Frymeyer Fegley. Their records are often conflated and even their find a grave pages are severely messed up. Compounding the problem, John Fegley the cousin, is incorrectly linked to another Catherine Fegley's grave and labeled Catherine Reitz Fegley. Luckily, the death certificates of the children of these two families mostly name the correct parents. Catherine Reitz Fegley, born circa 1822, was too young to have begun having children in 1833, when John Fegley and Catherine Frymeyer Fegley started their family. The Fegleys, Frymeyers and Reitzes began their lives in the same small farming community in Northumberland County, Pennsylvania. However, Catherine Reitz Fegley moved to Columbia and then Schuylkill County. She also lived 15 years beyond Catherine Frymeyer Fegley.

There is a November 1886 probate file for Catherine Haas Fagley, the widow of Christian Fagely, in Northumberland County.^[25] She had a son named John Frederick Fegley roughly the same age as John Fegley Junior.

There is a John Franklin Fegley whose father was William Fegley and mother was Elizabeth Wolf.^[26][27] This could be a possible nephew of Catherine Reitz and John Fegley.

A man named John Fegley, whose wife was Justinia, lived in Schuylkill County and owned the Union Hotel in Tremont. That John Fegley died in 1873. There are extensive Schuylkill County Orphan's Court records naming his children.

Sources

1. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PMF : 22 December 2020), Cath Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
2. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5S-3JV : 18 February 2021), Cath Fagley in entry for Jno Fagley, 1860.
3. ↑ Reitz, Reverend James Jefferson "J J," Family History and Record Book of the Descendants of Johan Friedrich Reitz : the Pioneer who Landed at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. September 7, 1748, Appendix II, page 262. Link to Book
4. ↑ Sunbury Gazette Miners Register marriage records, page 86.
5. ↑ Genealogical and biographical annals of Northumberland County, Pennsylvania : containing a genealogical record of representative families, including many of the early settlers, and biographical sketches of prominent citizens, prepared from data obtained from original Sources of Information. Page 587. Link to Book
6. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZT3-VVB : 29 May 2021), Catharine Fegley in entry for John Fegley, 1870.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHYD-ZWY : 30 September 2021), John Fegley, Little Mahanoy Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States; citing p. 175, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm.
8. ↑ Northumberland County, Pennsylvania, Deed Book CC, page 42 and 43. Family History Library Film # 008036686, Image 328 of 616. Link to Deed Book CC
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PMN : 22 December 2020), Eliza Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PMJ : 22 December 2020), Nathaniel Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
11. ↑ Schuylkill County Estate File, 1888, Renunciation of Eldest Son, Nathaniel Fegley, to allow sister Caroline Fegley's husband, Hiram Zimmerman to administer their mother's Estate.
12. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PMV : 22 December 2020), Cornelius Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
13. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PMK : 22 December 2020), Samuel Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
14. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M4HQ-PM2 : 22 December 2020), Mary C Fegely in household of John Fegely, Catawissa, Columbia, Pennsylvania, United States; citing family , NARA microfilm publication (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
15. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5S-3JK : 18 February 2021), L Fagley in entry for Jno Fagley, 1860.
16. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5S-3J2 : 18 February 2021), E Fagley in entry for Jno Fagley, 1860.
17. ↑ "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MX5S-3JL : 18 February 2021), C Fagley in entry for Jno Fagley, 1860.
18. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZT3-VV1 : 29 May 2021), Caroline Fegley in entry for John Fegley, 1870.
19. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZT3-VKM : 29 May 2021), John Fegley in entry for John Fegley, 1870.
20. ↑ "Pennsylvania, County Marriages, 1885-1950," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VF9P-SW7 : 5 August 2020), John Fegely and Catharine in entry for John Fegely and Barbara Epler, 23 Sep 1890; citing Marriage, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States, multiple County Clerks, Pennsylvania.
21. ↑ "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MZT3-VVB : 29 May 2021), Catharine Fegley in entry for John Fegley, 1870.
22. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWVW-VQK : 14 January 2022), Catherine Fegley in household of John Fegley, Eldred Township, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .
23. ↑ Schulkill County Deed Book 195, Page 651. FHL Film #008090398, Image 167 of 813. Link to FHL
24. ↑ Schuylkill County Deed Book 195, page 652, FHL Film # 168 of 813. Link to p 652
25. ↑ https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9SM-7W35?i=232&cc=1999196&cat=92253
26. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/discoveryui-content/view/5894889:5164
27. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MWNY-H9Z : 14 January 2022), John F. Fagley in household of Elizabeth Fagley, Coal Township, Northumberland, Pennsylvania, United States; citing enumeration district , sheet , NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm .