Andrew Reese
Andrew Reese was born near New Providence in Martic(k) township sometime after April 1777 to Peter and Catherine. His father acquired the 28 acre farm about 4 years earlier and Andrew was preceeded in birth by Henry, born about 1776, and followed by 6 other siblings.
Andrew lived a pioneer farmboy childhood. At the time his father acquired the farm the lands to the south and west of it were thinly settled and some were vacant. He probably had little or no formal education. His mark rather than a signature is all that appears in documents.
Curiously Andrew's father Peter could read and although no trace exists could probably write. In Peter's Inventory taken after his death in 1811 a lot "of books" was one of the items listed.
Andrew and Feronika Eshleman, daughter of Martin Eshleman and Elizabeth Groff, became the parents of Benjamin Reese on September 11, 1798. Andrew and Feronika were married September 25, 1798 at the Reformed Church in Lancaster.
Andrew first appears in Martick Township records in 1802. He was taxed for the sale of property to a Winters in 1802. [The Winters families and Reese families have several marriages between them.] occurding to an item in Ellis and Evans History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Andrew and Feronika are mentioned in the will abstract of Martin Eshleman probated in 1808.
In 1814 Andrew and Feronika were the parents of 6 children and living on Andrew's father's farm or on lands adjoining it. In September of 1814 Andrew was drafted by the US Government to serve in the War against Great Britain. He served as a private under Capt. James McCullough and Col. Lefever
After returning to Lancaster county Andrew continued to live as a farmer and fathered three more children with Feronika.
After that time and perhaps earlier Andrew owned an farm adjoining the family farm which was later owned by son Abner(RP24).
Andrew conveyed the goods to furnish a house to his newly married son Benjamin by an 1820 Bill of
Sale.
Andrew's wife of 48 years died in April of 1847.In 1983, Wilmer Eshleman wrote an article entitled "The Descendants of Martin Eshleman and Elizabeth GROFF" In that article, Eshleman states that daughterFeronika is likely buried in an unmarked grave at the Strasburg Mennonite Church. He bases this assumption on the fact that Feronika was for many years a caretaker of the church. He also bases his assumption on an erroneous opinion that Andrew was a "poor provider".
It is unlikely Feronika was a caretaker of a church that her husband was a poor provider. Andrew owned farms his entire life and sold real property to neighbors, as well as personal property to family. Andrew and Feronika also raised 9 children.
Feronika is very probably buried in the Reese Family Graveyard. She preceeded her husband in death by 8 years and he was buried there. For the 48 years of their married life they lived on farms adjoining this graveyard and many of Andrew's family members are also buried there. There is no reason to believe she is buried anywhere else.
At the time of Andrew's death he was living on a nearby farm with his son Emanuel(RP 29). Andrew's debts then exceeded his estate, with the exception of the 120 acres in Ohio he had recently been given by the United States Government for his service as a private in the war of 1812.[See related transcriptions of correspondence related to same below]
Andrew is also buried in the Reese family graveyard (aka Rees-Lines graveyard). His headstone is one of only two with a complete
surname as recorded decades ago.[The second stone is for Susanna Lines, Andrew's niece.]
Document
State of Pennsylvania
County of Lancaster SS
On this eleventh day of January AD one thousand eight hundred and fifty one personally appeared before me Henry Rush a
Justice of the Peace in and for said County and State aforesaid. Andrew Reese aged 73 years a
resident of martic Township in said County in the State of Pennsylvania, who being duly affirmed according to law, declares that he is the identical Andrew Reese who was a private in a Company of drafted Militia commanded by Captain Robert King, but the regiment and name of the commander of the regiment he does not recollect, in the war with Great Britain in 1812, that he was drafted in Lancaster
County, and entered the service at York in the State of Pennsylvania on or about the first of
September 1814 for a term of six months, that he was marched from York to Baltimore in the state of Maryland where he remained for about three months, they were then marched back to York and there dismissed; they were not regularly discharged as the term for which they were drafted had not
expired, and it was supposed that their services might again be required during the said term but
they were dismissed and returned to their homes and were not called on again; they were dismissed he thinks sometime in December of the same year as will appear by the Muster rolls of said Company.
He makes this declaration for the purpose of obtaining the bounty land to which he may be entitled under the "Acts granting bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the Military service of the United States" passed September 28th 1850-
His
Andrew X Reese
Mark
Lancaster County SS
Affirmed and subscribed before me theday and year above written.
And I hereby certify, that I believe, the said Andrew Reese to be the identical man who served
as aforesaid and that he is of the age above stated.
Henry Rush [seal]
Document
State of Pennsylvania
County of Lancaster SS
On the Seventh day of January A.D. One thousand eight hundred and fifty-one personally
appeared before me a Justice of the Peace in and for the State and County aforesaid David
Chambers and Adam Snyder residents of the State of Pennsylvania aforesaid who being duly
affirmed according to law declare, that Andrew Reese who signed the above declaration, was a
drafted militia man in the War of 1812, and served as such at Baltimore in the Autumn of 1814
and was there seen by both the deponants.
And they affirm that they are disinterested witnesses.
David Chambers
his
Adam X Snyder
mark
Subscribed and sworn to before me this Seventh day of January A.D. 1851 And I certify that
David Chambers and Adam Snyder are credible witnesses.
Henry Rush J.P.
State of Pennsylvania
County of Lancaster SS
I John K. Reed Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas for the County of Lancaster Do
Certify that Henry Rush Esquire before whom the foregoing affidavit was made is and was
at the time of making the same as acting Justice of the Peace in and for the said County
duly commissioned and qualified, and that the Signature purporting to be his is genuine.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed ther Seal of said Court,
the Seventeenth day of January A.D. 1852
John K. Reed
Prothnry
[?] Bowman
Letter
Near New Providence Lancaster County Pa
March 13, 1851
Hon. James E Heath
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir,
Herewith enclosed I send you the petition of Andrew Reese, a soldier of the War of 1812;
to which I respectively ask your attention as soon as circumstances will permit--
Very respectively
Yours
John Strohm
Letter
Near New Providence Pa
January 19th, 1852
James E Heath Esq.
Commissioner of Pensions
Sir_____ Herewith enclosed I return Andrew Reese's declaration of Bounty Land with
the Prothonotary's certificate to the Official Character of the Justice, which I
had neglected to have attached before_ With my thanks for your attention permit me
to ask that the Warrant may be issued with as little delay as possible.
Very respectfully
Yours [?]
John Strohm
Letter
State of Pennsylvania
County of Lancaster SS
On this Seventeeth day of April A.D. onethousand and eight hundred and fifty-five
personally appeared before me a Justice of the Peace within and for the County and
state aforesaid. Andrew Reese, aged Seventy-seven years a resident of Providence
township in the County and State aforesaid, who being duly sworn according to law,
declares that he is the identical Andrew Reese, who was a private in the company,
commanded by Captain Robert King in the ____ regiment of Pennsylvania Militia commanded
by Colonel Lefever in the War with Great Britain declared by the United States on the
18th day of June 1812, for a term of three months, and continued in actual service in
said war for three months, that he has heretofore made application for bounty land under
the Act of September 28th, 1850 and received a land warrant No. (not recollected) for
forty acres, which he has since legally disposed of, and cannot now return.
He makes this declaration for the purpose of attaining the additional bounty land to
which he may be entitled under the Act approved the 3rd day of March 1855.
He also declares that he has never applied for or received under this or any other
Acts of Congress and Bounty land warrant except the one above-mentioned.
his
Andrew X Reese
mark
witnesses present
Henry Rush
Susan Rush
We Adam Snyder and Henry Wever residents of Providence township in the county of
Lancaster and State of Pennsylvania, upon our Oaths, declare that the foregoing
declaration was signed and acknowledged by Andrew Reese in our presence, and that
we believe, from the appearance and statement of the applicant, that he is the
identical person theat he represents himself to be.
witnesses present
Henry Rush his
Susan Rush Adam X Snyder
mark
Henry Weaver
[seal] lancaster County SS
The foregoing declaration and affadavit were sworn to and subscribed before me on the
day and year above written and I certify that I know the affiants to be credible persons;
that the claimant is the person he represents himself to be.
Henry Rush, Justice of the Peace
State of Pennsylvania
Lancaster County SS
I joseph Bowman Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County do certify
that Henry Rush Esq before whom the within declaration and affidavit were made is and was
at the time of the taking thereof a Justice of the Peace in and for the County of Lancaster,
duly commissioned and qualified and that the signature purporting to be his is genuine-
In testimony whereof I have herewith set my hand and the seal of said Court this twenty-fourth
day of April A.D. 1855.
J. Bowman
Prothy
Letter
Near New Providence Lancaster Co.
State of Penna. April 25, 1855
L.P.Waldo Esq Commissioner
of Pensions----
Dear Sir:
Herewith enclosed I send you the application of Andrew Reese an old soldier, asking for additional Bounty land, under the Acts of March 30, 1855.
Having sold his former warrant to a stranger, and not having kept a note of the
number, he is unable now to state it: but another warrant received by me about
the same time was numbered 20.179--dated Nov 10th 1851--Reese's former warrant was
issued sometime in the fall of 1851-
I presume sometime must elapse before a warrant can be issued, in consequence
of the great number of applications; but it would be some satisfaction to the
old man, if the receipt of his application was acknowledged by the Department--
The warrant, when issued, may be directed to him at New Providence P.O. Lanc.
County--or to me as you think proper-
Respectively Yours
John Strohm
Document
p. 455
September 1857
Andrew Reese decd.
The petition of Emanuel Reese Administrator of all and singular the goods and
chattles which were of Andrew Reese late of providence township, Lancaster County
yeoman deceased at the time of his death died intestate.
Humbly,Showeth(?)
That the said intestate left no wife or issue nor minor children and that said
intestate died in Providence township, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania on the
8th day of October 1856. That the said personal estate of said Intestate is insufficient
for the payment of his debts as by the account herewith produced appears and that the
said intestate died seized in his demesne of a land warrant issued to said intestate
in his lifetime under Act March 3, 1855 for One hundred and Twenty Acres of land dated
21st of December 1855 No.40602 for Services renedered in the war with Great Britain
declared by the United States on the 18th of June 1812, as a private under Capt. McCullough's
Company, Pennsylvania Militia. Your petitioner therefore prays your honors to grant him
an order to make sale of the said land warrant as above described for the payment of the
debts of the intestate, the personal property being wholly insufficient to satisfy the (?)
(To schedule of debts See Petition on file)
To the truth of which facts the petitioner was duly sworn according to law.
And now September 7th, 1857 the Court on motion of Samuel Price Esqr. award an order
of sale and order and direct Emanuel Reese Administrator of the Estate of Andrew Reese
decd. to Expose the above Land Warrant of said decd. to sale by Vendue or outcry (?).