Martin Kuhn Reese
abt. 1915
1845-1926
Last Update:
Martin K. Reese
Martin K. Reese was born December 15,
1845 in Martick Twp. very near the ancestral farm.(The portion of Martick township. (Martin was born in what later became a part of Providence township.)
Martin was the son of a limeburner and lived a typical rural Lancaster county lifestyle of hard work.
In 1864, Martin left for Philadelphia, to enlist with the Co. F, 88th Volunteers.{Family lore is that this was against his father's will)
Martin was paid $100 to be a substitute for John Harrison Long. It would be naive to assume that all substitutes were driven by patriotism although this may have been the case. $100 at once represented a small fortune to many hard working laborers.Martin served with the 88th from March 11-June 30, 1865.
The Regimental Record shows that Martin was small in stature. His height was 5'4 3/4". He had fair skin, light hair and blue eyes. His age is given as 18 although he was 19 and his place of birth is shown as Pittston, which is simply incorrect. TOne posible explanation is that the record entry just above Martin was born in Pittston and perhaps that place of birth entry wasinadvertantly applied to Martin.
Martin followed a family tradition of service. His great-grandfather Peter served in the PA militia during the Revolutionary War, grandfather Andrew served in the War of 1812 and his two older brothers Frank and Ed were Yankee Cavalrymen with the 9th PA Cavalry, 92nd Regiment known as the "Lochiel Cavalry." Brother Frank signed on with the 9th Cav. at its formation in 1861. After 3 years service Frank came home on a 30 day furlough in April of 1864 granted for re-enlisting and he certainly had many stories to tell his younger brothers. The 9th fought its way through Tennessee and Kentucky, Georgia and finally the Carolinas..Youngest brother Witmer left home a few months later at age 16 in August 1864 to become a paid substitute.(Although under-age Witmer was rejected due to his small size of 5'3" and proportional weight.) A few months after that Frank was joined by brother Ed who rode with Frank in Co. F until May of 1865. It was about six months after Ed left for the war that Martin went in as a paid substitute.
In 1869 Martin married Catherine Elizabeth
Winters a farmgirl who grew up nearby and whose families were close neighbors and friends for several generations. (Martin's brother Ed married Catherine's cousin Amanda Winters). Between 1870 and 1893 Martin and Kate had twelve children. It is believed they had 3 children who died in infancy and gaps in the birthing order support this supposition. Two daughters, Edna Mae and
Laura Stella, died in their early teens in the year 1893 due to
trichonosis.
Martin had several jobs during his life. He was a milk dealer in 1883 and unemployed in 1900 at which time Martin and family lived on Columbia Avenue.
In 1910 he worked as a janitor at a Lancaster school and two boarders
were living in the Reese home who were also employed at the Hamilton watch
factory in Lancaster as were several of Martin and Catherine's children. The
names of these boarders were Edna C. Books age 18,(Edna was a driller at the
watch factory) and Ruth E. Lalin(sp) age 18.
Catherine Winters Reese died in
1925 while the family was living at 514 Fourth Street in Lancaster. 
Partial Copy
Martin
died January 2, 1926 and was buried with his wife in Mellinger's
Mennonite Church Cemetery in Lancaster. Their sons Ward and Clement and
their wives as well as daughter Minnie Jean are all buried together.
Martin K. Reese, Civil War veteran, member of the
G.A.R., died in his home 514 Fourth street, at 7 o'clock this morning, aged 80
years. he was born Decmber 15, 1845 in Providence township, a son of the late
Benjamin and Sarah Kuhns Reese. He resided in Lancaster 50 years. His wife who
was Miss Catherine Winters, of Drumore township, died three years ago.
He is survived by these children: Rev.W.W. Reese, Onero, Texas; Harvey M. Reese,
Mountville, Miss Minnie J., Glenside, Pa., John F., Tyrone, Clarence G., city,
Clayton B., Columbia, Ray C., Mt. Eagle, Conn., Mrs. Mary C. Fisher, city, Rev.
Gordon M. Reese, Vicksburg, Miss.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday
afternoon at 2 o'clock. Interment will be in Mellinger's cemetery.
(note:)1. Son Clement A. Reese of New Holland is the only child who was not mentioned in
the obit. Martin was living with Clem at the time of his death. Clem is buried next to his parents at Mellinger's. 2. Catherine
Winters Reese was born on the family farm in Providence twp a few thousand feet
from the ancestral Rees farm. Her parents farm was south of Fairview and
Rawlinsville Roads.)
