My Genealogy Hound

JOHN RECK, farmer; P. O. Gettysburg. He is a son of John Reck; whose biography, appears with Michael Reck’s, who is a native of Pennsylvania, born in Adams Co., on the 27th of February, 1814; lived with his parents and assisted his father on the farm during the summer months, and attended subscription school a part of the winter, till he was in his 14th year, when he, with his parents, emigrated to Ohio, locating in Darke Co., Adams Township, while at that time there was not a schoolhouse in the township, and during the summer of 1830 he assisted in the erection of the first schoolhouse, and completed his course of studies in the same, although he did not have the opportunity of attending the school as much as he desired, as he was compelled to assist his father in clearing and preparing the soil for cultivation; he remained at home, helping his father to open up the farm, till he was 23 years old, except at times he would assist his brother Michael in carpentering. On the 5th day of January, 1837, he celebrated his marriage with Isabell Belew, who was born in Miami Co., Ohio, on the 13th of January, 1819; after his marriage he erected a hewed-log house on Sec. 31, a tract of land which his father had given him as his share; he then moved what little furniture they had, which consisted of one bedstead and bedding, seven splint-bottomed chairs, one set of cups and saucers, one set of plates, one skillet, two Dutch ovens and a teakettle; the cupboard he made himself, and in fact he made nearly all of his furniture, as he was a natural mechanic; he then commenced the task of clearing and opening up his farm; he did not spend much time in hunting, but put all his time in on his farm, although he has killed several deer by torchlight on Greenville Creek. He remained on his farm for a period of about four years, after which he rented his farm and moved to his father’s saw-mill, on Greenville Creek, where he took charge of the sawing, which he followed for nearly seven years, when he removed to his farm, where he has resided ever since, and, by hard labor, connected with correct business and strictly temperate habits, he has cleared nearly 100 acres, accumulating a considerable amount of property, in which he has been nobly assisted by his good and industrious wife, both having passed through the many struggles, dangers and incidents so common to the pioneer of the West; having fought the battles of a pioneer life bravely, they are now reaping the reward of their labor. They have had a family of six children, of whom three are living, viz.: Isaac, born July 13, 1838; Silas, July 20, 1844; Rebecca, June 12, 1846. Mr. Reck relates a very interesting account of a remarkably large white-oak tree which stood on his farm; he felled it with his ax, and it took him about three-quarters of a day to cut it down, which, when down, measured eight feet through; from which tree he made 730 rails from 7 o’clock A. M. till 4 P. M. Where could there be found a young man at this time who could perform the same amount of labor in a week? He now owns 160 acres, with good farm buildings, etc., and has given his children to the amount of about $7,000. Mr. and Mrs. Reck are members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and are living zealous and consistent Christians, having been members of the church for about forty-two years.