My Genealogy Hound

PHILIP REYMER, wholesale confectioner, Pittsburgh, was born in that city June 28, 1824. His grandfather, Peter Reymer, came from Germany when a boy, in 1766. He joined the continental army as a fifer, and served through the revolutionary war, being a member of the unhappy band that wintered at Valley Forge. When peace came, he settled at Greencastle, Franklin county, Pa., where he died. His son, Peter, born at Greencastle in 1798, married Maria Evans, a native of New York, and came, in 1816, to Pittsburgh, where he kept a shoe shop on Diamond alley, many years. During the latter part of his life, he was several years overseer of the penitentiary; he died in 1876, in religion a Baptist, in politics a republican, formerly an old-line whig. His wife died in her sixty-sixth year. They had ten children, eight of whom grew up: Philip, Griffith P., Jacob S., Harmer D., Sarah (Mrs. Morrison), James, Cornelia Ann (Mrs. Christian Snively) and George.

Philip Reymer was educated at the public schools of the city, and has been in the confectionery business since he was sixteen years old. In 1852 he began for himself, as head of the firm of Reymer & Anderson, which, in 1861, became Reymer & Brothers, and has continued so since, the business having been greatly enlarged. For a time he was a partner with Joshua Rhodes in the firm of Rhodes & Co. He is a director in the Mechanics’ National Bank and Western Insurance company. In 1858 Mr. Reymer married Hannah C. Riter, a native of Chester county, Pa., daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth Riter, of German ancestry, and by her has following-named children: Clement C., Ida B., Elizabeth A. and Philip.