My Genealogy Hound

JESSE B. REIGNER, a farmer residing at No. 358 Charlotte street, Pottstown, was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, October 15, 1834. He is the son of Jacob and Susanna (Bickel) Reigner.

Jacob Reigner (father) was born either in Philadelphia or in Montgomery county, and followed the trade of blacksmithing for many years, tilling the soil for the last few years of his life. He owned a farm in New Hanover township and also one in Pottsgrove and Limerick townships. He was supervisor for about twelve terms. For a short time before his death he lived retired on a farm in New Hanover township, dying at the age of seventy-three years. His wife survived him. He was a lieutenant in the State Militia. Mr. and Mrs. Reigner belonged to the Reformed and Lutheran churches respectively, and he was a deacon, later a trustee and finally an elder in his church. Mr. and Mrs. Reigner had nine children, six sons and three daughters; William, deceased; Sophia, who married Frederick Missimer and both are deceased; Caroline, widow of Harry Specht; John; Jesse B.; Aaron B., of Pottstown; Mary, wife of Benjamin Fryer, of New Hanover township; and Henry and Jacob B., of Pottstown.

John Reigner (grandfather) was a native of Pennsylvania and lived in Philadelphia for some time. He died while still a young man, in 1808. His wife married again and died in Philadelphia. He had two children. His father, the founder of the family in this country, emigrated from Germany.

The maternal grandfather of Jesse B. Reigner was a farmer in Pennsylvania. He had a large family and lived to an old age.

Jesse B. Reigner was reared on his father’s farms in Pottsgrove, New Hanover and Limerick townships and attended the old-fashioned subscription schools. After reaching manhood he worked by the day for one year and then rented a farm for two years, in Pottsgrove township. He next purchased a farm of eighty-two acres in Chester county, four and a half miles south of Pottstown, and lived there twenty-nine years. At the end of that time he removed to Pottstown, but still owns the homestead where he resided for so long a time. He had been engaged in Pottstown for a number of years before he left the farm, selling agricultural implements, flour and feed. He has resided in Pottstown for about sixteen years.

On September 20, 1857, Mr. Reigner married Angeline G., daughter of George and Lydia (Gilbert) Bickel. They have four children, Horace, Mary Jane, Ida Kate and Anna Emma. Horace married Sarah Catharine Roberts, they having two children, Lewis Robert and Jesse Harold. Mary Jane married George Haws, they having three daughters, Annie Blanche, Laura and Lillian May. Ida Kate married Jonas A. Kulp, they having three sons, Irvin, Ernest Ray and George. Anna Emma married Milton E. Dewalt, they having seven children, Elsie Lillian, Annie Mabel, Ida, Harry, Jennie, Howard and Bessie.

Mr. and Mrs. Reigner are members of Trinity Reformed church, of Pottstown, he having been one of its deacons for a period of nearly twenty-five years. Politically Mr. Reigner is a Democrat. He was a school director for a number of years and has been treasurer and collector, as well as township auditor, for some years. He was treasurer of the Creamery Association for sixteen years.

Mrs. Reigner’s parents were natives of Pottsgrove township and died on their home farm, the father at upwards of seventy years of age, his wife at sixty-eight. They had six children, of whom four are now living, as follows: Angeline G., wife of Jesse B. Reigner; George C.; Augustus H.; and Amelia, wife of Nathan Barlow. Her father was a farmer, and after he retired was supervisor for a short time. Lewis Bickel (grandfather) married Susanna Reigner. Mrs. Reigner’s maternal grandfather was John Gilbert. He died in Pottsgrove township at an advanced age. His wife was a Miss Shick.