This week, Amy gave us the number "12" as out inspiration word. I decided to share what I have learned about the husband of my 5th great aunt, Elizabeth Clark. His name was Charles Reeder.
I hope you enjoyed reading about this amazing man who did so many things, including fighting in the War of 18"12"!
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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| Charles Reeder, Sr. from The Monumental City: Its Past History and Present Resources, Baltimore, Maryland, 1873. Public Domain; Google Books, page 537 and 538. https://books.google.com/books?id=k9ERAAAAYAAJ |
Charles Reeder was born April 18, 1787 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. His parents were Merrick Reeder (1754-1815) and Elizabeth Collins (1754-1819). He was the 9th child and the 5th son. He was apprenticed in the trade of millwright and carpentry, according to The Monumental City. When Charles was 21 years old, he married Miss Elizabeth Clark, age 22, on February 25, 1809 in Bucks County.
Elizabeth, born March 1, 1786, in Bucks County, was the daughter of Benjamin and Barbara (Clawson) Clark. According to the church records, the Clark and Reeder families were Quakers. Soon after Charles and Elizabeth were married, they moved to Philadelphia. We see them in the 1810 census.
While he was in Philadelphia, Charles became interested in the construction of steam machinery and "soon became a proficient machinist... He was sent in 1813 to Baltimore to superintend putting a steam engine in a vessel, as there was no machine works there at that time." (The Monumental City, page 537).
The United States was involved in another war with Great Britain at this time, the War of 1812, and Charles was mustered as a Private in Captain Pinney's Company of Infantry of the 27th Regiment of the Maryland Militia under Col. Long in the summer of 1814. He also volunteered in Captain Howard's Company of Infantry, 5th Regiment, from August 1814 through November 1814. This information came from Ancestry.com, but also from Charles's own Last Will and Testament (see photo later).
After returning from military service, he decided to stay in Baltimore and begin his own business, establishing a steam-engine manufactory and foundry, Federal Hill,
(http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/chron/html/chron18.htm), where he "was employed in 1815 to construct engines form the steamers, 'Norfolk' and 'Virginia', the first marine engines made at that port" (The Monumental City).
He continued this business until "1842, when the Congress of the United States appointed him, along with Messers. Walter R. Johnson and Thomas P. Jones, a commission, to make experimental tests and inventions and apparatus for the prevention of explosions of steam-boilers." (The Monumental City) After he concluded this work, he retired from active business and became a consultant.
Charles was a very prominent citizen of Baltimore and acquired considerable wealth. In his Will, he is very specific about the future of his different properties in the city, any additional funds that might come to the estate (including any compensation from his service in the War of 1812) and even the details of his burial and grave marker!
Charles and Elizabeth had 11 children together, several of which died very young. Their sons took over the business that their father had built and became prominent citizens, as well. They were married 44 years before Elizabeth died two days after Christmas, December 27, 1853, followed by Charles two years later, a week after Easter, April 15, 1855. They are buried in the Green Mount Cemetery, Baltimore, Maryland. There are individual markers (per the Will's instructions), but also an obelisk with several generations of Reeder family members listed.
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| News Article: Pennsylvania Correspondent, and Farmers' Advertiser Monday, Mar 13, 1809 Doylestown, PA Page: 2 https://www.genealogybank.com. |
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| Source Citation: Year: 1810; Census Place: Germantown, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Roll: 56;Page: 10; Image: 00015; Family History Library Film: 0193682. Township: Germantown |
The United States was involved in another war with Great Britain at this time, the War of 1812, and Charles was mustered as a Private in Captain Pinney's Company of Infantry of the 27th Regiment of the Maryland Militia under Col. Long in the summer of 1814. He also volunteered in Captain Howard's Company of Infantry, 5th Regiment, from August 1814 through November 1814. This information came from Ancestry.com, but also from Charles's own Last Will and Testament (see photo later).
After returning from military service, he decided to stay in Baltimore and begin his own business, establishing a steam-engine manufactory and foundry, Federal Hill,
(http://msa.maryland.gov/msa/mdmanual/01glance/chron/html/chron18.htm), where he "was employed in 1815 to construct engines form the steamers, 'Norfolk' and 'Virginia', the first marine engines made at that port" (The Monumental City).
He continued this business until "1842, when the Congress of the United States appointed him, along with Messers. Walter R. Johnson and Thomas P. Jones, a commission, to make experimental tests and inventions and apparatus for the prevention of explosions of steam-boilers." (The Monumental City) After he concluded this work, he retired from active business and became a consultant.
Charles was a very prominent citizen of Baltimore and acquired considerable wealth. In his Will, he is very specific about the future of his different properties in the city, any additional funds that might come to the estate (including any compensation from his service in the War of 1812) and even the details of his burial and grave marker!
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| "Maryland Register of Wills Records, 1629-1999," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:939J-VG3L-4?cc=1803986&wc=SNT5-RM9 : 20 May 2014), Baltimore City > Will books 1853 Nov-1883 Nov vol NH, no 26 > image 417 of 614; Hall of Records, Annapolis. |
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| https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79329491/charles-reeder |
'Til Next Time!
#52Ancestors
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