MARTIN S. REES (parents MARTIN 'MARTINIS' REES and ISOBELLE UNKNOWN) was born October 3, 1781, in Pine Creek Northumberland, Pennsylvania. He died August 2, 1861, in Gerlaw, Illinois.

The Portrait and Biographical Album of 1886, page  643  Martin Rees, came to Warren County, Illinois in 1836.  He was born on Pine Creek, near the center of Pennsylvania, in 1781, of German parentage.  At the age of 19, he moved with his parents to Warren County, Pennsylvania, where he divided his time in rafting logs and lumber and in farming.  He succeeded in accumulating considerable property.  He married Miss Jane Davis at that place and continued to reside there until 1836.  He then sold his farm and personal property, and put his family, which consisted of himself, wife, and eight children, on board a raft, with three other families and moved out upon the waters of the Allegheny River, on the 10th of May of that year.  They floated to Pittsburgh, where he sold his raft and purchased a keel boat, which he run to Rising Sun, Indiana, a small town on the Ohio River.  In the meantime they were visited with that terrible disease, the small pox, from which, however, all recovered.  They landed and the elder Rees purchased three yoke of oxen and two span of horses, five wagons, some young horses and other necessary articles, and started for Monmouth, where he arrived September 10, 1836.  Here he remained five days, when he moved to a house located about one mile south of where Gerlaw now stands.  He bought the Northwest quarter of section 36, Spring Grove Township, and also the North half of section 32, in Kelly Township.  The latter had a log house, stables and crib upon it, and 30 acres had been broken and fenced. Here Mr. Rees lived for four years, and during the time improved the farm in Spring Grove Township, to which he removed, but after remaining two years he returned to the Kelly Township farm, where he remained until his death, which occurred in 1861.  He owned considerable land in this and adjoining counties, which he divided among his children.  Mr. Rees was a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church for over 50 years, and was highly respected for his strict morality and the firmness of his faith. Politically he was formerly a Whig, but became a Republican when that party was organized.  He served for many years as Justice of the Peace.  He was a Captain of Pennsylvania volunteers in the War of 1812. By the three marriages of Mr. Rees, he became the father of nine children, seven by the first and two by the second wife.  Seven of them are still living. The maiden name of the second wife of Mr. Rees was Sarah Smith and she was born in Indiana.  The third wife was Catherine Struthers.
 

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   MARTIN S. REES married JANE DAVIS on September 15, 1808, in Northumberland, Pennsylvania. JANE (parents WILLIAM DAVIS and JANE WAUGH) was born 1788 in Pennsylvania. She died April 1, 1837.

MARTIN S. REES and JANE DAVIS had the following children:

1. KATHERINE S. 'DAVIS' REES was born December 20, 1818, in Pennsylvania.

2. ANNA E. 'DAVIS' REES was born November 19, 1809, in Pennsylvania.

3. ISOBEL B.'DAVIS' REES was born January 4, 1812, in Pennsylvania.

4. THOMAS D. 'DAVIS' REES was born June 20, 1815, in Pennsylvania.

5. MARTIN D. 'DAVIS' REES was born June 7, 1820, in Pennsylvania.

6. WILLIAM RUFFUS 'DAVIS' REES was born June 21, 1822, in Pennsylvania. He died June 28, 1909, in Hampden, North Dakota.

7. MARGARET J, 'DAVIS' REES was born November 28, 1824, in Pennsylvania.

8. NANCY A. 'DAVIS' REES was born August 15, 1830, in Pennsylvania.



     MARTIN S. married SARAH SMITH on October 7, 1837, in Warren Co., Illinois. SARAH was born 1800.

MARTIN S. REES and SARAH SMITH had the following children:

1. MICHAEL S. 'SMITH' REES was born November 18, 1838, in Warren Co., Illinois.
Michael S. Rees, of this sketch, is the oldest child of the second marriage.  His birth took place in Kelly Township, 18 November 1838.  He passed the years of his minority in labor on the farm and in obtaining a limited a limited education in the pioneer schools. He was under the home roof-tree until the death of his father, and he managed the farm for a year after that event.  He became a soldier in 1862, and enlisted in August of that year in Company B, 102nd Illinois Volunteer Infantry, 20th Corps, remaining in the service until the war ended.  His regiment joined the army in the field at Chattanooga, and he was in the action at Resaca, also at Burnt Hickory, Kenesaw Mountain, Peachtree Creek, and at the siege and capture of Atlanta, and served in other lesser engagements. From the latter place the command proceeded to Savannah and thence through North Carolina to Washington to the Grand Review, which constituted the closing scene of the most remarkable war on record.  In June 1865, the regiment was discharged and Mr. Rees returned to his native county and township and took possession of the homestead which is now his property. The estate of which he is the proprietor contains 325 acres and is all in an advanced agricultural condition.  Mr. Rees has put up good buildings of a character suited to the purposes to which the farm is devoted, namely, mixed husbandry.  We present a view of the homestead in this volume on page 474.16 January 1868, Mr. Rees was married to Margaret Low, and they are the parents of five children - Eva, who died at the age of six months, Elsie r.,, Effie E., Daisy F., and Bertha A.  Mrs. Rees was born in the township of Spring Grove, 3 August 1844, and is the daughter of John and Margaret (Reynolds) Low.  Her parents came to this county the year previous from Pennsylvania.  Her father was a native of England and came to this county at the age of 16 years.  Her mother was a native of the Keystone State, as were her maternal grandparents.  Mr. Low, married the second time, the lady of his choice being Mrs. Lenora Stewart.  By the previous marriage he had 12 children, and by the last, one.  Of this number, six are now living. Mrs.. Rees is the fifth in order of birth in the above family.  She resided with her family on their farm in Spring Grove Township until her marriage. Her mother died in 1866, and the father in 1878. Mr. Low's second wife is living in Iowa.  Her oldest brother, William Low, died in the service of his country, at Paducah, Kentucky in 1862. In politics, Mr. Rees votes the Republican ticket, and he and his wife are members of the Christian Church.

2. ELIZA E. 'SMITH' REES was born March 31, 1841, in Monmouth, Illinois.



       MARTIN S. married CATHERINE STUTHERS on UNKNOWN in UNKNOWN. CATHERINE died December 4, 1882, in Gerlaw, Illinois.

You are more than welcome to use any of this information on your web site if you like.

Sonjia

Insert of additional information for Sonja and any others researching these families from Foxie's Records.

1850 Federal Census of Warren County, IL

Dwelling NO. 60  Reis/Rees Martin 68 Farmer  assists $4170  born PA

                                           Catherine  53  born VA

                                          Almina   age 16 F  born IN   in school

                                         Alvina      age 16  born IN   in school    looks like Almina & Alvina are twins

                                         Stephen   age 14  born IN  in school

                                          Michael    age 12  born in IL    in school

                                          Eliza  age 9 born in IL   in school

Dwelling NO. 1167  Low, John     age 48 Farmer  assets $800 born in England

                                     Margaret  age 38  born in PA

                                       William age 13 born in PA                in school

                                          Mary      age 11   born in PA         in school

                                          Maria      age 10   born in PA        in school

                                       Margaret   age 7  born in IL

                                           Sarah       age 5  born in IL

                                          Elizabeth  age 2  born in IL

1860 Federal Census Warren County, IL, under Spring Grove Twp.:

         Dwelling NO 2079  Low, John   age 58  farmer   value of estate $3000   value of personal $1115  born Ireland

                                           Margaret 48  born in PA

                                            William   22  born in PA                in school

                                              Margaret   16  born in IL              in school

                                               Sarah        15  born in IL             in school

                                          Elizabeth        11  born in IL              in school

                                           Richard           9   born in IL              in school

                                              Annetti       08  born in IL               in school

                                           Lacklud        07  born in IL               in school

                                             Elsie          01   born in IL              

Under Kelly Twp. 1860 Federal Census Warren County, IL

     Rees, Stephen  25   Blacksmith  personal asset $355  born in IL

               Mary     21     born in IN

              Viola       1   born in IL

Dwelling NO 2196    Rees, Martin  76 Farmer   value real estate $5,200  value personal $1255  born in PA

                                      Catherine  61     born in VA

                                  Margaret J.  32  born in PA

                                   Michael S    21  Farmer       born in IL   in school

                                   Azelma       19  born in IL   in school

                                   Orange S.   40      born in PA

Rees, M. S. Farmer; Sec. 32; PO Gerlaw; born in Kelly Twp., Nov. 18, 1838; ind; INd; 205 acres, value $10,250; Highway Commissioner; wife was Miss Margaret Low, born in Spring Grove Twp., Aug 31, 1844; married January 16, 1868; three girls; enlisted Aug. 07, 1862, in the 102nd Regt. Co. B, I. v. I. Capt. Atchison 20th Army Corps, first under Dumont, afterwards Rosecrans, and finally Sherman; was stationed at Gallatin on garrison duty, with headquarters at Laverne; was at the battles of Resaca, Cassville, New Hope Church, Peach Tree Creek, and at Kenesaw Mt., where they were under fire eighteen days; was with him in his raid through Georgia, and to Washington on Foot; discharged June 06, 1865.

Reese, Michael, shoemaker and carpenter; PO Ionia; rep; New Light; from Penn.

Reese, M. D. rents Hayner's farm; Section 24; PO Ionia; rep; Ind; from Penn.

Reese, Stephen, merchant and P.M. Shanghai; rep; adv; from Ind.

Foxie's note last three might not be related as they have an e after the s in Rees.

In the 1877 Past and Present of Warren County, IL,  under Kelly Township (Voters and Taxpayers)

Page #289

Hi Foxie
Just wanted to let you know the information you sent me sure did help.
I found Anson Gregory came from Pennsylvania married Anna E. Reese her Mother and

 Father was Martin Rees and Jane Davis Reese from Warren County Pennsylvania.

Anson and Anna was Hamilton Gregory's parents his brother that I'm sure

 of are Martin C, Hamilton A., Davis, Porter H. in 1980 Davis and Porter

were living in Warren County with there mother Anna E.

Catherine Davis Rees daughter of Martin and Jane married Martin Waddle

 there daughter Nancy Isabelle waddle married Hamilton Gregory.

I do have a bio on Martin Rees and his son by second marriage to Sarah Smith.
They were all in Warren County if you would like to put it on your site I would gladly

sent it to you. And any other information I have.

My grandmother Rosie Anna Leeper was born in Warren County I have a

 picture of her and her mother, father, and two older brothers I can sent that

 too with a little more information on them

Thanks a lot for your help..

Sonjia