Husband Casper Reel 1 2 3
Born: 11 May 1742 - Frankfort, Germany 1 4
Christened:
Died: 10 Oct 1824 - ? Ross Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 1 5
Buried:
Marriage: 2 Mar 1784 6
Wife Elizabeth Wise 6 7
Born: 2 Oct 1760 - Lancaster, Lancaster Co, PA 6 7
Christened:
Died: 20 Aug 1843 6 7
Buried:
Children
1 F Mary Reel 6 7
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: [Unk] Johnston ( - ) 6
2 M Jacob Reel 6 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: while young
Buried:
3 M John Reel 6 7
Born: Abt 1790
Christened:
Died: 6 Apr 1813 - Fort Maumee Rapids, OH 7
Buried:
4 M Daniel Reel 6 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: while young
Buried:
5 M Conrad Reel 6 8 9
Born:
Christened:
Died:
Buried:
Spouse: Rosanna [Unk] ( - ) 9
6 M David Reel 7 10
Born: 22 Jan 1798 - Ross Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 5 10
Christened:
Died: 15 Sep 1868 11
Buried: - Hiland Church, Allegheny Co, PA
Status: Twin
Spouse: Isabella Wiley ( -1875) 5 11
7 M Casper Reel, Jr. 6 7
Born: 22 Jan 1798 - Ross Twp, Allegheny Co, PA 6
Christened:
Died: 25 Apr 1887 6
Buried:
Status: Twin
Spouse: Elizabeth Nesmith Miller (Abt 1801-1883) 6
8 M William Reel 6 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: while young
Cause of Death: Thrown from a horse
Buried:
Status: Twin
9 F [Infant] Reel 6 7
Born:
Christened:
Died: in infancy
Buried:
Status: Twin
10 F Elizabeth Reel 3 6
Born: 8 Nov 1803 - ? Allegheny Co, PA 3
Christened:
Died: 20 Nov 1891 3
Buried:
Spouse: George Quaill (1799-1880) 12
Marr: 19 May 1825 3
General Notes: Husband - Casper Reel
He took part in the American Revolution and some of the minor Indian wars.
He was the first white settler in Ross township, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
He was born in Frankfort, Germany. He came to America and first located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, where he became a soldier in the Revolutionary war, and served under the command of General Washington. He participated in many of the varied engagements of the war, including the battle of Brandywine. A few of his old relics were long in the possession of his family, among which was his old watch and his Bible-which he carried through the war, and which was not only a saviour of the soul, but of the body as well, for it warded off a bullet that otherwise would have killed him
He came to Allegheny County in 1783, and when the assembly (legislature) passed the land grant act, giving to settlers large tracts of land upon which to settle, he took up a large square tract of land, containing about 1,000 acres, which afterwards proved to be the choicest land in Ross township. It is authoritatively stated that he measured it with a grape vine. In making a selection of land he had the choice of the site upon which Allegheny city was later built, but deeming the land unfit for agricultural purposes on account of its low, swampy nature, he proceeded northward about eight miles from Fort Pitt and located what became the Reel farm, which became famous as the choicest farm in the township. In the spring of 1792 he built a log cabin on his tract and planted some peach and apple seeds, but the Indians became troublesome, having come in large numbers from the Ohio territory, so he was compelled to abandon his cabin and return to Fort Pitt. About this time General Wayne, with 3,000 troops, was sent out against the Indians, and so completely routed and defeated them that they never gave the settlers any further trouble. In the year 1795 Mr. Reel returned to his land and was delighted to find his fruit seeds had produced fine young trees. Some of the peach trees were producing fruit. He at once built a log house and moved his family into it, and this became his permanent abode. The road cut through the forest to reach his land was continued by other settlers, and afterwards became the Franklin road.
Previous to his location there he had been an extensive trapper, and was an expert fur-dresser, from which occupation he had made a considerable sum of money. Fur-bearing animals were plentiful, especially along the Beaver river, where he had many traps set. He frequently visited these traps by a canoe down the Ohio river. Once, upon returning from his traps in company with his brother-in-law, John Wise, he was hailed by a white man, who, in a pleading manner, wanted to be taken on board; but instead of heeding the appeals of the white man, he gradually headed his canoe to the opposite shore, and at the same time kept up an evasive conversation about the Indians. His brother-in-law insisted that they should go to his relief, but was ordered to lie down in the canoe. Scarcely had he done so, when the Indians rose from their ambush and fired on the canoe. Fortunately for the occupants, they escaped unharmed, although the canoe was hit in several places. This man with whom he had the conversation was Simon Girty, the renegade.
Previous to 1795 it was the custom of the settlers to assist each other in the raising of their log houses, and for this purpose there was a gathering of the settlers at the Winebiddle farm. Among the number was an Indian, who professed to be friendly with the whites, but when he finally came under the influence of the fire-water, drunk on such occasions, his Indian propensities became obvious. His bragging about the number of white scalps he had taken so enraged Casper Reel that he sprang upon the Indian, and with one slash of his knife cut off his ear so quickly that the Indian scarcely knew who did it.
Casper Reel was the first collector north of the Allegheny river, his territory extending to the lakes.