Person Record

Metadata

Name

Reese, John Evan

Othernames

John E. Reese

Genealogy ID

82489

Born

16 OCT 1850

Birthplace

Blossburg, Tioga PA

Deceased

17 NOV 1909

Deceased where

Blossburg, Tioga PA

Cemetery

Prospect Cemetery

Education

Binghamton Commercial College
Mansfield State Normal School

Occupation

Tioga County Auditor
Teacher
Hardware Merchant

Father

David T. Reese

Mother

Martha Jones

Spouse

Anna Farrer

Children

Leon Reese
Eva Reese

Reference

Obit PDC

Notes

REESE - County Auditor John E. Reese [SRGP 82489], aged about 58 years of Mansfield, died last Wednesday morning at the Cottage State Hospital in Blossburg, as the result of severe burns sustained on October 9, while at work in the hardware store of Strait & Retan, in which he was employed as a clerk. In drawing machine oil from a barrel in the cellar some of the liquid splashed on a lamp and upon Mr. Reese's clothes, the lamp setting fire to the oil. He was severely burned about the legs and arms. Deceased is survived by his wife, nee Miss Anna Farrer; one son, Leon, Assistant Superintendent of the Tuna Glass Works, Clarksburg, West Virginia; one daughter, Miss Eva Reese, a student at the Ithaca Conservatory of Music; and one brother, ex-County Commissioner T.M. Reese, of Charleston. The funeral was held on Saturday afternoon at 1 o'clock; burial in Mansfield. - Wellsboro Agitator, November 24, 1909

John E. Reese, married = 82489
Death Cert. #101151; Cause - Burns; oil barrel caught fire from a lamp catching clothing on fire
b. 16 October 1850, Blossburg; d. 17 November 1909, Blossburg, Cottage State Hospital, 39 days
Occupation - Hardware Clerk
Parents - David T. Reese, Wales + Martha Jones, Wales
Burial - 19 November 1909

REESE, John E. [SRGP 82489] - Memorial of the Late County Auditor John E. Reese, of Mansfield
County Auditor John Evan Reese, of Mansfield, died at the Blossburg State Cottage Hospital Nov. 17th, 1909, aged 59 years and one month. Mr. Reese was the son of David and Martha Reese [deceased] natives of Carmarthenshire, South Wales, who came to this country in 1842, locating in Blossburg where the subject of this sketch was born, Oct. 16, 1850. In Dec. 1859, the family moved onto their farm in the Welsh Settlement, Charleston township. It was here his early days were spent assisting his father in the farm work, and attending the district schools and the State Normal at Mansfield, and later on completed a business course in the Binghamton Commercial College. He proved to be a diligent student, for at the age of 18 he received credentials from the County Superintendent of Schools entitling him to teach, and for a period of about nine years he taught in various districts and boroughs of the county. And he thereafter held positions of trust, and responsibility in the mercantile trade. At the November election of 1908 he was elected a member of the Board of Auditors for Tioga County. He located permanently in Mansfield in 1880. On Nov. 24th, 1881, he married Miss Anna Farrer, daughter of the late Wm. and Elizabeth Farrer, of Mansfield. He is survived by his wife and two children, one son, Leon, foreman in the Tuna Glass factory at Clarksburg, W VA, and one daughter, Eva, a student in the Ithaca Conservatory of Music, also one brother, ex-Commissioner Thomas M. Reese, of Charleston. Mr. Reese had been in the employ of the firm of Strait & Retan, hardware dealers in Mansfield, for about three years. The unfortunate accident which eventually caused his death occurred late in the afternoon of Oct. 9th, last. A customer had given him an order for some crude oil. A barrel of this oil had just been placed on tap by some of the other help of the firm. The spigot when inserted in the barrel had inadvertently been left in such a position as to leave the outlet pointing upwards when the barrel was placed in position in the rear end of the basement, which is quite dark at all times, the windows being in the front end. This made necessary the use of a lamp when drawing oil. Mr. Reese, as usual placed his lamp some distance from the barrel before proceeding to draw the oil. Crude oil being somewhat gaseous, when he opened the spigot it spurted upwards with force to the ceiling, then fell in a wide spray saturating his clothing, and reached to the lamp, which ignited the oil. Instantly he was enveloped in a mass of flame and smoke. Although surprised by the suddenness of it all, with remarkable presence of mind, he reached for the spigot and succeeded in closing it, thus staying the flow of oil. Then in an heroic attempt to stop the fire and save the store he turned and grasped the lamp with the intention of throwing it out through the window in the front end of the basement. At this juncture, he evidently became dazed or blinded for Mr. Sours, one of the employees coming to his rescue found him in this attitude standing with the lamp in his hand, and his clothing all afire. He was seized by Sours and rushed up the stairs to the store floor, where the prompt action of Messrs. Strait and Retan soon smothered the fire on his person by the use of clothing within their reach, but not until he was terribly burned. His burns were treated immediately by Dr. F.G. Elliott. He was then taken quickly in an auto to the Blossburg hospital, where the best of care was given him and all that medical skill and treatment could do was done for him. The kindly courtesy excellent care, and human sympathy manifested by the hospital attendants and all the officials connected therewith not only to the suffering patient, but to the sorrowing wife and the many relatives and friends who called to see him is gratefully appreciated and will long remain in their memory a sweet recollection that softened the pangs of sorrow attending the sad occasion. Notwithstanding all that skill and care could do for him he gradually failed and passed away peacefully. The funeral was held from his late home at one o'clock on the Saturday following his death, [Nov. 20th], and was largely attended by his fellow townsmen and his many relatives and friends from other parts of the county. Interment was in Prospect cemetery. The floral tributes were numerous and beautiful. The services were very appropriate and impressive as conducted by the Rev. A.W. Fenton, pastor of the M.E. Church. Mr. Reese was a faithful member of the Presbyterian church and a liberal contributor to the cause of Christ. From personal, intimate knowledge embracing a lifelong acquaintance, your humble subscriber can truly say of him that his heart and hand were always open to the needy and distressed. His character for probity and integrity was unimpeachable, and his faithfulness to the interests of those whom he served either in a public or private capacity was proverbial; this being the universal testimony of those whom he served and knew him best. He loved the home life, and the sacred influences which cluster around the Christian hearthstones, for he dearly loved his family, and the environments of his home were ideal, where no impure thing entered, where filial love and obedience reigned supreme. In the moral development of our social life what better influence have we? Is there any better criterion whereby we can measure up to the true standard of useful citizenship for the good of the commonwealth and the moral uplift of our fellowmen, than the pure home life? Such was his home, and the life he lived, as very briefly and imperfectly sketched herein. Nevertheless, it is hereby respectfully dedicated as an humble tribute of love to the memory of a departed faithful friend, and good citizen. By a friend --- Wellsboro Agitator, 1 December 1909, p.1