Richard Reese

Richard B. Reese, who was Henry County's last surviving Civil War veteran, died at the age of 98 at his farm home in Bartlow Township. A son of John and Nancy Reese, he was born in Licking Co. on May 11, 1846.

Mr. Reese was 16 when he enlisted in the 27th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Fuller's Brigade, and was sent to the Army of the Tennessee to serve with veterans who had fought at Shiloh and other great battles. Among the battles in which he participated were Atlanta, Kenesaw Mountain, Reach Tree Creek, Dalton, Salkahatchie, and Bentonville.

Mr. Reese said at the Salkahatchie River, the soldiers fought in mud and water so deep that horses could not be used to manuever the large guns and the battle was fought with the aid of the infantry. Mr. Reese would relate how the soldiers would cheer General Sherman and would call him "Uncle Billy."

Richard B. Reese, Henry Co.'s last surviving Civil War veteran.

In 1869, he was married to Mary Rowling and by this marriage three children were born - Cora Reese, George B. Reese, and Anne Reese Lazenby. Mary Reese died in 1875 and Richard moved to Henry Co. in 1884 locating in Bartlow Twp.

In 1889, Mr. Reese married Mary Hayes Johnson, the widow of Frank Hopkins Johnson. Mr. Johnson met his death by being crushed by a falling tree on his farm in Section 31 of Bart-low Twp. The new Mrs. Reese had two sons by her first marriage. They were John J. Johnson and Charles E. Johnson. In her marriage to Richard B. Reese, she bore him two sons, Howard F. Reese, born Jan. 31, 1892, and Harry E. Reese, born Oct. 15, 1894. Mr. Reese had the sad experience of losing his second wife. She passed away on Jan. 14, 1897, and is interred at St. Paul's Cemetery, Hamler. After their mother's death, the Johnson brothers made their home with their Uncle Michael Hayes in Marion Twp. and remained here until their marriages.

Howard F. Reese, the son of Richard and Mary Hayes Reese, died in 1970 at the age of 78 years and is interred at Clarkston, Mich. Harry E. Reese, also the son of Richard and Mary Hayes Reese, was deceased in 1975 at the age of 80 years. His interment was at North Baltimore, Ohio.

Mr. Reese's descendants included 17 grandchildren, 27 great grandchildren, several great-great grandchildren and three great-great-great grandchildren.

The Hamler News in their Dec., 1944 account of Mr. Reese had this to say at his death: "Mr. Reese was always very active and until about a year ago, he drove his own car and wore glasses only when reading. He was an interesting conversationalist and thoroughly enjoyed the company of his friends . . ."

Mr. Reese is buried at Pataskala in Licking County.

Submitted by John Hayes