John Reiley

John Reiley

1751-1845

Complied by Elizabeth Morrow Cooley and part of the research collection held by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Family History Center in Norwood, Ohio, and reprinted here with the permission of the director, Alma Ryan. It is intended for the free use of researchers and is not to be sold.
 

John Reiley was born in Cecil County, Maryland 9 Dec 1751 and died in Rush County, Indiana 22 Dec 1845.  He was the son of Michael or Matthew and Catherine Smith Reiley who were married in 1750. Michael (or Matthew) and Catharine came to America and settled first in Cecil County, Maryland.  Later they moved to Washington County, Pennsylvania where John, when of age married Elizabeth McCollough. 

Elizabeth was born in Scotland in 1764 and died in Rush County, Indiana 7 Dec 1826.  She came to America when she was 7 years old. John was one of the guards at the fort at Wheeling, Virginia against the Indians; was with Lord Dunmore when he came down the Ohio River from Ft. Pitt (Pittsburg) to the Kanawa, but arrived too late to engage in the battle of Mt. Pleasant. He enlisted in the war between the colonists and Great Britain from Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania in August 1776. 

He rose from a private to a captain taking part in a number of battles among them Valley Forge and the Battle of Bonhampton, New Jersey where in April 1777, he was shot through the body.  He recovered from his wound enough to serve throughout the rest of the Revolutionary War.  {His grandson, Edward Reiley, states in a letter that his grandfather on his death bed showed him the scar on this body from the wound suffered during the war.}  The greater part of his service was as a sharpshooter under General Dan Morgan.

He and his family came down the Ohio River about 1790 in a flat boat landing at Cabin Creek, three miles above Limestone (Maysville), Kentucky.  After moving about for several years they finally settled in Alexandria, where the rest of their children were born.  In 1820 John and his wife moved to Rush County, Indiana where both of them lived until their death.  They are buried in the Hopewell Cemetery about 15 miles from Rushville, Indiana.  His grave is marked "A soldier of the Revolution".

Children of John Reiley and Elizabeth McCullough

  1. Robert b-21 Jan 1785 in Washington, Pa d-Cincinnati m-Esther Stevens
    March 1809 in Alexandria
    2. William b-21 Oct 1786 in Washington, Pa d-19 Jan 1882 m-Elizabeth Morin in 1812
    3. Mary b-5 Jan 1789 in Washington, Pa
    4. John b-13 Dec 1791 in Alexandria d-1845 in Madison Indiana m-Lavina Morin
    in 1813, fought in the War of 1812
    5. Margaret b-24 Mar 1794 m-Thomas F Spilman Sep 1818 d-Indiana
    6.Smith b-20 Dec 1797 d-Decatur County, Indiana m-Lettice Spilman Mar 1819;
    had at least the following children: William, John, Nancy and Rebecca
    7. Rebecca b-15 Sep 1800 d-Illinois m ----- Daily, had one son, William
    8. Davis b-17 Jan 1803 d-in Illinois m- ? she was b-1806 d-1 Apr 1868 in Illinois
    9. Nancy b-12 Jan 1806
    10. Jonathan b-15 Jan 1809

William Reiley, s/o of John and Elizabeth, married Elizabeth Morin d/o Edwin and Elizabeth Morin. She was born 8 Mar 1789 and died in Alexandria 6 Sep 1878.  William was a mechanic and a farmer, and was the first clerk of the Alexandria Baptist Church at the time of its founding in 1820.  He was active in civic affairs both in the state and in Campbell County, serving for several years as a member of the Kentucky State Legislature and as a magistrate in the county.

Children of William Reiley and Elizabeth Morin

  1. Franklin m-Susan Stroubs in 1837 in Alexandria

  2. George Washington b-24 Jul 1815 d-Feb 1861 in Alexandria m-1st Emily Shaw in 1839
    and 2nd Margaret Shaw in Jun 1848

  3. Edward b 1819 in Alexandria d-Jun 1917 in Alexandria m-Mary Reddick 9 Nov 1854

  4. John b-1826 d-1901 m-Letty Ann White in 1852

  5. Eliza d-Oct 1910 in Alexandria m-Daniel Allen Thatcher Dec 1840

  6. Nancy m-Andrew Jackson Wright 2 Dec 1841

  7. Sarah b-28 Feb 1828 d-27 Jan 1883 m-Jacob White in 1849 both are buried in the Alexandria Cemetery; had one daughter Lavina, who m-Joseph Wright who died 19 Jun 1898

  8. Elizabeth

Children of Davis Reiley and ____

  1. Nancy b-1831 m- ------- Billings

  2. Alfred b 1834- d4 Jul 1909 in Illinois

  3. John b-1836 d-23 Jun 1912 in Illinois

  4. William d-14 Dec 1864 in the Civil War near Cumberland Gap, Tennessee

  5. Robert d-1887

  6. Alice d-1851

  7. Charles W b-30 Aug 1841

  8. David b-1849

George Washington Reiley was born in Alexandria on 24 Jul 1815 and died there in Feb 1861.  He was married in Alexandria first to Emily Shaw, d/o Robert Shaw and Margaret Morin in 1839, and second to her sister, Margaret Shaw in 1848.  His home, a lovely large brick house, was built on Persimmon Grove Pike out from the center of town.  He was very active in the Campbell County Agricultural Society when it was formed in 1856, being its first treasurer.

Children of George Washington Reiley and Margaret Shaw

  1. Luelah (Ella) b-17 Aug 1849 in Alexandria m-John Ducker; had Sarah and John

  2. Samuel Coleman b-26 Jul 1852 in Alexandria

  3. Elizabeth Gertrude b-1854 m John Ducker; had George and Stewart

  4. George Washington b-17 May 1857 m-1st Lyda White, 2nd Bertha White

  5. Edward Morin b-28 May 1862 m Rose Hartman

  6. Harriet Jane b-20 Aug 1865 m-Charles Surran; had Margaret, Elizabeth, Charles

  7. Emma Pearl b-17 Apr 1870 m ------ McMillen; had Burnett

Edward Reiley was born in 1819 in Alexandria and died there in April 1917.  He was married 9 Nov 1854 to Mary Reddick, d/o William J Reddick and Cynthia Caldwell of Kenton County.  Her parents were married 20 Dec 1826 in Campbell County.  Edward was born and raised on his father’s farm where he remained until he was of age.  He then studied law and was admitted to the bar at Cincinnati in 1850. He began to practice law and became a well-known judge.  In 1867 he and his family finally located to Alexandria where he remained until his death actively engaged in his profession.

Children of Edward Reiley and Mary Reddick

  1. Cynthia Elizabeth b-1856 unmarried

  2. William Leonidas m-Dora White d/o Thomas

  3. James d-1878

  4. Charles Allen b-1864 unmarried

  5. Mary Alice b-1866 unmarried

  6. Harry Mosby b-1870 unmarried

  7. Arthur d-Dec 1901 unmarried

Children of John Reiley and Letty Ann White

  1. Ada b-1853 m-Thomas Nelson

  2. Sally Keturah b-1855 m-John Shaw

  3. Cora b-1856 m-Knox Carmack

  4. Elizabeth d-young

  5. William Jacob 6-1863 m-Lalla Traver

  6. John Wesley b-1866 m-Charlotte Fuller 1 Nov 1911

  7. Albert Verner b-1873 m-Flossie Slater; daughter Alta Ruth

Children of William Leonidas Reiley and Dora White

  1. May d-young

  2. William Leonidas

  3. Mary Elizabeth m-Samuel C Rouse

  4. Margaret d-in infancey

John Wesley Reiley was born in Alexandria in 1866.  On 1 Nov 1911 he married Charlotte Fuller. His home near the Washington Trace south of Alexandria, was the lovely old brick home of his maternal grandfather, Jacob White, one of the early settlers of Alexandria, who came from Orange County, Virginia.  For years he was interested in civic and church affairs. He was County School Superintendent for 36 years.

Children of John Wesley Reiley and Charlotte Fuller

  1. Gladys b-1917 m-William Marsh

  2. John Wilburn b-17 Aug 1925

  3. William Daniel b-17 Aug 1925 d-three weeks later

Children of Samuel C Rouse and Mary Reiley

  1. Elizabeth Jane b-Sep 1920 m-Richard Paul Schaber

  2. Margaret Ann b-30 Oct 1924

  3. Martha Maria b-30 Oct 1924

Return to Alexandria Families

Return to Families R Index