Montgomery Bios, Morton L. Montgomery,
(H. H. Beers & Company of Chicago, 1909), 343

James T. Reber is a descendant of John or Johannes Reber mentioned above, who was the eldest son of Johan who emigrated in 1742, and who continued to live in Pennsylvania after his father's death. Johan Reber was twice married and had six children. Two of the brothers, Peter and Valentine, settled in the west in the neighborhood of Lancaster, Ohio, where numbers of their descendants may be found. The remaining brother, Thomas Reber, was born in Pennsylvania in 1746, was married to Elizabeth Kerschner, born Nov. 1, 1747, died Dec. 22, 1823, and he left ten children.

James T. Reber, the immediate subject of this sketch, was born April 29, 1834, at Sinking Spring, Berks Co., Pa. He was educated in the public schools and afterward engaged in the hardware business for forty years, from 1853 until 1893, trading as Bard, Reber & Company.

James T. Reber was married to Miss Sarah W. Potteiger, Oct. 3, 1854. They have had seven children born to them, of whom Benjamin died aged nine years, the survivors being: C. Alice, wife of Joseph F. Templin, of Philadelphia, Pa.; Valeria E., wife of Isaac L. Deeter, in the Reading railroad service at Reading; Morris B., for a time engaged in the real estate business branch house, representing a large New York concern; Clara R.; and James C., a manufacturer of Reading. The mother of these children died Jan. 31, 1903, aged sixty-seven years.

In addition to the business interests already mentioned, Mr. Reber has been president of the Reading National Bank since March 14, 1893, the date of its organization. As one of the city's most responsible citizens he has been chosen for offices of responsibility as his leisure time permitted, serving for three years in the common council and for three years an unexpired term as prison inspector. He is a Knight Templar Mason and an Odd Fellow. Mr. Reber is prominent in the Reformed Church, in which he has been an elder for many years, and for six years he has been treasurer of the board of Home Missions. For more than twenty years he has been a trustee of the Bethany Orphans' Home; was treasurer of the board of publication of the Reformed Church of the United States for over twenty years; and has been a member of the board of Home Missions of the Reformed Church for many years. In 1907 he was elected trustee of Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania.