From Reesman Family History:
Ross Library. Lock Haven, PA 17745


John Reesman was born January 15, 1788 in Pennsylvania. Family records indicate he was born in Northumberland County, which encompassed many present counties in central and northern Pennsylvania. His parents, Philip Reesman (1775-1815), Revolutionary War Patriot) and Catherine Leininger were married in Chester County, PA, northwest of Philadelphia, now Montgomery County. Their marriage is recorded there in the Lutheran Church in New Hanover, PA. They were married May 30, 1775. The date of John Reesman’s birth has been verified by photographs of his gravestone at Mackeyville in Clinton County, PA. Mackeyville was formerly called Hamburg. John Reesman and his wife, the mother of all of his children, Christina Heltman, share an upright stone within the iron fence at the Reesman Cemetery at Mackeyville. This cemetery is located on part of the original John Reesman farm along Fishing Creek. John died January 4, 1872 at 83 years of age. He died in Millheim, Centre County, PA about fifteen miles south of Mackeyville, but was brought home for burial alongside of his first wife who had preceded him in death twenty-nine years earlier.
John Reesman ran away from home when he was about ten years old because his parents had a large family and lived very poorly. John learned the milling trade in Centre County, PA and later owned a grist mill and sawmill at Mackeyville and a grist mill at Millheim.
From John Blair Linn’s History of Centre and Clinton Counties: “The village of Hamburg is located on the west side of Fishing Creek about two miles south of Salona. It was started in 1831or 1832 by John Reesman who at that time there erected a grist mill and sawmill. Soon after, he commenced selling lots to the men in his employ, and it was not long before several dwellings were constructed. It is said the material used was principally wooden slabs, which gave rise to the name of “Slabtown”, by which the place was known for some time”. It was at this time that the couple moved from their home in Millheim to Mackeyville.
John married Christina Heltman, daughter of John Heltman, of the same area of Mackeyville. The date of their marriage is not known but Christina Heltman was born on September 14, 1796. Her marriage to John Reesman was probably circa 1810-1816. Her tombstone is inscribed on the north face:

Christina, Wife of John Reesman
Died December 24, 1843
Age 47 years 3 months 10 days
“Mother of 12 children a woman who loved Jesus”

The west face is inscribed:

“Our Father and mother, They taught us to love God and to do good to all men”.

The east face is blank.
It must have been a sad Christmas in 1843 in the John Reesman home when Christina died on December 24. Samuel Reesman was only five years old when his mother died that Christmas.
“Both husband and wife were members of the Evangelical Church, and their house was often opened for prayer and worship. The church that stands on the hill near Mackeyville was erected as a memorial to Mrs. Christina Reesman. Mr. Reesman was a man of strict integrity, was industrious and a good citizen”.
John became known as a miller, a farmer and a landowner in Clinton and Centre Counties. He had no formal education and could read and write poorly. He was able, however, to keep his own books and accounts.

To this union twelve children were born. They were:

Joseph Reesman b December 3, 1816
David Reesman b April 10, 1818
Margaret Reesman b June 12, 1819
John F Reesman b January 11, 1822
Andrew Reesman b August 13, 1823
Elizabeth Reesman b February 2, 1826
Christina Reesman b January 1, 1829
Mary A Reesman b unknown
Thomas Reesman b unknown
Unknown b unknown
Unknown b unknown
Samuel Porter Reesman b unknown

Three years after Christina Heltman Reesman’s death, John Reesman married a widow, Maria Magdalena Henry, on January 1, 1846 in Aaronsburg, Centre County, PA. She was born September 9 1785 and died September 11, 1861. Samuel Porter Reesman was five years old when his mother Christina died. He was eight years of age when his father married Maria Henry. John and Maria were married for fifteen years and she was stepmother to Samuel Porter Reesman and the other three children during those years. In fact, Maria died in September of 1861 just two months after Samuel Porter Reesman and Sarah Jane Musser were married on July 7, 1861. Maria Magdalena Henry Reesman is buried in Union Cemetery at Millheim, Centre County, PA.
John Reesman married a third time less than a year later. He married the widow of Elizabeth Stine (Stein) who lived in Millheim. They were married in the home of her daughter Mrs. Elizabeth Wagoner. (Elizabeth Stine Wagoner and Rebecca Stine Musser were daughters of Isaac and Elizabeth Stine. Samuel Porter Reesman’s father in law was William Ludwig Musser of Millheim. Mr. Musser’s first wife, Elizabeth Hubler, was Sarah Jane’s mother; but his third wife was Rebecca Stine. She was Sarah Jane’s stepmother during her youth.
The date of Elizabeth Stine and John Reesman’s marriage was August 5, 1862. They lived in Millheim for nearly ten years, until John’s death in 1872. He was 83 years old.
John Reesman was taken to Mackeyville for burial beside his first wife Christina Heltman. The inscription on the south face of the monument:

John Reesman
Born January 15, 1788
Died January 4, 1872
Age 83 years 11 months 19 days
“He was a man whose heart melted with pity at the distress of the poor”

John Reesman served in the War of 1812. His military records at the Archives in Washington D.C. indicate he served as a private in Captain Philip Fetterhoff’s Company, Second regiment of the First Brigade, Pennsylvania Militia. A copy of the paymaster records indicate he was paid for the period between October 2, 1814 and December 5, 1814. His name is spelled John Ritzman on the records.