Rev. John Reece
The Rev. John Reece is well known in this
community as the pioneer minister of the Baptist denomination. It is an interesting fact concerning him,
that his father and grandfather before him were Baptist clergymen. His grandfather, John Reece, emigrated
from Germany when about 21 years of age. He married an American lady; came to Indiana long before it was
a State; became a minister of the Missionary Baptist Church; preached extensively in the new settlements, being
away from home sometimes three months at a time upon his itinerating expeditions. He died while the subject
of this sketch was quite young. Benjamin Reece, his son, had emigrated from the State of Kentucky
with his father, and settled in Clarke Co., Ind. There he was married to Sarah Davis, of Jefferson
Co., Ind. He was a soldier in the war of 1812, although then only 16 years of age. Soon after his marriage,
he united with the New Washington Baptist Church, in Clarke Co., Ind. In the fall of 1834, he came to Shelby
County, and settled in Hendricks Township; he began preaching the Gospel of Christ about this time, and, after
a long and useful life, died in November, 1856. John Reece, the son of Benjamin and Sarah Reece, was born
in Clarke Co., Ind., Oct. 17, 1819; came to Shelby County with his father in 1834, and has spent his entire life
here, except the four years devoted to his collegiate education at Franklin College. He made a profession
of religion in the Second Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, of this county, in March, 1838; called to the Gospel ministry,
he waslicensed by the same church in July, 1838, and ordained Jan. 12, 1840; he has been in the active work of
the ministry ever since, without any intermission; in all the Baptist Churches of this region he has preached,
in most of them he has held successful revival meetings, and hundreds upon hundreds have been added to the church
under his earnest and faithful labors. Mr. Reece was first married to Phebe Ann Tucker, Nov. 28, 1839,
and one son, Benjamin H., was born to them. Mrs. Reece died at an early age, Aug. 7, 1846. He
was again married, June 10, 1847, to the present Mrs. Reece, Mary Jane, daughter of Samuel and Agnes
Midkiff. Their son, William V., was born Dec. 9, 1851. Mrs. Reece is also advanced in life,
and a more motherly, wise and popular lady it would be difficult to find. For twenty-three years, Mr. Reece
has been the Pastor of the Mount Pisgah Church, and he enjoys the very rare good fortune of living in his old age
among the people who know him best and yet love him as a neighbor, friend and spiritual father.
Atlas of Shelby Co., Indiana, Chicago: J.H. Beers & Co, 1880, pg 35.
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