Reichart, Emanuel (1844-1940)

REICHART

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 10/6/2008 at 13:41:38

Emanuel Reichart
June 4, 1844 - Oct 3, 1940

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.192, Neola Twp.)
E. Reichart, merchant, Neola, was born in York County, Penn., June 4, 1844, son of Henry and Catharine (Gaytross) Reichart, he born in York County, Penn., in April, 1795; she, born in Germany in 1789, came, when fifteen years old, with her parents, to America. Subject's father raised his family and tilled the soil in his native county till 1869, when he settled in Norwalk Township, this county, on a farm, where he died in April, 1881, and his wife in January 1877. They had six children. Subject's grandfather was one of the first settlers of York County, Penn., coming there from Germany and locating on a farm in a very early day of this country's history. Mr. Reichart was educated in the common and high schools of York, Penn., where he served an apprenticeship of two years, learning the trade of a millwright. At this time, the war broke out, and Mr. Reichart, with all his comrades in trade, enlisted in the One Hundred and Forty-third Pennsylvania Infantry, Col. Daley. He joined the army as a private in 1862, and was discharged as Orderly Sergeant in 1865. Mr. Reichart was at the second battle of Bull run; also at Fredericksburg, Culpepper and Gettysburg. At the latter battle, he was captured, and paroled on the field. He was in the battle of the Wilderness; also at Cold Harbor, where he was wounded. He was discharged in Harrisburg, penn., June 19, 1865, shortly after the surrender of Lee's army. Upon leaving the army, he returned to Iowa, and shortly after, bought a farm near Council Bluffs. This he improved and lived on till 1877, when he came to Neola and opened a general hardward and agricultural implement store, under the firm name of Reichart Bros. Mr. Reichart was married, in June, 1868, in Council Bluffs, to Eliza J. Ritter, born in this county in 1849, daughter of Adam and Nancy (Ward) Ritter; he born, in Virginia in 1812, came to Iowa in 1847 and located in Garner Township, where he has since been engaged in farming; she, born in Virginia in 1818, is the mother of eight children. Mr. and Mrs. Reichart have four children - Laura, Carrie, Sadie and Elizabeth. Mr. Reichart was the first Justice of the Peace in Norwalk Township, and served in that capacity four years. He was one of the first Aldermen of Neola, and served on the Board of Trustees of Norwalk Township for six years. He is an Odd Fellow, and a Democrat in politics.