GUS-REEB-L Archives

From: John Reeb <>
Subject: Re: Paul Raph
Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2004 17:25:09 -0700 (PDT)
In-Reply-To: <1f1.28684a80.2e592c89@aol.com>

Harlan,

It seems that Johann Michael Reeb first settled in the Lehigh Township of Northampton County, PA after arrival in America. Not sure but I suspect that he and possibly also Johann Nicolaus Reeb, his brother, both went directly to where their brother Johann Gustavus lived and probably stayed with him on land which he evidently had lived on and applied for a land warrant which was never surveyed for him probably because he moved to NC where their brother Johann Peter Reeb moved to by 1766. Anyway, in the Churchbooks Michael is referred to as both Reeb and Reb depending upon exactly which record you look at. However, in Census records and even in his Revolutionary War records he is referred to as Michael Rape.

At some time before 1815 Michael had relocated the family to Plainfield Township which of course is further East and closer to Easton. That year he deeded land in Lehigh Township to his two sons, Henry and Jacob. George Peter, the second oldest son remained in Plainfield Township.

So by the time of the 1850 census, we had descendants of Johann Michael Reeb living in both eastern and western areas of Northampton County. In 1850 those in one area are shown as RAPE in the census and at the same time those in the other area are shown as REB. If I remember correctly, in 1860, these name spellings seem to have shifted so that those whose name was shown as RAPE in 1850 are now being shown as REB and those who had been REB in 1850 are now being shown as RAPE. I remember this well because I know how surprized I was years ago when I began to look for the family I had found with the RAPE spelling in 1850 but could not find them for a long time. Then I finally found that both groups spellings had changed in the two census decades. Eventually, of course all but a very few were shown as REPH in Northampton County. Only a very few seem to have ended up with the spelling of RAPH and RAPE in Northampton County. One RAPH was a MARVIN RAPH, who I have never found a re!
cord to
show who his father was because at age three years he was living in the home of a different family of the name MARX or something like that. However, this mans children eventually got shown on Social Security Death Index as RAPH so in his case the spelling lasted. I think he was a nephew of the man named Peter Marx, but I am not sure. Paul was referred to mostly as Rape, but I believe after he left Northampton County, he became known as RAPH. He may have been shown as Reph at some time in PA.

What I have always found amazing with the spelling of some of the descendants of Michael Reebs descendants is the Elias, who was a brother to David. Of course you know from my book that he signed his name as REB when the family signed the release for Jacob to administer the estate of Henry, their father. Barbara, the widwow of Henry, and her male children of age all signed with an X except Peter, signed himself as Peter Rape. Elias signed as Reb. Polly, the wife of Charles (Carl) Seip signed with her X I believe as Seip. Also, Elias was never shown with the same spelling of his sur-name during the first four census decades. From 1850 through 1900 he had been found in the census as Rape, Reb, Raph and Reph. Also in many documents we find these Reeb descendants were recorded in Northampton County as REBH.

John V.



wrote:

I, interestingly, ran into the name Paul Raph several months ago in my
research. I think it was in the state of Iowa. I think I then read about him
being a descendant of Jacob in your notes that you (John V. Reeb) sent to me. I
found it interesting that Paul's siblings took the name Reph or Reb, but
took the spelling Raph.

I am very interested in obtaining the descendant information for Paul, as
well as all of his siblings. When you have time?

Harlan M. Zeinstra

In a message dated 08/21/04 2:39:12 PM Mountain Standard Time,
writes:

Harlan, as you know your ancestral history concerning the orphans of David
Reeb aka Reb and aka Rape is also an interesting story in it's own right. As
your ancestor Henry Harison, who was baptized with the spelling of REB
eventually became Henry Raph you may be interesed to know that David had a first
cousin, Paul who also ended life with the spelling of his name as RAPH. Paul was
a son, we believe, of Jacob Reeb the brother of Henry Reeb (David's father).
Paul moved his family to Illinois and then to Iowa. I have a photo of one of
Paul's sons. Also I have a collection of documents including deeds etc.
pertaining to Paul. I have only heard direct from one of his descendants,
however, I have heard from a few descendants of his brother Samuel's descendants,
one of whom was very helpful to me on Paul also. She is a descendant of Susan
REB Marsh. Susan was a daughter of Jacob, son of Michael Reeb.






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