Misc. Notes
The present thriving borough [Philipsburg, PA] was then but a small settlement and there was not enough work in the place to keep an active man, like John Reams, profitably and continuously employed, therefore he accepted work as far away as Warrior's Mark, in Huntingdon county, and walked the distance to and from.
In 1845 he moved to Decatur Township, Clearfield County, and took up an improved claim, where the old brick plant was located, near Osceola Mills, where he had about fifty acres. This land he soon sold but received only $10 in cash, money being exceedingly scarce at that time in this section. He was quite enterprising, however, and he next made a line around another fifty-acre claim, at what is now known as Hudsonville, and this land he disposed of for $25 to John Gearhart.
The next claim he took was one of ninety acres, it being the same on which his son, Curtis Reams, now [1911] lives. This place, with the help of his boys, he cleared off, destroying timber at that time which, if now standing, would represent a fair fortune.
One trouble that the early settlers all experienced was the difficulty of protecting their stock from the wild animals that then were numerous in the forest, and even human beings were not always safe in the primitive log cabins. There was a time when a roaring fire was built in the cabin when John Reams and wife and children lay down on their beds of hemlock boughs at night, as the only way of preventing the dangerous visits of wolves and panthers.
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The Reams owned land just slightly West of Osceola Mills. This 1878 atlas shows the land of John, William, and Curtis Reams.
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Eberhard Ream came to America in 1717 and settled in Lancaster county. His Grandson, John Frederick Ream fought in the Revolution and moved to Centre County. The son of JFR, John Reams settled in Decatur Township around 1830 or so. This was the father of Lydia.
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Misc. Notes
John Reams was united in marriage with Frances Carney in Centre County, PA and in 1822 they came to Decatur Township, Clearfield county, taking up their residence in the woods, where he devloped a farm.
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After the birth of their children John and Frances moved to Philipsburg, PA.
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