My Genealogy Hound

Oren M. Rieff, a prominent farmer of Washington County, Ark., was born in Wilson County, Tenn., February 27, 1810, and is a son of John and Hannah (Ross) Rieff, and grandson of Christopher and Mary (Wilschannah) Rieff. The grandfather was of German descent, and was born in Pennsylvania, in which State he was living during the Revolutionary War. He settled in Wilson County, Tenn., about 1800, and reared to maturity a family of twelve children. He was a very active and energetic man until about middle age, then he had a stroke of paralysis, which left him helpless the remainder of his days. He died in 1824 at the age or seventy years. His wife was born in Lancaster County, Penn., and died in Tennessee in 1830, in her eightieth year. Their son, John Rieff, was their ninth child, and was born in Winchester, Va., June 9, 1787, and came to Tennessee in 1800. He remained with his parents but a short time after locating in Tennessee, but took up his abode with his elder brother, and began learning the carpenter’s trade, and after attaining his majority was married and settled on a farm in Wilson County, Tenn., where he lived until 1838, and then sold out and came to Arkansas, with his wife and two children, taking up his abode near Fayetteville. During the Creek Indian War he, two brothers, Joseph and Jacob Rieff, and three of his brothers-in-law, Allen, James and George Ross, volunteered to serve in that conflict under Gen. Jackson, and Joseph Rieff also served in the Mexican War. Hannah (Ross) Rieff was born in North Carolina December 12, 1784, and was of Irish descent, her father, Henry Ross, having come from Ireland to the United States (in 1750) when a lad six years old, and locating in North Carolina, near Guilford Court House, where he grew to maturity and married Miss Mitchell, who bore him four children: Allen, James, George and Hannah. Mr. Ross was a soldier in the Revolutionary War, and was guarding prisoners when the battle of Guilford Court House was fought. His death occurred in Wilson County, Tenn., about 1825. Mrs. Hannah Rieff died in Washington County, Ark., April 17, 1853, and two of her eight children died in infancy. Those who lived to maturity are Oren M., Washington G. (deceased), Mary (deceased), Martin C. (deceased), Henry (deceased), and Elizabeth, wife of Capt. Kelley. Oren M., the eldest of their children, was reared in Wilson County, Tenn., and received a somewhat limited education in the subscription schools, but the most of his time was spent on the farm until nearly grown. He then began learning the carpenter’s trade, which occupation he followed in after life to some extent. He was twenty­eight years of age when he came to Washington County, Ark., and the first two or three years of his residence here he was engaged in teaching school. In 1838 he located on a farm on the west fork of White River, where he lived for about nineteen years, and then settled on a farm of 340 acres where he now lives. He has always taken an active interest in educational matters, and is the oldest pedagogue of the county. He is a stanch supporter of Democratic principles, and has held a number of offices of trust. May 19, 1834, he was married to Matilda A. Fambro, who was born October 13, 1813, in Davidson County, Tenn., and by her became the father of ten children, five of whom are living: Mary J., wife of James Evans; Eliza C., Henry, Margaret D., and Laura, wife of Thomas Fine. Those dead are John W., Robert S., Susan E., Matilda A. and Oren M. John and Robert were soldiers in the Confederate army. May 19, 1884, Mr. Rieff celebrated his golden wedding, his children and all his grandchildren being present, save one. His son, Henry M., resided with him until 1885, when he went to Fayetteville and began keeping a family grocery, which occupation he followed until the spring of 1888. Since that time he has resided with his parents.