WILLIAM HENRY REIDER

 The following bio was taken from page 357 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

William Henry Reider was born near Heidelberg, Germany.  Besides his parents, he had one brother, Hans, and one sister, Anna.  They were farmers and one day while they were working in the field, there was a mountain slide, crushing both parents to death.  Being young adults and missing their parents, the children chose to go to America.  They settled in Texas where William H. met and later married the lovely Mellviney Bell. He also fell in love with Texas.  Wishing to be All-American, he changed the spelling of his name from “Reider” to “Rider”, the American way.  His children, however, changed the name back to “Reider” when they became adults.

 His brother Hans became homesick and returned to Germany.  Sadly his family never heard from him again.  His sister Anna married Arthur Tubey.

 William H. and Mellviney Bell Rider had four sons: Samuel Smith, Melton E., Joe and William Archless Rider.  He also had two daughters, Fannie and Sarah Ann (Sally) Rider.  William H. was called Grandpap.  Grandpap was adored by all his grandchildren.  His outstanding characteristics were his bluest of blue eyes, his black beard with patches of red, and his loving kindness.  All of us who never knew him personally wished that we had.  He believed in being honest and working very hard.  These beliefs his son, Samuel Smith Rider, passed on to us.  He said: ”It’s a cruel world out there and if you are not honest and not used to working real hard you won’t make it.”  He was a shoemaker and a prosperous farmer.  He made shoes for the Confederate Army during the Civil War.  His love for land caused him to buy all he could.  He bought in Dallas, Nacogdoches, and Mt. Enterprise, Texas.

 Samuel Smith Reider, son of William H. Reedier, was hard-working, strong-willed man with dark brown eyes that seemed to pop out if he got angry.  He could be very kind, especially to the needy.  He had several things going at the same time.  He showed his need for leadership and activity.  At one time he had a farm, cattle, horses, a cotton gin, a gristmill, and a small store.

 Samuel Smith Reider married Martha Ann Hogan, a lovely Irish lady in Nacogodches, Texas where they both were born and raised.  They married December 25, 1876.  The top rule in her home was to have the best manners.  This attitude made some think that she was stuckup and stiff-necked, a misbelief on their part.  She had auburn hair, blue eyes, a fair complexion, and a tender, low voice.  The couple lost their first two babies in death.  Then later had two sons, Jack Daniel and John Mell Reider.

 Jack Daniel Reider, born August 6, 1881, had big blue eyes, and like his father, he had brown hair and a dark complexion.  He was never sure of what he wanted to do.  After graduating from high school, he went to three different colleges.  First, he decided to be a doctor, then to be an Adventist preacher, and last, to be a better farmer.  In September, 1917, he married Barbary Porter.  They had no children.  He died Jan 21, 1924 after a tumor operation and was buried at Oakwood, Texas, Leon County, his hometown.  His wife later remarried.

 John Mell Reider was born to Martha Ann Hogan Reider and Samuel Smith Reider on January 27, 1883.  He had dark brown eyes, a fair complexion, black hair, and later a black beard with red patches like his grandpa’s; and a kind voice like his mama’s.  When he finished high school, because of his love for farming, he bought forty acres of land and has a house built on it.

 After seeing a certain girl, Johnny said, “Mama, that’s the prettiest little girl I’ve ever seen and when she grows up I’m going to marry her.”  That he did. He married Laura Elizabeth Long, April 20, 1910.  She was the daughter of Charles Henry Long and Harriett Adaline Egelton Long, whose forefathers had come from England.  Laura E., (Lizzy) even looked like an English lady when her black hair, worn in long curls as a child and, up when she grew older.  She had grey eyes and a fair complexion and kept a good figure all her life even though she had nine children.

 The couple lived in Nacogdoches, Texas, where both were born and lived until their daughter Ruby was born.  Their other children were Gladys, Weldon, Barbara, Vada, Annie Velma, Charles, Florine, and Vivian.  They lived at Oakwood, Texas for fifteen years before moving to Mt. Enterprise, Texas in Rusk County in the 1930’s after William Archless Rider died at Oakwood, Texas, Leon County.

 Submitted by Gladys Reider Stowe as told to her by grandpa, Samuel Smith Reider