REAT FAMILY IN CALIFORNIA

Submitted By Gerri Kohn

libtech50@comcast.net

Most of the information I am recording is stemming from the Reat Family Bible which is in my possession

Emma Veach Reat b. 3/13/1833 Charleston, Illinois

d. 4/11/1901 Los Angeles, California

Robert Clark Reat b. 11/2/1828 Fairfield County, Ohio

Robert C Reat and Emma Veach got married 12/28/1859 in Charleston Coles, Illinois

They had the following children:

George Clifton Reat b. 10/13/1860 Charleston, Coles Co., Illinois

d. 11/4/1864 Charleston Coles Co., Illinois (age 4 years old)

Mount Clyde Reat b. 1/16/1864 Charleston, Coles Co., Illinois

d. 1/22/1944 Los Angeles, California

Charles Irving Reat b. 12/27/1868 Charleston, Coles Co, Illinois

d. 6/29/1952 Charleston, Coles, Co. Illinois

Jesse Clark Reat b. 7/4/1871 Charleston, Coles Co., Illinois

d. 6/3/1923 Los Angeles, California

The story I have been told is from my father, aunts and cousins. Emma Veach Reat (mother), Mount Clyde Reat, Charles Irving Reat, and Jesse Clark Reat traveled from Charleston Coles, Co. Illinois to Los Angles, California in a covered wagon. The time of arrival into California was between 1900 and 1901. I was able to narrow down the time as according to Mount Clyde Reat’s death certificate it states he was a resident of California for 43 years and he past away in 1944. Also I know that the family was in California prior to 1901 as Emma Reat passed away in 1901 according to the family bible. The 1900 Federal Census shows the family living in San Bernardino, California.

　Mary Bartle Smith b. 3/30/1876 Murray Hill, NJ

d. 4/22/1923 Los Angeles, California

According to the Reat Family Bible Mary Bartle Smith married Mount Clyde Reat 2/18/1903. Jesse Clark Reat, Mount’s lived with them until her death in 1923.

Mount Clyde Reat and Mary B. Smith had the following children:

Clyde Francis Reat b. 3/4/1904 El Monte, Los Angeles, California

d. 10/20/1920 El Monte, Los Angeles, Ca.

Clyde Francis was delivering furniture up some stairs, the furniture

fell on him and killed him.

Charles Oliver Reat b. 4/4/1905 Los Angeles, Ca.

d. 3/20/1972 Los Angeles, Ca.

Frederick Alvin Reat b. 5/10.1908 Los Angeles, Ca.

d. 5/1985 Hooper, Web, Utah

Mary Alice Reat b. 9/25/1911 Los Angeles,Ca

d. 6/11/2001 St.Cloud, Fl

Martha AnnaBelle Reat b. 9/27/1913 Monrovia, LA Ca.

d. 6/3/2003 Mt.Dora, Fl

Robert Henry Reat b. 8/26/1915 Huntington Park, La Ca

My dad d. 4/13/1997 Jacksonville, Fl

On April 22, 1923 in Los Angeles, California Mary Bartle Smith passed away from a lung ailment. Short afterwards about a week later, Mount Clyde Reat placed all children under age into an orphanage.

Frederick Alvin and my dad Robert Henry Reat was placed in a home with the family of the last name McCarthy. The family adopted Frederick Alvin and changed his name to Frederick Alvin McCarthy. However, it did not work out for my father so he was placed into another home with the family last name Wright.

My dad’s name was changed from Robert Henry Reat to Robert Burns Wright.  His adoptive parents were listed on his social security application as:

Alfonse B. Wright  b. abt. 1882

Cora B Nigh/Night b. abt 1895.

In 1930 according to the census the family lived in Los Angeles.  The family included my father Robert Henry Reat.

Mary Alice and Martha Reat were adopted by two sisters who abused them. Eventually their aunt on their mother’s side Eva Smith came to California and brought them to NJ to live with her.

Charles Oliver went on his own and married. According to 1930 Census he was living in Los Angeles with his family.

Clyde had already passed at the time of his mother’s passing.

Generation 3

Mabel Sarah Collins (wife of Charles) b. 9/9/1904 ; d. 9/25/1988

Charles Reat married Mabel Collins on 1/14/1926 in Los Angeles, Ca.

The children are as follows:

Majorie Jane Reat b. 8/7/1927 Los Angeles; d. unknown

James Oliver Reat b. 3/16/1929 Los Angeles, Ca.; d. 9/1/2002 Idaho

Ethel Parker, b. unknown; d unknown

Frederick Alvin Reat married Ethel Parker 1928 in Los Angeles, Ca.

Ethel and Frederick only had one child

Harold Reat b. unknown d. unknown.

Mary Alice, Martha Annabell and Robert left California. Mary and Martha lived in New Jersey where Mary got married, Martha got married and had two children. Robert ran away from the people who adopted, live in Colorado for while before enlisting in the Army prior to WWII. While stationed in England he met my mother and married her. They had two children me and my brother.