Jackson County IA Archives Military Records.....Reel, William 1910
Civilwar Company I, 24th Iowa Infantry
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William Reel
WILLIAM REEL.
Among the brave boys in blue whom Jackson county sent to the front during the 
Civil war is numbered William Reel, who for three years defended the stars and 
stripes on southern battlefields, making a creditable military record by his 
unfaltering devotion to duty. He is now well known in connection with the 
mercantile interests of Maquoketa, where for more than a third of a century he 
has made his home. Mr. Reel was born in Wayne county, Ohio, February 9, 1842. 
Daniel and Elizabeth (Storm) Reel, his parents, were natives of Pennsylvania 
and as young people removed to Wayne county, Ohio, where they were reared to 
farm life. After their marriage they located on a tract of land in that county, 
where Mr. Reel continued to engage in general agricultural pursuits until 1857, 
when he came with his family to Jackson county, Iowa, and settled on a farm in 
Monmouth township, on which he resided until his death in 1892. His wife passed 
away two years later. To his original tract of eighty acres Daniel Reel had 
added another tract of similar extent and the old homestead is still in 
possession of the family, being now owned by Sampson L. and Byancy E. Reel, who 
reside in Maquoketa. The parents were members of the Lutheran church and were 
people of the highest respectability, enjoying in large measure the regard and 
confidence of all who knew them.
William Reel was reared at home, acquiring a common school education, which was 
supplemented by two terms' study in the city schools of Maquoketa. He was a 
young man of twenty years, when, on the 11th of August, 1862, in response to 
the country's call, he enlisted in defense of the Union, becoming a member of 
Company I, Twenty-fourth Iowa volunteer infantry. He took part in every 
engagement in which his regiment participated, numbering seventy-two in all, 
including skirmjshes and many of major importance. He was captured at the 
battle of Cedar creek and again at Champion's Hill but managed to make his 
escape each time. On the first occasion he lost many of his accoutrements, 
including his haversack, which contained a diary that was a daily account of 
the movements of his regiment. He regretted very much to lose this as it was a 
detailed history of his military experience. There is probably not another 
veteran in Jackson county who has the record of never having missed a roll call 
while in the service unless it was when he was absent on detailed or special 
duty. He was never so ill that he did not respond when his services were needed 
and his valor was an unquestioned fact in his military record. He continued at 
the front until July 17, 1865, when his military experiences were brought to a 
close, he making out the muster roll for the command. He was mustered out at 
Savannah, Georgia, the regiment disbanding at Davenport, Iowa.
Mr. Reel then returned home and almost immediately was approached by the 
Baldwin school board with a proposition that he take charge of the Baldwin 
schools. He hesitated on the plea of not being able to do justice to the school 
but the board insisted and in consequence he came to Maquoketa, and fortified 
himself in various branches by eleven weeks' study in the schools of this city. 
He then entered the Baldwin school as its teacher and was very successful in 
his work there, remaining a teacher in the schools of that section of the 
county for eight or nine years. In the meantime he was devoting his summer 
months to farming until die spring of 1870, when he removed to Maquoketa and 
found employment in a mercantile establishment, to which he later gave his 
entire attention. For the past twelve years he has been in the employment of C. 
M. Sanborn and is one of Maquoketa's best known business men.
On the 3d of July, 1870, Mr. Reel was married to Miss Marian L. Crane, of 
Maquoketa, a daughter of Frank H. and Lucretia (Tillotson) Crane, who came to 
Maquoketa in the 1840's from Essex county, New York. A tract of land which Mr. 
Crane entered in 1848 is now in possession of Mrs. Reel. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reel 
was born a son, Asa D., who is with them in Maquoketa.
In his political views Mr. Reel is a republican, active in the work of the 
party and influential in its local councils. He served for eight or ten years 
as township clerk of South Fork township and was also clerk of Monmouth 
township, receiving the unanimous vote of the township at the first election 
held after his return from the war. He also served for several terms as trustee 
of South Fork township and in all of his official duties manifested a public 
spirited interest in the affairs of the office. Fraternally he is connected 
with Peerless lodge, No. 60, K. P.; Ben DeMeer temple, No. 12, D. O. O. K.; and 
A. W. Drips Post, No. 74, G. A. R., of which he has served as senior vice 
commander. On the return of his company from the front the flag which had been 
presented to them by the ladies of Maquoketa and carried by them through the 
service as the cherished emblem of their patriotism, was by the vote of the 
company turned over to the keeping of Mr. Reel, who has since had the flag in 
his charge. This was an expression of the confidence and good will entertained 
for him by his comrades in arms. Mrs. Reel is a member of the Congregational 
church and like her husband has many warm friends in Maquoketa, the hospitality 
of the best homes of the dry being freely accorded them.
 

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