WI BIO - Richland Co - RAGLES [REAGLES], Abel

History of Richland County, Wisconsin. Miner, J. H., ed. Chicago: Western 
Historical, 1906

Abel RAGLES [REAGLES] was born 28 January 1824 in what was then Mercer 
County, but is now Lawrence County, Pennsylvania, son of son of Abraham and 
Mary REAGLES. Abraham REAGLES was born in 1788 and died in 1854. Mercer 
County was created in 1800 from a portion of Allegheny County. Lawrence 
County was created in 1850 from parts of Beaver and Mercer Counties.] When 
he was five years old his parents moved to what was then Medina County, but 
is now Summit County, Ohio. [Summit County was created in 1840 from parts of 
Portage, Stark, and Medina Counties; Medina County was created in 1812 from a 
portion of Portage County.] At the age of thirteen he went with a neighbor 
to Indiana to assist in driving cattle. He remained with this man in Fulton 
County [Indiana] one year, then engaged to work for his uncle, Dr. [Joseph] 
SIPPY, with whom he lived until twenty-one years old.

On 03 November 1844 in Akron, Fulton County, Indiana, he [Abel REAGLES] was 
then married to Priscilla [Miss Priscilla E. SIPPY, who was born 27 June 1827 
in Granger, Medina County, Ohio, daughter of Joseph and Martha (COGSWELL) 
SIPPY. If Joseph SIPPY was Abel REAGLES' uncle, then Priscilla SIPPY was his 
cousin?] His father-in-law [Joseph SIPPY] gave him a tract of land in Wabash 
County [Indiana], which he improved and lived upon until 1854. In May of 
that year [1854] he [Abel] sold his farm and came to Wisconsin in search of a 
location. On 10 June [1854] he [Abel REAGLES] entered a tract of land on 
Section 4, Town 10 [North], Range 2 East [Ithaca Township, Richland County, 
Wisconsin], then returned to Indiana, gathered his crops, and remained until 
fall, when he removed his family to their new home. They came overland with 
teams, bringing their household goods and provisions and camping on the way. 
They were sixteen days on the road. They first rented a small shanty in 
which they lived a few days, and in the meantime with the assistance of the 
neighbors, he erected a rude log cabin into which they moved.

During the following winter [1854-1855] their supply of provisions ran very 
low and it was necessary to do something to "keep the wolf from the door," so 
Mr. [Abel] RAGLES [REAGLES] and his neighbor, Henry SHORT, whose stock of 
provisions was in about the same condition, started, each taking a load of 
lumber, to go to Sextonville [south of Ithaca, in Richland County], where 
they tried in vain to sell or trade their lumber for provisions. Mr. RAGLES 
[REAGLES], however, bought two bushels of corn and a bushel of beans, and Mr. 
SHORT two bushels of corn. They returned, arriving at Mr. RAGLES' [REAGLES'] 
about midnight, tired and hungry, having eaten nothing since morning. The 
family had gone to bed hungry, but they got up and Mrs. RAGLES [REAGLES] 
hastily cooked some of the beans which they ate with a relish.

In June 1857 his corn crop was cut off by the frost and the prospect was 
gloomy indeed. About that time there became a demand for ginseng and he and 
his family went to work with a will to gather it. At this employment they 
soon earned enough to put them out of the reach of want for the time being. 
In fact it proved a turning point in their fortunes, from which they 
prospered and were soon able to build a small frame house, and later a frame 
barn, which was destroyed by fire a few years afterwards, together with all 
its contents, hay, grain, and some stock. He has built another barn and a 
large frame upright part to his house. He is the owner of 202 acres, 80 of 
which are well improved, and is engaged in raising grain and stock, and also 
keeps a dairy. [Priscilla E. (SIPPY) REAGLES, died 17 March 1901 in Neptune, 
Richland County, Wisconsin, at the age of 73 years. Abel REAGLES died 21 
September 1906 in Ithaca, Richland County, Wisconsin, aged 82 years. Both 
are buried in Richland County, Wisconsin.]

Mr. and Mrs. RAGLES [Abel and Priscilla (SIPPY) REAGLES] have eight children 
[and one deceased]: (1) Martha [REAGLES, born 12 November 1845 in Wabash 
County, Indiana, who married David J. GWIN on 21 November 1861 in Richland 
County, Wisconsin, had nine children, died 19 January 1930, in Sauk County, 
Wisconsin at age eighty-four years, and is buried in Richland County, 
Wisconsin]; (2) Thomas J. [RAGLES], born 31 July 1848 in Wabash County, 
Indiana, married Martha CHURCH in Richland County, Wisconsin, and died in 
Brown County, South Dakota, aged seventy-nine years]; (3) Anne J. [REAGLES, 
born 11 Oct 1853 in Fulton County, Indiana, married Harlow STODDARD in 1875 
in Richland County, Wisconsin, and died 18 June 1890 in Richland County, 
Wisconsin, aged thirty-six years]; (4) Hubert S. [REAGLES], born [23 
September 1856] in Richland County, Wisconsin, (5) Augustus [REAGLES] born 
23 September 1856 (twin of Hubert S.), and died 09 January 1859, aged two 
years; (6) Robert B. [REAGLES], born [12 July 1861] in Richland County, 
Wisconsin; (7) Clarence J. [REAGLES, born 04 July 1859], in Richland County, 
Wisconsin [married 17 September 1882 in Richland County, Wisconsin, to Miss 
Jeanette Elvina SIPPY, who was born 01 February 1861 in Richland County, 
Wisconsin, daughter of John Griffin SIPPY]; (8) Emma [Emeline REAGLES], born 
[12 November 1863] in Richland County, Wisconsin; and (9) William S. 
[REAGLES], born [12 July 1867] in Richland County, Wisconsin]. 

Submitted by Cathy Kubly