The subject of this biographical notice is of German desent, his great-grandfather, Christian. Reesor, a Mennonite minister, going from Menheim to Pennsylvania, as the leader of a small colony, and settling in Lancaster County, where some of the family yet reside, the original homestead, a splendid farm of three hundred acres, being still in their hands.
In 1801, the grandfather of our subject, Christian Reesor, junior, his father, Abraham Reesor, and three uncles, settled in Markham, county of York, where David Reesor was born on the 18th of January 1823. His mother was Anna Dettwiler, who was also from Lancaster County, Pa. Both parents died at Markham, his father in 1832, and his mother about 1857.
In addition to common school instruction, Senator Reesor had three years’ private drill; worked on his father’s farm in his youth; was a merchant five years; founded, about 1856, the Markham Economist, a strong Reform paper, which he conducted with ability for several years, selling out about fifteen or sixteen years ago. He has been a magistrate for thirty-five years; a notary public for more than twenty, and was secretary-treasurer for a long time of the Markham Agricultural Society. He went into the county council in 1850, when York, Ontario and Peel were united, and served several years in that capacity, being warden in 1860. He was a school trustee for many years, and on his motion was secured the establishment of the first grammar school in Markham. He has long been connected with the volunteer militia, and holds the rank of Lieut.-Colonel of reserve militia.
Senator Reesor represented “King’s” Division in the Legislative Council of Canada, from 1860 until Confederation, seven years later, and was called to the Senate by Royal Proclamation in May, 1867. In the Legislative Council, at the time of Confederation, he took quite an active part in the perfecting of that measure, and moved a resolution, making the office of Senator elective by the people, but, on a division, that proposed amendment of the constitution was lost. He is a Liberal.
Senator Reesor is an adherent of the Methodist church; was for years president of the Markham Bible Society, and has long been a prominent man in almost every good cause.
In February 1848, Senator Reesor married Emily, eldest daughter of Daniel McDougall, Esq., of St. Mary’s, Ontario, and sister of Hon. William McDougall, C.B., M.P., and they have five children, four daughters and one son, two of the former being married. Marion Augusta., the eldest daughter, is the wife of Dr. Coburn, of Oshawa, and Jessie Adelaide is the wife of John Holmes, of Toronto.
Since 1876, the residence of the Senator has been in “Rosedale,” Yorkville, where he is enjoying the quiet of a retired life. Always having lived in the county of York, and having held various official positions, he is well known, and has a great many friends, by whom he is warmly esteemed.