Reuben E. Best

NOT A DIRECT ANCESTOR Reuben E. Best is not in my direct ancestry. The Best family of Salem Twp., Clarion County, PA. is linked by marriage to the family of David Beels. The Beels family is possibly distantly related to our Jacob Bealsfamily. No relationship has been established, and the Beels family believe there is none.

	Date	Location	Notes	Sources
Birth	May 1862	PA
Marriage	1882		To Mary Femlee
Death
Burial	"at Salem", expect Salem Lutheran	Salem Twp., Clarion Co. PA

Ancestry chart segment

    Generation 3           Generation 4                                                
                                                                                   +--Henry Best
                                                                                   |
                                                               +--  Unknown Best --+
                                                               |                   |
                                         +--  Reuben E. Best --+                   +-- Catherine unknown 
                                         |                     |     
                                         |                     +--  Unknown                 
            +-- Norman Lester Best ------+                         
            |                            |  
            |                            |                             
            |                            +-- Mary Femlee
            +               
            |                            +--George Emanuel Kline              
            |                            |
            |                            |
            +-- Nellie Elizabeth Kline --+
                                         |
                                         |
                                         +-- Olive Irene Wise
                                              
     
 
Sources:

Children

Name	Gender	Date of Birth	Birthplace	Spouse	Notes	Sources
Bertha Mae Best	F	Dec 1881	PA	Perry Wile
Norman Lester Best	M	Feb 1891	PA	Nellie E. Kline

Places of Residence

Location	Dates	Notes	Sources
Beaver Twp.,Clarion Co. PA	1900
Richland Twp.,Venango Co. PA	by 1910-1930

Photos

Early image, Best family home, Nickleville, Venango Co. PA

Mary Femlee as young woman

Mary Femlee (Best) as elderly woman

Mae Best (Wile)

Lester Best as a child

Sources

Ref. Num.	Description	Image of original
1	1870 United States Federal Census, Beaver Twp, Clarion Co., PA, page 14. Census dated 24 July, 1870. Lines 10-15: Joseph Gouchler, 32, stone mason, $500 real, $180 personal property; Mary, 27, keeping house; William, 1; Ruben Best, 8; Leonard Best, 6; Frank Best, 3. All b. PA.
2	1880 United States Federal Census, Beaver Twp., Clarion Co., PA, En. District 64, page 51. Census dated 23 June 1880. Lines 10-14: Henry Best, 80, at home farm; Catharine, 72, wife, at home farm; R.E., 18, grandson, farm labor; Nacy Stover, 24, servant; Hattie Bolton, 3, dau. of Nancy Stover. All and all parents b. PA. Lines 15-18: Godfrey Best, 35, farmer; Susanna, 28, wife; M.M. (or W.W.), 15, dau., at school; Henry, 3 months, son. All and all parents b. PA.
3	1900 U.S.Federal Census, Beaver Twp., Clarion Co. PA, Lower Precinct, Enumeration District 3, Pg. 9. Date of census: 13 & 14 June. Lines 2-5: Reuben E. Best age 38, born May 1862, married 18 yrs; wife Mary M. age 35, born Nov. 1864, married 18 yrs, mother of 2 children, both living; daughter Bertha M., age 18, born Dec. 1881; son Norman C. (sic), age 9, born Feb. 1891. All, and all parents, born in PA. In the previous household (Pg. 8, Lines 97-100 and pg. 9, Line 1) is Godlieb Best, age 60, born Mar. 1840, married 33 yr; wife Elizabeth age 57, b. Nov 1842, married 33 yr, mother of 8 children, 5 living; daughter Sarah F. age 20, born Sept 1879; daughter Laura C. age 17, b. Feb. 1883. All, & all parents, born in PA.
5	1920 U.S.Federal Census, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, Enumeration District 139, pg.22 ancestry.com, date of census 23 Feb 1920. Lines 9-12: Ruben Best, head,age 56, owns farm; wife Mary age 52; son Lester age 28; daughter-in-law Nellie age 26. All born in PA; all read & write.
6	1930 U.S.Federal Census, Richland Twp., Venango Co. PA, Enum. Distr. 61-40, p. 15 ancestry.com. Date of census: 19 Apr. 1930. Lines 16-22: Ruben E. Best, head, age 67, married at age 25, owns home, farm, owns radio. farmer, general farming. Mary M, wife, age 65, age 23 at marriage. Lester N., son, age 38, age 19 at marriage. Nellie E., daughter-in-law, age 17 at marriage. Ralph O., grandson, 19; Mary O., granddaughter, 4 1/2; Eugene K., grandson, 2yr & (3?) mos. (part of age is smudged)
7	Eugene Kline Best and Donna Mae Beels (Best) interviews, June 2007 and June 2008, by E. W. Williams. Information included family members' names in various generations; photo portrait copies; a scrap book of obituaries, etc. Reuben Best married Mary Femlee (or Mary Wiegraff(?) buried at Salem, lower drive, Reuben to left, son Lester to right. Children of Reuben & Mary: Mae Best married a Wile; Lester Best married in 1910 Nellie Kline, daughter of George Kline & Olive "Ollie" unknown (George & Olive buried at Salem, front). Lester & Nellie Best were parents of Eugene Kline Best & Tom Best.

Source Notes

• 1900 census: this appears to be Reuben & Mary Best, parents of Mae and N. Lester Best. The Godlieb Best living next door is of an age to be Reuben's uncle or father.