Reeds at War: Starling Clyde Reed

USS LST-933 (Source: navsource.org)

USS Albemarle (source: Wikipedia)

Starling Clyde Reed, oldest son of Austin Clyde Reed and Salinda May Reed, served in the US Navy during World War II. He was an Aviation Machinist's Mate, First Class and served on the USS Lst-933 in 1944 and the USS Albemarle in 1945.

William E. Bartlett

William E. Bartlett, the husband of Sarah F. Reed, was born to Daniel Bartlett and Sarah Cole in Barbour Co. in 1828. His grandparents included Eppa Bartlett and Rebecca Barron.

He was a farmer and a Democrat. During the Civil War he was listed as part of the Barbour Light Horse and as a Lieutenant in the 169th WV Militia, although he was never called into service.

William's grandfather Eppa was living in Harrison Co., WV as early as 1810.

(Note: Above information derived from "Union and Confederate Soldiers and Sympathizers of Barbour County, West Virginia" by John W. Shaffer and Census Records)

Sarah F. Reed Bartlett

Sarah F. Reed, the second youngest daughter of William and Lucinda, married a William E. Bartlett on June 4, 1863 in Barbour Co. Sarah and William lived in Barbour Co., WV before settling in Upshur Co., WV Sarah was widowed by 1879 when William died in some sort of accident, according to the death record. In 1880, Sarah and two of her sons, Charles and Opha, were living next to Sarah’s father in the town of Buckhannon. By 1900, Sarah is found living with her son Opha in the borough of Jeanette in Westmorland Co., PA, according to the census. The census record gives a birth date of August 1841 for Sarah and September 1865 for Opha, and lists that Sarah owned their home and farm. In 1910, Sarah is working as a seamstress and is a boarder at the home of W. and Frances Dornes at 357 Morgantown St, Uniontown, Fayette Co., PA. She was still living there with then widowed Frances in 1920. Sarah would have died in between 1920 and 1930, probably in Pennsylvania.

R.S. Welch

R.S. Welch was a pastor of a Methodist Episcopal congregation and officiated the marriage between Benjamin F. Reed and Sarah Weaver in Barbour Co., WV on December 11, 1857.

Elias Bennett

Elias Bennett performed the marriages between Lucinda Reed and Simon P. Radabaugh on November 25, 1855 and between Sarah F. Reed and William Bartlett on June 4, 1863 in Barbour Co., WV.

(Photo Source: The History of Upshur County, West Virginia: From Its Earliest Exploration, by William Bernard Cutright)

1810 Orange County, VA Tax List

William Reed, was the only Reed listed in the 1810 Orange County, VA Tax List, as shown above. Unfortunately, if this is our William Reed, this record does show him as having one slave above the age of sixteen. William appeared to have two houses on his property, along with two stud horses or mules. His tax obligation was 1 pound 24 shillings.

William's wife Dicey Rumsey, was likely the daughter or sister of William or Elijah Rumsey, as listed below. The Rumseys apparently had more money as they had 3 to 5 slaves, and paid taxes of 2 pounds 12 shillings and 3 pounds 36 shillings respectively. It is possible that Elijah was the father of William and Dicey given that he had the larger amount of resources that included two houses and three stud horses or mules. Of course, Dicey may be the daughter of the only Rumsey listed on the tax records for Orange Co. in 1800, Thomas Rumsey.



Interestingly, there are no entries for a Crayton/Creighton family, which may likely indicate that William Read, Jr.'s wife Lucinda Crayton's family did not arrive in Orange County until after 1810.

(Source: http://www.binnsgenealogy.com/FreeSample/CDR-000457/1810/index.htm)

William Reed of Stafford County

I had the opportunity to stop by the Orange County, VA Courthouse on 12 March 2010, where I saw the original county copies of the marriage bonds for William Read and Dysa Rumsey and their son William Read and Lucinda Crayton.

The only other possible reference to our Reed family was the below deed. Once I can determine the exact location as described in the deed, I hope to find grave sites and other potential sources of information that can help us to overcome this roadblock in discovering the true origins of our family.

Exd. & Deld. to sd Reed Octr 1788
This indenture made xxvith day of October 1786 between William Threlkeld of County of Stafford an Margaret his wife of one part and William Reed of County aforesaid ...Witnesseth that in consideration of sum Sixteen pounds current money of Virginia have granted unto William Reed 105 acres in Orange County bounded Beginning at large Read oak by the side of the New Road being one of the old corners now corner to William Cave and William Peches to three white oaks near the head of the White Oak Branch corner to George Bledsoe to a white oak by the side of the lawyers old road corner to William Peches up the said raod to a white oak in the forks new and (lawyers) old road corner to Wm. Piches to the beginning ...

William Threlkeld
Margaret Threlkeld
At a court held for Orange County
26th October 1786 This Indenture was acknowledged
by William Threlkeld and Margaret his wife
she being first privately examined and ordered to be recorded.

(Source: Orange County Deeds 1786 - 1791, Book 19 Page 4)

Reed Household

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ballard)

Unknown (Possibly Eugene Francis Reed on Right)

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ballard)

Ida L. Reed and Friend ?

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ballard)

Lucy Reed, James Lee Reed, and Isadora Reed

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ballard)

Nancy Jane Lillard Reed, James Harrison Reed, and Hampton Homer Reed

(Photo courtesy of Mike Ballard)

Benjamin F. Reed/Reid (b. c1805)

1850 Augusta Co. District Two and a Half Census

Benj Reid - 45 yrs - Carpenter
Sally [Sarah Payne] - 46 yrs
William [A.] - 21 yrs - Carpenter
Magdaline - 18 yrs
[George] Washington - 16 yrs - Carpenter
John - 12 yrs
Matilda - 11 yrs
Nancy - 9 yrs

1860 Augusta Co. North Subdivision Census - Burke's Mill P.O.
Benjm Reed - 64yrs [54] - Carpenter
S[ally] E. - 66yrs [56]
G[eorge] W[ashington] - 26yrs - Carpenter
J[ohn] W. - 22yrs
N[ancy] E. - 18yrs

1870 Augusta Co. District 3 Census - Mount Sidney P.O.
John W. Reed - 32yrs - Merchant
Benjamin - 64yrs - Carpenter
Sarah - 60yrs [66]
Nancy E. - 24 yrs

Matilda may have married a Francis E. Johnston, living in Augusta Co. District 1 in 1860 with child Samuel Johnston (b. c1859). A Jane Reed was living with them at the time.

Orange Co. Location

When James Harrison Reed's widowed grandmother Dicy remarried to Henry Teel in 1813, the minister was a John Goss. During this time period, Rev. Goss preached at the Blue Run Baptist Church near Somerset, Orange Co., VA, which was about six miles southwest of the Orange Co. Courthouse. As such, I am thinking that the family likely lived in the southwestern portion of Orange Co.

Furthermore, Dicy's son Benjamin married a Sarah Payne in Orange Co., and the Payne family, which included President James Madison's wife, Dolley, lived in the vicinity of Orange Courthouse and Montpelier.

Lastly, a lot of Newman family lived in this area and Benjamin had a grandson named Walter Newman Reed, which of course could be for some relation to the Newmans in southwest Orange Co. [Note: Walter was born c1859 in Augusta Co. to Benjamin Reed's son William A. Reed (b. c1829), his mother was Martha E. Smith (b. c1827).]

Rockingham Co. Reed Land

From the following record, we may be able to identify the general location of Reed property in Rockingham County, perhaps even that which may have been granted for service during the Revolutionary War. Per below, it appears that William G. Reid may have sold at the very least the mineral rights to his property. It would make sense, as the oldest son, he would have likely inherited, at least the largest portion of, the land that his father owned. We know that his younger brother James Harrison Reed lost his holdings due to the Civil War, but it isn't certain whether or not this land was connected. Of course, it is mere speculation that the tract mentioned below is the land of William G. and James' father and grandfather. It is right on the border of Greene County, which was part of Orange County until 1838. As William G. and James were both born in Orange Co. and their parents were married in Orange Co., it is plausible that they lived right on the border of Orange and Rockingham Co.

Based on the neighbors of William Reed listed in the 1840 Rockingham Co. Census, it appears that the family was already living in the town of McGaheysville. Also there were no Reed/Reid/Read names listed in the 1840 Greene Co. Census. Finally, in 1830, William's mother Dicy and brother Benjamin were in Orange Co. and William was in Rockingham Co. [Note: Dicy was born between 1770-1780.]

Also a certain tract of land containing one hundred and five A 105 acres No 20 lying between Swift Run gap and Simmon's gap on the Blue Ridge mountains adjoining the lands of Asa Baugher, Albert Shillett and others the same being conveyed by William G Reed to the National Security and Improvement Company and by said company to the Royal Land Company of Virginia which said deeds are duly recorded in the clerk's office of Rockingham county in book 13 of deeds The Royal Land Com'y of Virginia Its Purposes and Charters: Its Anthracite Coal, Iron Ore, Other Mineral Timber Lands: and Its Narrow-guage Railroads Form Chesapeake Bay to Pittsburg and the West. Their Condition, Advantages and Prospects as a Security for Its First Mortgage Seven Per Cent. Gold Bonds. With Information in Relation to the Bituminous and Anthracite Coals, Hematite, Specular and Magnetic Iron Ores ... By Royal Land Company of Virginia

Tracts 16-64 aggregating 5,652.5 acres of iron and timber lands on the Blue Ridge and Massanutton mountains and their slopes in Rockingham county Virginia leased for ninety nine years with privilege of renewal for mining purposes for a royalty of ten cents per ton of 2,240 pounds on all minerals removed The Royal Land Com'y of Virginia Its Purposes and Charters: Its Anthracite Coal, Iron Ore, Other Mineral Timber Lands: and Its Narrow-guage Railroads Form Chesapeake Bay to Pittsburg and the West. Their Condition, Advantages and Prospects as a Security for Its First Mortgage Seven Per Cent. Gold Bonds. With Information in Relation to the Bituminous and Anthracite Coals, Hematite, Specular and Magnetic Iron Ores ... By Royal Land Company of Virginia

McGaheysville

According to the "Virginia: A Guide to the Old Dominion", McGaheysville in the early 19th century was a manufacturing center that provided local needs for clothes, shoes, hats, furniture and wagons. This may have been the attraction to our William Reed, who was himself a carpenter.

Hampton Homer Reed and Virginia Isner Reed

After careful facial recognition consideration and estimating the date of the photo that this image was cropped from to be early-to-mid 1880s, I have concluded that these two individuals are most likely Hampton Homer Reed and his wife Virginia Isner. While I am 95% sure of this, can anyone confirm or disprove my conclusion?

If anyone has old photos of Reed or Reid family, or unknown photos from Barbour CO., Upshur Co., Taylor CO., WV and/or Rockingham Co., VA, please send them my way.

John W. Reid Confusion

It appears there is some confusion in the Civil War Records regarding John W. Reid, since it appears that two John W. Reid's fought with the Captain Carpenter's Alleghany Artilery. One was a Sargeant and the other a Private. First, Sergeant John William Reid was from Stephensburg, Frederick CO., VA, who transferred to the Alleghany Artillery after his battery led by Wilfred E. Cutshaw merged with Carpenter's in Sep 1862. John William Reid was living in Stephensburg, Frederick Co., VA in 1860 and toiled the land as a farmer, so he was clearly not a carpenter in Augusta Co., VA. Sergeant John W. Reid was living with his family in Opequon, Frederick Co., VA after the war in 1870 through at least1880, and likely lived the rest of his life in Frederick Co., not Grottoes, Rockingham Co., VA. John William Reid apparently sometimes went by the name William, and was listed on the 1880 census as J. William Reed.

I believe Private John W. Reid to be the son of William and Lucinda, or possibly a nephew. It became clear that the two John's were separate given that the Civil War Records showed event dates that conflicted with one another. For example, Private John W. Reid was imprisoned at Fort Delaware while the Sergeant was still in service. I used the Civil War Records to construct the following timeline of some of Private John W. Reid's key Civil War events.


16 Jul 1861 - Enrolled as a Private for 1 year service with Captain Edward M. Dabney’s Company C “Lechter Guard” of the VA 52nd Infantry of the Virginia Volunteers in Staunton, Augusta Co., VA. Company C was based in the Mossy Creek area.

30 Jul 1861 - Mustered in by Major M.G. Harper in Staunton.

15 Aug 1861 - Absent without leave.

Nov – Dec 1861 Absent without leave.

13 Apr 1862 - Drafted from the Augusta Militia, enlisted as a Private for 3 years of service by Captain Joseph Carpenter into the Allegheny Rough Artillery in New Market,

17 Apr 1862 - Deserted near Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co., VA.

30 Nov 1863 - Arrested by U.S. Troops in Beverly Co., WV.

6 Dec 1863 - Listed as a POW at the Atheneum Prison in Wheeling, WV. He was listed as a carpenter who last resided in Augusta Co., VA, 27 years of age, 5’10”, fair complexion, blue eyes, and dark hair. He was listed as Private of Captain Joseph Carpenter’s Company.

7 Dec 1863 - Sent by Captain W.C. Thorpe to Camp Chase in Columbus, OH.

8 Dec 1863 - Arrived at Camp Chase.

29 Feb 1864 - Transferred to Fort Delaware, Delaware.

4 Mar 1864 - Arrived at Fort Delaware.

20 Apr 1865 - Paroled by Major General E.B. Parsons near Newtown, VA.


Finally, a word on the sourcing of Private John W. Reid's birth/death information was taken from the Virginia Regimental Histories Series.

John Reid Found?

I am not certain I have found William and Lucinda's son John, but the information that I will lay out now does give me some hope.

Civil War Records indicate that a John W. Reid (b. 28 Jun 1833 - d. 6 Oct 1899) was enlisted in the Alleghany Rough Artillery on 13 April 1862 in Augusta Co., VA where he was residing and working as a carpenter. Supposedly, he deserted four days later in Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co., VA. At the time of his death he was living in Grottoes, Rockingham Co., VA. Another record indicates that in Staunton, Augusta Co., VA he enlisted in Company C of the Virginia 52nd Infantry on 16 Jul 1861.

Now this birthdate is off from the 1827 date given in the 1850 census, but we all know that it seems back then it was hard to have a consistent burthdate from record to record. That said, it still muddies the water a bit.

The rest of the information, however, is what got me excited. First, we know that William was a carpenter, so his son would likely pick up the trade.We also know that Reid/Reed family members resided in the Staunton area of Augusta Co., like Walter Newman Reed's family. Next the fact that he deserted in Harrisonburg and then died in Grottoes is significant given their proximity to McGaheysville.

Any thoughts?

Missing Children of William and Lucinda Reed

Well, now, with the probable discovery of the path of Benjamin Franklin Reed, we are down to three children of William and Lucinda whose histories are missing. From Lucinda's obituary, at the time of her death, we know that one child was still in Virginia (William Grey Reid), one child was in New Orleans (Maggie Stockton), one was in Arkansas (?), four were in West Virginia (James, Benjamin, Sarah Bartlett, and ?), and one had died prior to Lucinda (?).

The three left were Lucinda Radabaugh, Elizabeth, and John.

Since Lucinda Radabaugh's husband, Simon, remarried in 1878 in West Virginia, and we know from census records that Lucinda Radabaugh was living in 1870 in Upshur Co., we can assume that if she were living still in 1873, which we do not yet know, she can be counted as one living in West Virginia. So Lucinda was either the deceased child or living in West Virginia.

So if Lucinda Radabaugh was still living in 1873, either John or Elizabeth were the deceased child, and either John or Elizabeth was living in Arkansas. If Lucinda was deceased, of course, of John and Elizabeth...one would have been in West Virginia and one in Arkansas.

Anyone out ther have additional clues?