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)