James Reed, Sr.

Biography

According to available records, James Reed (c 1710 - c 24 January 1798) married Margaret Floyd circa 1730. The couple had seven sons and two daughters:

1. Maria Reed, married Stephenson 1742–1828
2. Benjamin Reed 1744–1828. Married Sarah.
3. John Reid 1746–1831. Married Mary.
4. James Reid 1747–1792. Married Frances Gibson, widow of Robert Callender.
5. Joseph Reed died as a young man.
6. Samuel Reed 1748–1808.
7. Sarah Reed, married McKesson 1748–1821
8. William Reed 1751-1813. Married Nancy Miller.
9. Thomas Reed 1755-1803/1812. Married Mary Craig.

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Initially, this memorial was entered for Col James Reed by Mike Hahn reporting that James Reed was a Lt Col in the U.S. War of Independence. According to research presented October 2015 to JD by researcher Vonnie L Cantrell (#47192880), the Lt Col rank is incorrect:

"Colonel James Reed was not a lieutenant colonel… . I referred to the Applications for Membership in the SAR of two of his descendants. In 36622, descendant Henry Greenway Albert recorded the rank Lt Col and it was flagged. In 45853, descendant William Blose Reed also recorded the rank Lt Col for ancestor James Reed. The SAR Eligibility Committee diligently researched this claim and determined James Reed was NOT a lieutenant colonel. A descendant, Mrs. John Russell Sampson, wrote a book entitled, "Kith and Kin" in which she wrote that he "was a Lt Col of the First Battalion of Pennsylvania Troops". She included that in his battalion, he commanded his seven sons and two sons-in-law. While this made for entertaining reading, it did not make for factual reading. While Reed served valiantly in the American Revolution, he did not command a Battalion in the Pa Troops. To perpetuate this misinformation is to diminish not only the service of Reed, but others who served as well. In war, each Private is as important as each General. So as not to perpetuate inaccurate information, we would like for you to remove the rank, "Lt Col" from Reed's name.”

In accordance with the above, James Reed’s rank was altered to Private. According to Vonnie L Cantrell, the initial Col Reid/Reed entry of this memorial was confused with LTC James Reid (1737-1822), Find A Grave Memorial# 84515971. To reinforce: Each Private is as important as each General!

Because the following provides insight into the times and family, but refers to probable incorrect rank of Liet. Col, it remains. Basis is "Thru the Years" compiled by May Riley (includes Reed family history, PDF 1999), http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~paadams/Books/TTY.PDF:

Liet. Col. James Reed, although an old man, served in the Revolutionary War as did his seven sons, James, Samuel, Benjamin, John, Thomas, William, and Joseph. In later years, grandchildren were proud when told: Mother Margaret blessed her sons in farewell and told them "never to come to her with a bullet in the back." Liet. Col. James Reed born Ulster, Ireland died PA, 1789-1898. The Reed Family history compiled by May Riley reports that James Reed and his wife, Margaret, deeded 175 acres each to several sons on 14 April 1789. Might this cast doubt on 1784 death year for Margaret (Floyd) Reed presented in some Reed family histories?

from available family trees: The couple had nine children: Thomas Reed (1730-1823); James Randolph Reed (b. 1735); Mary Reed (b. 1742, d. 1828), married James Stephenson; Sarah Reed (b. 1743); Benjamin J. Reed (b. 1744); John Reed (b. 1745), Capt. Joseph Reed (b. 1746, died of wounds & exposure Revolutionary War); Samuel Reed (b. circa 1748), and William Reed (b. 1751).

The will of James Reid dated 7 December 1796, originally presented in print by Cheryll Reed, image available at Ancestry, with certain changes by JD, appears below:

James Reid Will, microfilm #4587-4590, Adams Co Clerks Office, Gettysburg, PA: In the name of God Amen, I James Reid of Hamilton Bann township county of York & State of Pennsylvania being of sound and disposing mind and memory but mindful of my mortality do this seventh day of December one thousand Seven Hundred & Ninety Six make & publish this as my last will and testament in manner following. First and principally I resign my Soul to God and my body to the Earth to be Decently buried at the discretion of my Executors not doubting but I shall receive the same at the General Resurection ]sic] by the Mity [sic] power of God as to my temporal estate thereof in the following manner: First that all my Just Debts shall be discharged and paid; Secondly I give an bequeath unto my beloved Margaret Reid the sum of fifty Pounds Pennsylvania currency as soon as my personal Estate is Disposed of together with the north room in my Dwelling House with all its furniture together with the bed, furniture and hangings in the west room of my Dwelling House also the large Walnut Chest of Drawers; also one half of the Kitchen furniture; also one Cow with every specific article contained in article of agreement Between my self and my son John Reed the specific articles to Discontinue at her Decease for the reminder to himself and Heirs forever it is my will and Pleasure that at the decease of my beloved wife the Bed furniture and hangings the Corner Cupboard and Iron . . . Become the property of Mary Reid, wife to my second son John Reid. . . .it is my further Will and desire that the rest of my personal Estate be sold and after paying my Just debts the remainder of money together with the money arising from bond Notes of hand Book debt accounts and obligations of every kind shall be equally divided and share and share alike among my seven children Between James Stevenson in favor of my daughter Mary; Benjamin Reid; John Reid; William McKesson in favour of my daughter Sarah; William Reid, Thomas Reid; and Samuel Reid. it is further my Will that James Stevenson in behalf of my daughter Mary and William McKesson in behalf of my daughter Sarah shall be paid their legacies in one year after my decease. my Will further is that my son John’s legacy or his proportion to be taken out of the debt or sum of money that he may or will owe my Estate and that for the Balance he may have three years to pay the same in and that in Equal sums and lastly I appoint my beloved wife Margaret Reid and my son John Reid of the township county and State aforesaid my Executors of this my last will and Testament who hereby have full power to act as such. Signed sealed and Delivered by James Reid to be his last Will and Testament revoking all other wills. James Reid (Seal) Done in the presence of James Brice [Fairfield postmaster, October 1800] James Reid Adams County

Before James Duncan, Esquire, Register for the probate of wills and granting letter of administration in and for the county of Adams in the state of Pennsylvania came James Reid, one of those subscribing witnesses to the foregoing instrument of writing and on his solemn oath doth Say that he was personally present and saw and heard the within James Reid unto and seal and publish the foregoing instrument As and for his last will And testament and at the time of doing thereof he this said James Reed was of a sound mind Memory and understanding to the best of his knowledge and belief in that he's subscribed his name thereto As a witness in the presence of the said testator And at his request and that he did also See the other Witness James Brice Subscribe his name as a witness At the same time. James Reid Sworn unsubscribed January 26 1803 before me Gettysburg

James Duncan Allegheny county before Me, Samuel Jones, Esquire Register for the probate of wills and granting letters of administration and for The county of Allegheny Commonwealth The Pennsylvania personally came James Brice, one of these subscribing witnesses To the written will In been truly sworn According to law desposeth and saith That he was present at the execution Of the said will and did see James Reid the testator Within named sign, seal And deliver the same. This in did hear him publish pronounce and declare it To be his last will and testament in that he was of sound mind and memory at the time of so doing to the best of this Deposant's Knowledge. Given undermine and and seal of office at Pittsburgh the tenth day of February Anno Domini 1804. Signed Samuel Jones register. Memorandum – Letters Testamentary were this day granted to John Reed Surviving Executor of the Estate of James Reed… January 26, 1803

James Reid in the Pennsylvania, Wills and Probate Records, 1683-1993 Name: James Reid [Reed & Reid] Probate Date: 26 Jan 1803 Probate Place: Adams, Pennsylvania, USA Inferred Death Year: Abt 1803 Inferred Death Place:Pennsylvania, USA Case Number: 103 Item Description: Index, 1800-1864; Wills, Vol A-B, 1800-1817

Another will dated sixteenth day of December one thousand seven hundred and ninety seven as last will and testament of James Reed suggests death in 1796-1797. Will also names wife Sarah plus a daughter, Rosannah. Because this will makes reference only to son John and grandson James, perhaps this is a different James Reed than James Reed/Reid of this memorial:

Descendants of James REED: http://assets.luginbuel.com/genealogy/documents//Reed,%20James%20Fa...

Gravestone photos to right do not match the resting place of Private James Reed/Reid, husband of Margaret Reed nee Floyd; however, article REMINISCENCES, letters, and other persuasively suggest burial in Lower Marsh Creek Cemetery. Supposedly, will was dated December 1796, specific probate unknown. “REMINISCENCES" article of circa 1845-50 by grandson, John Reed, suggests death in 1798 or 99. All vary by source.

Grave photo entered by Reed descendant, Geneva M. Hunt, is that of Private Reed’s daughter, Sarah (Reed) McKesson. If one compares that gravestone to the gravestone photos added by Erica Swiger and Jane Denny, stones are clearly different. Swinger/Denny gravestone photos to right are of the same grave and suggest interment of young Reed children and NOT that of Col/Pvt Reed and his wife, Margaret.

“REMINISCENCES - Dedicated to my Children,” by John Reed (1786-1850), grandson of James and Margaret (Floyd) Reed, written circa 1849 and reprinted in the Gettysburg Times, Gettysburg, PA, 16 November 1929, provides Reed family history.

Marsh Creek burials with Sections: http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/7202615/person/6152767455/storyx/a3c... and http://mv.ancestry.com/viewer/a3c759f0-b157-47db-acbb-66999f1e6526/...

Lower Marsh Creek Cemetery,(Adams County, Pennsylvania) Map of nearby cemeteries ...McClelland, Evergreen, Blacks... http://roadsidethoughts.com/pa/cemeteries/lower-marsh-creek-cemeter...

Reed/Reid family researchers are referred to the Manor study, includes a map, for additional information. The following, from page 46 of the study, is offered for reader’s review with no effort to deny or connect to this Reed group: 328 (1) Inset map, Hamiltonban; (2) James Reed or Reid (will probated 1803); (3) yes, Aug. 1738; (4) 1762; (5) Aug. 13, 1767; (6) June 26, 1767, 900 a., Letterkenny; (7) James Reed, 1788. The survey for this tract represented one of the largest acreages which the Penns conveyed to any one person in what is now Adams count. (THE MANOR OF MASKE: ITS HISTORY AND INDIVIDUAL PROPERTIES, Charles H. Glatfelter, Director; Arthur Weaner, Associate Director, Adams County Historical Society, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, 1992)

THE REED LINE

Quite a colony of Reeds came together to ?Penn's Manor? before 1730, Scotch people from Ulster. Their names had been found as ?Landholders? on the Hamilton estate, and May 23, 1683, among ?Presbyterians of importance to be moved from Ulster to Munster because of political opinions,? we find James Reed, Andrew Reed, Sr., and Andrew Reed, Jr. It may have been this James Reed's sons, Samuel, Joseph and Wm., who came forty years after, tired of being ?moved? and otherwise harassed as ?Presbyterians of importance.? They decided to do the moving themselves! Samuel Reed and his wife, Sarah, had a son, James, who married Margaret Floyd; they had seven sons and two daughters. James was Colonel in the Revolutionary War, and had in his regiment his seven sons and two sons-in-law, James Stephenson and Wm. McKesson. We children always glowed with pride when told how Mother Margaret blessed her sons in farewell and told them ?never to come to her with a bullet in the back!? The Spartan mother was nothing in our comparison. The sons were James, Joseph, Benjamin, John, Samuel, Thomas, William; five were officers. Lieut. Samuel was afterwards Colonel in the War of 1912 [1812]; he married Anna Kennedy, and they are my great grandparents. When my father and I went to visit our relatives at Mifflintown, Pa., in 1896, my mother said, ?Stop at York and look up my Reed records.? So we spent the night at the big new Colonial Hotel with its diningroom on the roof, and a beautiful view from its windows on every side. Our arrival was rather amusing. A just married couple boarded the train we were leaving, racing at full speed across the wide platform to escape the merry crowd showering them with rice. Entering the hotel Father took off his hat, and the rice flew far and wide; the clerk insisted on his taking the ?bridal suite?! The next morning we went to the Court House and there found all our people in innumerable deeds conveying land, a few of which I noted. I asked the clerk if there were any of the descendants of these numerous Reeds still about. ?Yes,? he said, ?I think there are quite a few over in Paradise? (which proved to be a village not far away). ?Oh, certainly,? I replied, ?I am sure there are many of them in Paradise!? This he thought an immense joke, and to everybody who came in he would whisper it, with smiles in our direction.

Gettysburg Death Notices 1802-1834 [online] Abstracted by Kathy Cardoza: Jun 29, 1803 James Reid, Hamiltonban (call to settle accounts)

There is no tombstone for James Reed (1710-1799)

Source: Copy of letter to Mr. William B. Reed, 19 March 1952, in regard to his 1951 inquiry to DAR Regent Lafevre is courtesy of Geneva Hunt, Reed descendant. For Mr. Reed's 1951 letter, see Margaret Reed nee Floyd memorial.

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Descendants and/or DNA must clarify all. (bio by: [fg.cgi?page=mr&MRid=46932556" target="_blank Jane Denny)]

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jun 29 2017, 8:37:48 UTC
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/101532665/james-reed
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Floyd-910