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2 April 2007
 

THE READ FAMILY (REED, REID)

The reader should bear in mind that there remains undocumented data, generally so notated, in this section. Is is included in order to give family researchers leads on where further research needs to be done. In reporting additional information, please cite your source when you know it, please tell me your source, the more detailed the better. The family history is being developed with various current  descendants. The names Read/Reed/Reid are intermixed. Where possible, we will use the name used in the source document. Of particular assistance to me is the research of J. L. Lamkin multimodal@juno.com .  Lamkin attributes much of the credit to  John M. and John A. Porter. Those with additional, corroborative, or conflicting documentation should include a copy to that that E-mail address as well as to  swiftwater@lenapedelawarehistory.net .  Another Read/Reed/Reid Researcher, who has assisted and supported the Read Family entries is Glenda Dodson dodglendaglenda@yahoo.com. She and her extended ancestor family have tried  to contact all the living ancestors of the nine children of Moses Read and Rachel Porter -- including the editor of this site. They have been successful in reaching the ancestors of five of the nine and she is particularly receiving information on Cunningham Read.  This group are interested in pursuing later generations that are not within the purview of Lenape-Delaware History, that is generations beyond that of Susanna Read requests that you include her on messages regarding this family. The Reid Family  of Moses Hamilton Reid by Warner Reid, provided by Glenda Dodson, is being reexamined for relevant data.

1. John Read was the first known member of the subject Read Family. He was born about 1690 and he died in  1778 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. (Kentucky Traces [2002], the magazine of the Historical and Genealogical Society of Morgantown, Kentucky). He was probably born in Scotland, as was his son, James Read. We do not know the name of his spouse. [This entry from The Reid Family of MOSES HAMILTON REID by Warner Reid has intrigued family researchers for some time: "The  first record we have of the Reid Family is from an old Bible with the inscription “John Reid’s Book, Edinburgh, Scotland, 1732. He was the great-great-great-grandfather of Moses H. Reid." The search for the Family Bible continues.]

2. John's son, James Read was probably born about 1715 in Scotland. He emigrated to Prince Edward County, Virginia after his marriage to an unknown woman. According to the petition that he signed in 1776, cited just below, he was living in Prince Edward County, Virginia at that time. (James M. Porter, "History of our family connection," [1872]  and Kentucky: A History of the State, 2nd edition (Battle, Perrin and Kniffin: Butler County, KY, 1885), submitted by Glenda Dodson glendadodson@yahoo.com He appears to have been an active member of his community there as evidenced by his participation in the signing of a petition approving of the actions taking by the Virginia Assembly regarding to its form of government and approval of the Bill of Rights approved by that assembly. The petition is particularly informative as it contains the names of James Grinter and many members of the associated families, many of whom moved to Kentucky. (Provided by Glenda Dodson dodsonglenda@yahoo.com .)

James Read died in 1778 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. His will was dated on 10 October 1777 and was probated in August 1777. ( Will Book l, p.207).

An undocumented source says that there was a James Read born in Scotland in 1710 who  married Margaret Floyd and who died in York or Adams County, Pennsylvania in 1798. That James Read had the following children: James born 1735 married in 1770 Sarah ______ in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; William; Joseph; Benjamin; and, John. James Read's will named sons Joseph, Robert, and Moses. Are the latter three those of the same name in the 1790 Virginia census below?
 

Census: Prince Edward County, Virginia: Headings were Last, First, dwelling, other buildings. [?]
Reed Joseph 10    1     6
Reed Moses  6     1     3
Reed Robert 10    1     3

 The children of James Read and an unknown spouse are:
    1. John Reed was born about 1738 in Prince Edward County, Virginia, He died there in 1769. In his will, he left his brother James land, a coat and a jacket. John Reed left his brother, Samuel, a jacket. He left brother, Robert, a coat. His father James and brother James were to be the executors, and the witnesses were Richard Tankey and Robert Reed. (Kentucky Traces (2002).

    2. Samuel Reed was born about 1738 and died in 1769. (Ibid.)

    3. Robert Reed was born in 1740 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He died in Butler County, Kentucky about 1793. (Ibid.) He was probably a Presbyterian minister.
        1. Robert Reed II was born in 1770 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He died on 25 December 1826 in Butler County, Kentucky. Robert Reed married Sarah Carr on 25 May 1801 in Logan County. Kentucky. She was born in 1772 in Prince Edward County, Virginia, Virginia, and died on 11 February 1843 in Butler County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Hugh Carr and Elizabeth Findley. (Kentucky Traces, fall 2002 issue, the magazine of the Butler County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc.,  Box 435, Morgantown, KY 42261-0435). Robert owned Reed's Ferry before he died. In 1828 Sarah was taxed for it and  property. About 1834 Moses Travis Reed, Sarah's son took over Reed's Ferry. From Edward M. Manley notes dated 4 December 1953. On 25 May 1801 he resided in Logan (Butler)  County Kentucky.  Robert bought land on Big Muddy River, Little Muddy River and Whippoorwill Creek between 1803 and 1818. His land on Big Muddy Creek joined the property of Moses A. Read and wife Rachel Porter Reed.    Robert bought 534 acres from Sam Brookings, Hart Vo. [?], on 1 March 1826. It was on the Green River in the lower Bend known as McLain's Bend, on land bounded by Dr. Burr Harrison and Qm. Doolin.  Circuit Court Order Book C. per Paul Deweese. (Submitted by Glenda Dodson dodsonglenda@yahoo.com ,  who notes: "It was interesting that the Ferry Business was sort of a Family Business, what with William Washington Read and Robert Reed doing it along with Moses Read Grinter [in Kansas].")

      4. Joseph Reed  was born about 1743 and died about 1790. (Ibid.)

      5. The immigrant Moses A.[lexander?] Read was born about 1750 in Ulster, Ireland or Scotland.  Moses married Rachel Porter about 1784 in [Prince Edward County,] Virginia. Moses Read's spouse, Susannah "Susan" Porter,  was the daughter of  John Porter and Mary "Polly" Anthony. She was born about 1766 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. They undoubtedly lived for the early part of their lives in Prince Edward County, Virginia, as all or most of there children were born there beginning in 1785.

                                                                       
Moses Reed's Signature on a Petition on 4 October 1792 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He clearly signed his name as Reed and not Read or Reid in this document. Isn't it wonderful to have a signature of a fourth great-grandfather? (Provided by Glenda Dodson who obtained it from NJFabian.)

The Moses Read Family moved to Kentucky, around 1796-1797. ("Captain John M. Porter History", Our Family [Porter, et al]  Connections) They may have lived in Logan County, as there is an Indenture in that County on 10 April 1807 where he gave two acres of land on Big Muddy Creek to the Caney Creek Congregation for the purpose of building a Presbyterian meeting house. (Logan County, Kentucky Deed Book B, p. 61, ". . . on road leading from Hugh Porter to William Forsyth, old plantation. . Wit: John Sharp, John Read, A Womack, D. Porter, Thomas D Stroud.") They may have lived in  Butler County later as Moses Read died there before 11 December 1815. He was buried in the Caney Fork Cemetery, Butler County, Kentucky. (The Caney Fork Cemetery is listed in the Small Cemeteries of Kentucky LDS Family History Library 976.9755/V22h, but there are no Reads. Researcher Helen Tice said that he was buried in an unmarked grave.  Rachel (Porter) Read died about January 1834 in probably Butler County, Kentucky. Her burial place has not been located.

In the name of God, Amen, I, Moses Read, of the County of Butler and State of Kentucky, being weak in body, but sound and perfect mind and memory, do make and publish this, my last Will and Testament in manner and form following: That is to say, first I give and bequeath to my beloved wife, Rachel, the whole of my Estate, both personal and real during her natural life or widowhood,  At  the death or marriage of my so wife, Rachel, I give to my grandson, Degrafton Read, ten dollars, as is his part of my Estate in full. Also, I give all my land, my wagon and gear, my stock of horses, cattle, sheep and hogs to be equally divided between my two sons, Nathaniel Read and Cunningham Read. Also I give all the plantation utensils, household and kitchen furniture of every description to be equally divided between my aforesaid two sons. But previous to said division, I desire and order that as I have heretofore given to several of my daughters similar articles of property, that my daughter Polly, my daughter Elizabeth, my daughter Susannah, my daughter Ana H. and my daughter Rebecca shall receive from my Estate articles of the same description and value as nearly as can be of those I have already given to my daughter Nancy Ferguson. Also, I give and bequeath to my son, Nathaniel, a Negro man named Dick. Also, I give to my son Cunningham, a Negro man named Sam, and I also give a Negro woman Aga and a Negro woman named Sarah to be equally the property of my two sons, Nathaniel and Cunningham. Also, I give to my daughter, Polly, one Negro woman named Jude. Also, I give to my daughter, Betty, one Negro boy named Jacob. Also, I give to my daughter, Nancy, one Negro boy named Jemy. Also, I give to my daughter Susannah, one Negro boy named George. Also, I give to my daughter, Ana H., one Negro boy named Jejse. Also, I give to my daughter, Rebecca one Negro girl named Sally Ann. I having hereby given to my aforementioned wife, Rachel, my whole Estate during her life. I also declare it as my Will and Desire that she, at her discretion, may at any time that she think proper, give to either or all of my herein named daughters the whole or any part of the articles of property hereby to them bequeathed. And I hereby appoint my aforementioned wife, Rachel, Executrix, and my so two sons, Nathaniel and Cunningham Read, Executors to this my last Will and Testament, hereby revoking all former wills by me made. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal the twenty-first day of February,  One thousand Eight Hundred and Fourteen. Moses Read SEAL 2-21-1814 (Will Books #1 and 2, Probate Court, Butler County, Kentucky)

Signed and Sealed in the Presence of Thomas Mand (Wand according to Lamken) [,] Henry Young [,] Benjamin Porter[,] Fran Porter. [21 February 1814]

Butler County at a Court held at the Courthouse in Morgantown on Monday the 11th day of December, 1815. The last Will and Testament of Moses Read due was exhibited in to court and proved by the oaths of Thomas Mand, Henry Young, Benjamin Porter, and Fran Porter, subscribing witnesses and ordered to be recorded.  Att Rorz Morrison CBC
(Provided by Nathaniel Read descendant, Glenda Dodson dodsonglenda@yahoo.com )

The children of Moses Read and Rachel Porter follow. They are not necessarily in the order in which they were born. in Much of the information came from Kentucky: A History of the State, 2nd edition (Battle, Perrin and Kniffin: Butler County, KY, 1885), submitted by Glenda Dodson glendadodson@yahoo.com  and from James M. Porter, "History of our family connection (1872). Both of these publications contain errors. The latter has been annotated by several family researchers.)

1. James Read was born about 1785 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. and died before 11 January 1834 in probably Butler County, Kentucky.  (J. L. Lamken says, "A James Read died in Logan County, Kentucky in 1803 and there is an order for the division of the estate in October 1805 and January 1806. There was also a James Read listed in the 1810 Butler County census.)  He married on 13 October 1800 in Prince Edward County, Elizabeth "Betsy" Shepperson. She was born about 1780 in probably Prince Edward County, Virginia and died after19 March 1830 in Butler County, Kentucky. James Read's will was probated on 11 January 1811 at McCulley, Logan County, Kentucky, but his spouse remarried in 1805, so his death was before that event. Francis Porter was appointed guardian for his son, Degrafton Read. But note that there is some doubt about the death date. James Read was buried in the Caney Fork Cemetery- Read Cemetery near Berry, South Lick, Butler County, Kentucky. . . Was one an uncle (brother of Moses) and which one was the husband of Betsy Shepperson?" J. L. Lamken says, "I believe she [Elizabeth (Shepperson) Read] might have been married to Moses A. Read's brother, James Read. There is the issue of the oft cited death date for James Read (the son) and the probate of his will. I also wonder why Degrafton Read had a guardian if his mother was still alive?"

2. Susannah Read was born about 1786 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. She married Francis "Frank" Grinter on 16 April 1808/11 May 1808/21 March 1813 in Logan County, Kentucky. (See the Francis Grinter Family for the ancestry, descendancy, and history of the Francis Grinter Family.) He was born in March 1787 in Prince Edward County, Virginia and died in 1864 or after 1870.  Susannah died in May 1841 or 1842 in Butler County, Kentucky. She was buried in the Caney Fork Cemetery in Butler County, Kentucky. Smith Cemetery, Upper Logan County, although her name does not appear in the listing of burials for that cemetery (Small Cemeteries of Kentucky, LDS Family History Library 976.975, nor did Tom and Nathalie Hahn locate the grave on their visit  to the Smith Cemetery in April 2003.)

3. Nathaniel "Nat" or "Nattie" Read was born on 7 December 1787 [The date of 21 July 1787 has been cited elsewhere] in Prince Edward County, Virginia. He was blind.  On 1818, in Butler County, Kentucky, he married first, Elizabeth "Betsy" Moore, on 13 October 1818 in Butler County, Kentucky. She was the daughter of Samuel L. Moore and Ann Rattikan/Rattiken. He married second, in 1831, on 6 or 16 May 1831 in Butler County, Kentucky, Charlotte "Lottie" Hamilton. She was born on 5 February 1803 in Prince Edward County, Virginia. Nathaniel Read died in 1864 [but on 19 December 1863 as cited elsewhere] in Logan County [Butler County cited elsewhere], Kentucky. He was buried in the Read Cemetery near Berry Lick Road 626 on the old Hullet Place. (Porter, "History of our family connection, p. 2.)
The children of Nathaniel Reed were:
        1. James Hugh Reid
        2. Nancy Cunningham Read
        3. Moses Hamilton Reid

4. Mary "Polly" Read/Reid was born in December 1788 about 1790 in Bedford or Prince Edward County, Virginia. She died on 30 June 1861 in Butler County, Kentucky and was buried in the Read Cemetery near Berry's Lick, Kentucky. Mary Read married on 5 February 1828 in Butler County or Logan County, Kentucky, John Reda, the possible son of Robert Read/Reed. He died in March 1833 in [Butler County], Kentucky. She was blind. John M. Porter in "History of or family connection," p. 1, said," I well remember when she lived at our house when I was a boy."

5. Cunningham Read/Reid was born about 1790 in [Hanover County] Virginia. He died on 30 August 1834 in Butler County, Kentucky. He may have gone to Kentucky from Virginia with his father, Moses A. Read, about 1800, when he was ten years old.  Cunningham Read was a farmer. He married first Mrs. Margaret "Peggy" Ewing], in 1814, in probably Butler County, Kentucky. She was born in Virginia or Tennessee [?], the daughter of William Ewing and Florence Porter. She died on 17 September 1842 in Butler County, Kentucky. They may have had five children.  She died on 17 September 1824. He married second on 1 January1829 (or 1824) in Logan or Butler County, Kentucky, Eliza Moile [Mollie?] McReynolds, the daughter of Alexander A. McReynolds and Sarah Talbot. She was born on 21 August 1803 in Logan County, Kentucky and died on 13 May 1873 in probably Logan County.  They may have had three children.

The children of Cunningham Read and Margaret Ewing:
          1 . William Washington Read was born in Butler County Kentucky on April 24, 1819 in Butler County, Kentucky. After the death of his father, who died in 1834, when William Washington Read was about 1, he remained with his mother and supported the family until he was eighteen years of age. Then for one year he was overseer on a plantation, after followed the river trade, flat-boating and rafting for three years, until 1840, when he married, on 14 May 1840, his cousin, Servary/Saranah/Savannah Ewing of Butler County.  William Washington Read was also a tanner. According to Kentucky History:

After the marriage, Mr. Read removed to Todd County where he learned the tanner's trade, which he has followed in connection with farming up to the present time. In December, 1857, he bought 500 acres of land on Mud River, in Butler County, where he now resides. His farm is one of the best in his section. 100 acres of it being well fenced and in fine state of cultivation and improved with good, comfortable dwelling, large barn, also a tanyard and shoe maker's shop, and an orchard of 150 fruit trees. Mr. Read gives most of his attention to raising of grain. He had few advantages for school education but has acquired a fair business education, through his own efforts. He is practical, and manages his business with tact and success. He is a Master Mason in Rochestor Lodge #270, also a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, and favors the temperance cause by example as well as precept He is a Republican and during the Rebellion was a strong Union man. Mr. Read is a public spirited citizen and does much for the improvement of the county around him.   (Glenda Dodson notes:   "Warner Reid's research states that WW operated the ferry at this place for years and that it was known for years as Read's Hill.

According to  Kentucky: A History of the State. 3rd. ed, 1886, William Washington Read supported the Union as did many of his neighbors.  He died not earlier than 1885 in Todd County, Kentucky.
William Washington Read and Servary Ewing had five children:
              1. Mary B. Read was born about 1844 and died not later than 1885.
              2. Sarah "Sally" A. Read was about about 1847 and died not later than 1885.
             3. Minerva I. Manerva J., was born about 1849. She married on 14 October 1868 in Butler County, Kentucky,  Harvey W. Woods. They moved to Coffey County, Kansas. Of the five, she survived in 1885.)
             4. John C. Read was born about 1852.
             5. Who was the fifth child?]

6. Nancy Read was born about 1790  [in December 1788 has been cited elsewhere] in Bedford or Prince Edward County, Virginia and  died on 22 September 1836 in probably Butler County, Kentucky. She married on 10 June 1805 in Logan County, Kentucky John Ferguson. He was born in 1760-1785 in the Camden District of South Carolina, or Pennsylvania and died about 1820 in probably Butler County, Kentucky. He was the son of Paul Ferguson and Elizabeth Sutton.

7. Rebecca Read was born on 16 October 1797in probably Prince Edward County, Virginia. She died in April or May 1847 in probably Butler County, Kentucky. She married on 30 January 1815 in Butler County, Kentucky, Francis L./M. Berry. He was born in on 7 September or 11 September 1788 o5 1790 in Prince Edward County, Virginia and died on 11 January 1851 or in December 1788 in probably Butler County, Kentucky. He was the son of Enoch Berry and Margaret ______.
The children of Rebecca Read and Nathalie Berry were:
        1. James R. Berry was born about 1819. He married Cathrine ______ , She was born about 1791.
        2. Francis M. Berry was born about 1819. He married Jane ______ . She was born about 1821.
        3. Nancy Berry was born about 1822.
Who are the following two persons who I had earlier as children of Moses Read and Rachel Porter. Editor

Times New Roman 12 point. Internet copy made 9 March 2005. Photo check A.  TH