John Reed, age between 60 and 70, dated his will on Febry 16th 1712/13 and the will was affirmed on June 2, 1713 in Kent County, Maryland. The will named wife Jeane, and youngest son William, under age 21, who would inherit the house plantation if he remained with Jeane. Son Joseph was to have the tuition of him [William] if the wife were to die. Son John Reed was to inherit adjoining land called Hopwells. Joseph and Francis Reed were to inherit and divide 100 of land called Subbards. Daughters Mary, Jan, and Penolaby and grandson John were named. [1] [2]
Febr'y the 16th Annoque Domine 1712/13
I John Reed Sen'r in Kent? County agged between sixty and seventy years doe find myself weak in body yet in perfect mind and memory doe make and ordain in this my last will and testament in such manner and form as hereafter followeth.First I bequeath my soul to god almighty that gave it me and to Jesus Christ my sanctifier and my body to the Earth to be buried in such manner and form as my executors shall think fitt and convenient.
Secondly I bequeath all my whole personal estate too my well beloved wife Jeane Reed the paying all my lawful debts and legacies as hereafter is mentioned they being paid, then she shall have all my plantation I now live on and after her decease to my youngest William Reed if my wife lives he too remain with her whilst he arrive to agge of twenty one years she to have it durine her life and then to him and his heirs lawfully begotten by the lawful marriage and if my wife dies before he coms to agge my son Joseph Reed to have the tuition of him and the plantation while he coms to agge with all the land belonging to the tracht that my plantation I now live on
Thurdly The part of land that my son John Reed now lives on being part of a tracht of land called by the name of hopewell beginning at a horse? chesnutt tree on the west side of his dwelling house and runing with the meadow to contain one hundred acres I bequeath too him and his heirs of his body lawfully begotten by lawful mariage.
Fourthly I give too my two sons Joseph Reed and Francis Reed one hundred of land called by the name of Subbards to be equily devided between them two to the heirs of their bodies lawfully begotten by lawful mariage and if either of them die to the next survivor as to my son John Reed one yew as too my son Joseph Reed one ew and calf too my son Francis Reed one young mare too my son William Reed one young mare too my daughter Mary one yeaw too my daughter Jan one yeaw too my daughter Penolaby one yeaw to my grand son John Reeding one yearling cow calfe
I John Reed doe order and ordain my wlll beeloved wiffe Jan Reed to be my wholl and sole executor and executreks of this my last will and testament and to be my only administratres to se as my lawful debts legacies if she outlives be paid as wittness my hand and seal the day and year above written on the other side.
John Reed (his mark)
Signed sealed and delivered in the p'resents of us
Joseph Pearson, Peter Howard (his mark), John Lee?
at the foot of this will was this write, June 2d 1713
John Howard and John Lee two of the evidences to this will make oath that they [saw] the above testator John Reed sign seal publish & declare this instrument of writting to be his last will & testament and that he was of perfect sence and memory at the time of his doing to the best of their knowledge before me
Tho: Smith County Kent Com
It is plausible that the following will was written by son Francis in Kent County, Maryland. [3]:
In the name of God Amen I Francis Reed of Saint Paul Parish in Kent County Maryland Planter thro the mercy & goodness of God tho being weak in body yet of a sound mind & memory do constitute & appoint this my last will & testament & desire it may be received by all such in primis I most humbly bequeath my soul to God in hopes of eternal happiness at the Day of Judgement Imprimis at my decease I give & bequeath to my son Francis Reed my servant man William Baley to serve him the sum of three years in case he behave himself well if otherwise to leave him the sum of four years. Item I give & bequeath to my son John Reed a mare & colt & cow Item I give & bequeath to my son George Reed my young Sorrel Mare & Cow Item I give & bequeath to my sons John Reed & George Reed all my crop of corn & tobacco when my debts are paid. Item I give & bequeath to my eldest daughter Ann Fowler a two year old heifer & no more. Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Mary Smith a two year old Heifer & no more. Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Martha Thomas a two year old heifer & no more. Item I give & bequeath to my daughter Rebecca Reed a cow & calf no more. Item I give & bequeath all the rest of my moveable goods Numels Horses Cows Herd? sheep houseold furniture to my sons John Reed & George Reed & Francis Reed to be equally distributed amongst them in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand & seal the fourth day of August in the year of our Lord 1766.
Francis Reed (seal)
Witness Unton Reade, James Olivant, the mark of ?, the mark of James Watson
on the back of the aforegoing will was this written
April 6 1766 ? James Watson one of the subscribing witnesses to the said will before me the subscriber made oath on the Holy ? of almighty god that he saw the testator Francis Reed sign seal publish & declare the within will to be his last will & testament & that at the time of his ?ing he was to the best of his apprehension of sound & disposing mind & memory. Sworn before J Nicholson ye Com of the County
Research Notes:
See notes for John Reed by Robert Lewis in "Ancestors and descendants of Elias Reed (1784-1857) of Balt. Co. MD". The notes suggest that III. Nelson Reed, son of II. William, was a grandson of I. John Reed, as we show. We had independently gotten back to II. William. These notes take us back to I. John. Note that there is uncertainty about IV. John Reed, son of III. Nelson Reed. [4]
I. John Reed (ca 1650-1713) of Cecil and Kent Cos. MD
Probably born in England and came to MD before 17 Nov 1675, when the will of John Vanheck of Cecil Co.
leaves the remaining share of his personal goods to James Simmonds and John Reed.On 5 Oct 1683 He witnessed the Will of Thomas Hawker of Cecil Co.
On 12 Dec 1699 John Reed was an Appraiser of the estate of George Higginbottom of Cecil Co.
In 1705 he was the trustee of the estate of John Rowliston.
Due to the boundry change in 1706, he now resided in Kent Co. MD.
On 5 Oct 1708, he was the executor of the estate of John Rawlinson of Kent Co.
On 19 Jun 1710 he witnessed the Will of Sarah O'Neal, widow of Owen O'Neal of Kent Co.
On 6 Nov 1710, he appraised the estate of Margaret Bowles of Kent Co.His Will, dated 16 Feb 1713, Kent Co., left his son, John, the land where he now lives, at Hopwells;
to sons Joseph and Francis, 100 acs, "The Subbarbs" equally; mentions daughters: Mary, Jane and Penelope;
grandson, John Reeding; wife, Jane, Executrix, his estate for life, and then to son, William,
he to stay with said wife during his minority.His Inventory was dated 23 Jul 1713, Kent Co. and recorded 29 Mar 1714.
Appraisers were Edw Beck, Sr.and Joseph Hopkins.Creditor: James Harris.His Administration, 1714,listed Legatees John Reed; Walter Meeks, husband of dau. Jane; and Joseph Reed.
Executrix was Jane Reed, widow.
Issue:1. John Reed (ca 1680-1765);
2. Francis Reed (ca 1682-1758);
3.Jane Reed (ca 1684-?),
4.Mary Reed (ca 1686-?),
5.Joseph Reed (ca 1688-1772),
6.Penelope Reed ca 1690-?),
7. William Reed ca 1695-1772)(See Below:)II. William Reed ( ca 1695-1772) Born Kent Co. MD. Died Anne Arundel Co. MD.
Married ca 1725, probably in Anne Arundel Co., MD.Name of first wife unknown. May have been a Nelson.
Married about 1757, 2nd, Eleanor Chiffin (1720-1776), dau. of William and Rachel,
B. 2 May 1720, All Hallows Par. AA Co., and widow of Samuel Lockwood.
On 12 May 1756, Eleanor signed an Administration of her late husband, Samuel Lockwood, as Eleanor Lockwood
On 15 Nov 1758 she signed another one as Eleanor Reed, wife of William Reed.For details of his life, see Barnes, Robert, "Colonial Families of Anne Arundel Co., MD", pp 217-218.
Will of William Reed, dated 1 Jul 1771, proved 6 Oct 1772. Names wife, Eleanor, Children: William; Nelson;
deceased son, John Reed; daus.: Martha Hill, Mary Griffin, Priscilla Nichols.
Granddaus. Eleanor and Amelia Reed, daus. of deceased son, John Reed.Issue:
John Reed ca 1730-1770;
Nelson Reed ca 1732-1798 (See III below:)
Martha Reed (ca 1734-?);
Mary Reed (ca 1736-?);
William Reed (ca 1738-?);
Priscilla Reed (ca 1740-?)John Reed ca 1730-1770. Eldest son of William (not followed further):
Born and died in Anne Arundel Co., MD.
Married Eleanor Lockwood, B. ca 1738, dau of Samuel Lockwood and his wife, Eleanor Chiffin.
On 26 Nov 1766, his father, William Reed, and step-mother, Eleanor Reed conveyed to him "West Puddington".
(340 acs that had been survveyed for George Puddington on 18 Dec 1658.)
On 24 Feb 1768, he was the Administrator of William Chiffin's estate, ( brother of Eleanor Chiffin LockwoodReed)
whose inventory listed as next of kin, Eleanor Reed, (prob wife of John) and William Lockwood,her brother.
On 17 Jul 1769 in the Administration of William Chiffin of AA Co. he is listed as Mr. John Reed.
Equal distributions were to William Chiffin's half sisters Margaret Stocket and Rachel Covington
and to his whole sister, Eleanor Reed (wife of William Reed).
After John Reed's death in 1770, the Inventory of his estate, dated 15 May 1770, listed as next of kin William Reed, Sr.
(father and William Reed, Jr., (brother).The administrator was his brother-in-law, William Lockwood.
Issue:Eleanor Reed (ca 1760-?)
Amelia Reed (1766-1838)III. Nelson Reed (B. ca 1732 - D. 1798. Second son of William:
Moved to Fairfax Co., VA in the 1760's. Died in Fairfax Co. VA
Married: Rebecca Sanders / Saunders, dau. of James Sanders, Sr
Children: All born in All Hallows Parish, AA Co., MDJames, b.31 Jan 1752;
Nelson (Jr) b. 28 Nov 1753
Son (probably John) b. 8 Jan 1756 (See IV below:)
Elizabeth, b. 23 Dec 1757
Rebecca, b. 7 Oct 1759
Robert Sanders, b. 6 Jun 1761Heirs of Nelson Reed, Sr., (living as of 17 Nov 1807)
Chancery Court (Chancery Papers) 1807/11/171992 Solomon Groves vs
Nelson Reed (Jr),
James Reed,
William Reed,
Sanders Reed,
Isaac Reed,
John Reed; (See below)
Richard Lloyd and Rebecca(Reed) Lloyd;
John Torrison and Anne (Reed) Torrison;
Joseph Dudley and Dinah (Reed) Dudley;
Mahlom Buley and Jane(Reed) Buley;
(Children of deceased dau. Elizabeth- wife of ___ Marle)
Rebecca Marle, Hannah Marle, Elizabeth Marle and David Marle.AA.Title to Clarks Inheritance.Recorded (Chancery Record 80, p. 118.
Accession No. 17.898-1992 MSA S512-2059 1/36/2/IV. John Reed (B.8 Jan 1756 - D.1807 -1810).
Born in AA Co., MD moved to Baltimore Co., MD by 1773, (possibly with his brothers, Nelson Reed, Jr. and James Reed.)
John Reed had died in Balt. Co by the 1810 census.
Married Catherine,last name unknown, ca 1772, at age 16.In the 1790 Census, he is listed as a resident of Patapsco Lower Hundred, Balt. Co., MD.: 1 male over 16 (John), 1 male under 16 (Elias), 4 females (wife and 3 daus.).
In the Particular Assessment List for Balt. Co. in 1798, he is listed in Patapsco Upper Hundred as:
Reed, John, 14 acs "Miller's Addition"; Hewed log dwelling house, 1 story 28x29 ft.,
frame stable 54x12 ft.frame cooper shop 16x16 ft.log house 30x 14 ft.;
and in Middlesex Hundred as the owner of 1 acre with an unfinished frame house that was occupied by Philip Conley,
who had married his dau., Sarah on 6 Nov 1797.Not found in the 1800 Census.
In the 1810 census, Mrs. Reed is listed as head of Household.
Issue: (Dates from Elias Read Bible)
1.Sarah Read, B. 30 Apr 1773,Married Philip Conley 6 Nov 1797. (St. Paul's Parish register gives her birthdate as 3 Apr 1773) parents - John and Catherine) (They may have become Methodists as there are no further entries of their children in the St Paul Parish Register.)
2.Mary Read, B. 6 Nov. 1774, Married Jacob Newman 19 Oct 1795.
3.Elizabeth Read, B. 17 Jun 1777, married Jacob Israel 17 Aug 1809.
4.Hannah Read, B. 27 Feb 1779,married Josiah Price 14 Apr 1801
5.Deborah Read, B. 18 Jun 1781, may have died young.
6.Elias Read, B. 13 May 1784, (See V below:)V. Elias Reed / Read (13 May 1784-27 Apr 1857)
Born and died in Balt. Co., MD.
Married 29 Nov 1810, Ann Peregoy (B.7 Apr 1789- D. 21 Nov 1862),
dau. of Charles Peregoy (B 18 Dec 1764), (son of Joseph Peregoy),
and Ruth Gorsuch (B. 6 May 1766), (dau. of Charles Gorsuch III.)
They resided at "Wakefield" on Windsor Mill Rd. near Baltimore City, 90 acres originally part of the "Parker's Palace" patent.
He is listed in Censuses as a farmer, served in the War of 1812, and was discharged 18 Sep 1814 at the Turnpike gate on Frederick Rd.,
Balt. Co. MD.Issue:
1.John (G.) Read, (B. 13 Sep 1811-D 11 Jul 1870, married Mary Hissey (B. ca 1816)on 12 Dec 1837.
(Children from 1860 Census Baltimore District 9, Lauraville P.O.)
John Reed 48, Mary Reed 44
AnnaA. Reed, 21
Elias W Reed, 20
Emma E Reed, 18
Charles W. Reed, 15
John E. Reed 132. Ruth Read, (B. 3 Apr 1813 - D ca 1885), married William Childs 13 Dec 1833.
3. Charles Peregoy Read. (B. 8 Feb 1815, may be the Mr. Read, age 21, who died in 1837.)
Buried in Methodist Cemetery.4. Catherine Read, (B. 4 Feb 1817 - D 16 Apr 1868), married Samuel Thomas Hutson 23 Feb 1855;
inherited the Elias Read Family Bible.5. Elias Joseph Read, (B. 27 Jul 1819) (D. 1910)
married Mary Melvina Hutson 10 Dec 1844.
Moved to Woolery Dist., Carroll Co., MD
Land and Res.shown in the 1877 Carroll Co. Atlas.
He and many of his family are buried in Pleasant Grove
Meth. Church Cemetery:
Children:Annie E. Read (B. 1845- D.1889)
Emma D. Read ( B. 1847- D. 1927)
Charles A. Read (B. 1850- D. 1890)
Francis T. Read (B. 1852- D.1853)
R. Elizabeth Read ( B.1858 - D 1858)
William O. Read 9B. 1862-d. 1863)
Addie S. Read (B.1864-D. 1880)
Lucy Ellen Read (B.1866- D.1947)
married Rev. W. Irving Dice (B. 1863- D. 1940)
J. Walter Read (B. 1871- D 1877)6. James R. Read, (B. 25 Sep 1821- D. 16 Sep 1895).
married Elizabeth Jane Hilton (B. 5 Jul 1823 - D. 4 Sep 1898)
ca. 1847
Moved toWoolery Dist., Carroll Co., MD
Land and Residence shown in 1877 Carroll Co., MD Atlas.
He and some of his family are buried at Pleasant Grove Meth. Church Cemetery:
Children:E. Ellis Read (B. 15 Feb 1848- D. 30 Sep 1849)
Sarah Ann Read (B. 1850)
Elias Read (B. 1853)
Mary Read (B. 1854)
Martha Jane Read (B. 28 Feb 1856- D. 21 Apr 1904)
James Morgan Read (B. 1858)
Catherine E. Read (B. 1860)
Emma A. Read (B. 1862)
John R. Read (B. 1864)
7. Maryann Read, (B. 5 May 1823);8. Sarah Elizabeth Read, ( B. 13 Oct 1825 - D. 5 Oct 1863),married George Kelly.
9. Hannah Price Read, (B. 26 Nov 1827 -D. 16 Feb 1829);
10. Nicholas Gorsuch Read, (B. 18 Apr 1830- D 16 May 1830);
11. Rebecca Jane Read, (B. 20 May 1832 -D.9 Aug 1834);
12. William Edmonds Read, (B. 16 Nov 1836)
married Lydia A., ( age 39 in 1880)
Shown as W.E. Read on the Third District map at "Wetheredville"
in the 1877 Atlas of Baltimore County, Maryland.
Children:John S. Read (B. ca.1867)
Florence Read (B. ca.1869)
Mary Jane Read (B. ca.1875)
Charles E. Read (B.ca. 1878)
[1] Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1604-1998, Will 13-520, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[2] Maryland, U.S. Calendar of Wills, 1635-1743, [AncestryRecord].
[3] Maryland, Wills and Probate Records, 1604-1998, Kent County, Maryland Will 30-463, [AncestryRecord], [AncestryImage].
[4] genealogy.com website for Reed, [URL].