Reed-Read Lineage (Capt. John Reed of Norwalk)

No more striking group stands out on the pages of seventeenth century history than Cromwell's officers. The subject of this sketch was one of these, and was deeply marked with the strong will and high moral char- acter so peculiar to that cluster of selected men. He was from Cornwall and is supposed to have belonged to that large family of Reeds in Dor- setshire, one of which Col. John Reed, is mentioned in Parliamentary Records as having held the Castle of Poole against the king's troops in 1649. *Born and raised in the tumult of that upheaval in behalf of wider freedom, it is not surprising that he caught the full force of its spirit and became as says the record, '*a soldier at the age of sixteen," and rendered important service to the cause. A souvenir of this service, (which his de- scendants would hold priceless could they now recover it) the sword he wore, was preserved in the family in this country for more than a century, but was finally lost sight of. With the collapse of the Commonwealth, and probably on that account, he came to America ; though tradition ever ready to meddle in private affairs, has something to say about an elder brother's interference in matrimonial plans. He settled first in Provi- dence, R. I., in 1660, where he married Ann, widow of Francis Derby, who became mother of his children. He was probably a man of means, and in 1684, he came to Norwalk, Conn., having purchased a large tract of land there. Establishing himself in the western part of the town, he built his house on a little rise of ground on the eastern side of Five ]\Iile river, north of the old post road and nearly two miles from Long Island sound, and about four miles westerly from what is now the city of South Norwalk. The locality became known as "Reed's Farms." His wife died here and he married again, this time also a widow, a INIrs. Scofield of Stamford. He died at the age of 97 and was buried on his own field. I have seen persons who well remember the grave markd by unwrought stones. The late Newton Reed, author of "The Early History of the Town of Amenia, New York," spent considerable eft'ort in learning the history of this ancestor and his descendants. Through his efforts there was, in 1S86, a suitable granite tablet, an illustration of which is given herewith, erected xii. at the grave ; the expense of which was defrayed by some of John Reed's descendants. The last descendant of the name who resided on the home- stead place, yir. Walter Reed of Darien, sold it about ten years ago, re- serving, however, the plot containing the grave. Of the life of this early ancestor history is not as explicit in some respects as we might wish, but such records and family traditions as we have indicate that the greatness of the man was not a one-sided greatness, but that the unusual age to which he attained was but one indication of a strength of character shared alike by physicial, mental, and moral faculties. He had been an iconoclast in the revolution, but now in peace, realizing its greater victories, he became a conservator of the social organism. One act is worth noting in this connection. In this first house he arranged a large upper room in which he invited the ministers of the neighboring parishes to alternate in holding services, (and the tradition still survives) in the neighborhood that these were the first christian services in the vicin- ity. Such a record of a time when sectarian narrowness of understanding was much more prevalent than it is at the present time, indicates a broad and wholesome mind. His descendants number many thousands, probably tens of thousands, and the large preponderence among them of stability and force of character, and of sterling mental and moral qualities indicate that they have inherited a goodly heritag:e. Note — This is the suggestion of Sir Charles Reed who sent to a member of the American family a copy of the Parliamentary Record of April i6, 1649, recognizing the fidelity of Col. John Reed, the pioneer an- cestor of this family. DESCENDANTS ELIGIBLE TO MEMBERSHIP IN REVOLUTIONARY WAR SOCIETY Descendants of the following are eligible to the National Society of Sons or Daughters of the American Revolution. 84. Crane, Col. Thaddeus and Lydia B. Reed, loi. Edgerton, Capt. Simeon, father of Esther, wafe of Ezra (loi.) 103. Edgerton, Jacob and Esther Reed. 94. Fitch, ]\Iatthew and Sarah Reed. • 70. Green, Ezra. 108. Hopkins, Col. Roswell, father of Polly, wife of Daniel Reed, (108). 380 Jerome, Timothy, father of Horace, who married Nancy Reed. xiii. 83- Reed, Gershom, \ 86. Reed, Kitchell, J 63- Reed, Jacob, / 33- Reed, James, f 17- Reed, John. \ 176. Reed, Nathaniel, I 98. Reed, Silas, I 96. Reed, Simeon, j 38. St. John, Abraham, / (466) Descendants of Re^ becca Van Bergen, wife of Ros- well Reed (466) through her grandfather, Col. Anthony A. \'an Bergen, nth Regt. REVOLUTIONARY Notices of officers, residents of Amenia, N. Y., compiled from the "Calendar of Historical Manuscripts; Early History of Amenia," by Newton Reed, lOS Oct. 17, 1775, date of Commissions to officers in regiment No. 6, of militia of Dutchess County, Roswell Hopkins, lieutenant-colonel. Col. Roswell Hopkins was the father of Polly, wife of Daniel Reed (108). 33 Oct. 17,1775, Minute Men of Amenia precinct regiment, under Col. John Van Ness, James Reed, major (33). 29, 36, 83 Feb. 7-15, 1775, — Account of guns delivered to Capt. Child and ap- praised by Dr. Chamberlain, C. Marsh and C. Atherton: One gun to Gershom Reed (83). ^ One gun of Eliakim Reed (29). One gun of Stephen Warren, husband of Joanna Reed (36). 101 From Hemenway's Vermont Historical Gazetteer, Yo\. 3, page 874: Capt. Simeon Edgerton was at the capture of New London and the mass- acre of Fort Griswold. He was the father of Esther, wife of Ezra Reed (lOl). SOLDIERS FROM AMENIA, N. Y. 108. Hopkins, Roswell 98. Reed, Silas. 33. Reed, James. 96. Reed, Simeon. 99. Reed, Samuel. XIV. April 29, 1775, ten days after the battle of Lexington, a meeting was held in New York City of those ready to oppose the oppressive acts of the British government. An association was formed and a pledge adopt- ed, which was sent for signatures into every county of the State. Among the names of those patriotic citizens who did not hesitate to show their hands in this crisis are recorded from Amenia, N. Y. : ;, Reed, Eliakim (29). Reed, Gershom (83). Reed, Ezra (35). «/Reed, Eliakim, jr. (95) Reed, James (33). Reed, Simeon, (96). Reed, Elijah (37). Reed. Silas (98). Warren, Stephen (who married Joanna Reed (36). 96 Record and Pexsion^ Office, War Departmext, Washin'gtox, D. C, February 14th, 1900. The records of this office show that Simeon Reed served nine days from November 7th. to i6th., 1777. He served in Lieutenant Sxxxx* Rudd's detachment of X^ew York troops. Revolutionary war. No further information relative to this soldier has been found of record. By authority of the Secretary of War. JOHX T*EEDALE, Acting Chief of Office. 'Illegible. Department of the Interior^ Bureau of Pensions, Washington, D. C. Revolutionary war record of Simeon Reed sent to F. H. Reed February 21 St., 1900. Date of Length of Service Rank Officers Under Whom Service Was Rendered Enlistments Captain Colonel State Sept., 1776 June, 1777 Nov., 1780 1781 Four months Four months 14 days 14 days Private ( i (( t i ChWAti Not stated Seth Warner Not stated Not stated New York Vermont New York New York John Stark Lt. Reynolds Battles engaged in; none stated. XV, Residence of soldier at enlistment, Amenia, N. Y., and Pawlet, Vt. Date of application for pension, August 28th, 1832. Residence at date of application, Pawlet, Vt. Ag-e at date of application, 78 years. Remarks : His pension was allowed. Very respectfully, H. Clay Evans, Commissioner. 103 Military records of Jacob Edgerton from Adjutant General's office Montpelier, Vt. : "Jacob Edgerton served as a private 10 days from Oct. 10, 1780, in Capt. John Stark's Company of militia. Col. Ira Allen's regi- ment, and received £1. 8. o. Also, served as a private six days, in a de- tachment of men that was ordered to Castleton on Dec. i, 1780, under command of Capt. Eben. Wallace and received £0. 15. 4. ; and served as a private five days in Capt. Samuel Willards's Co. of militia. Col. Ira Al- len's regiment from Oct. 23, 1781, and received £0. 14. o." 63 Jacob Reed, private, Capt. Joseph Dykeman's Co., 3rd regiment, Dut- chess County, N. Y., militia, under Col. John Field. 38 Abraham St. John, private in Hickock's Co., Field regiment, N. Y. 86 Kitchel Reed, Farmer's Co., 3rd. Van Ness regiment, Claverack Bat- talion. 176 Nathaniel Reed (5) enlisted in Samuel Darley's Co., Mass. Regiment, June 19, 1778, served until Feb. ist, 1779. Re-enlisted July 25, 1779, in Major Kieth's Co., the famous fighting Eighth Mass. regiment, com- manded by Col. Michael Jackson, served until April 25, 1780. Re-en- listed July 19, 1780, in Mass. regiment commanded by Col. John Bailey and served until the close of the war. XVI. ERATTA PART FIRST Pasfe XI — Line lo, manv not man. 'fe 3 — 30, Elizabeth, b. Mar. 30. 1730. 5 — * as given by niece of Mrs. Rebecca Pratt Read. 7-20 — 96, Simeon, b. Apr. ji. 1754: m. .\l3ial Rice. 7 — 10 1, Ezra, b. Aug. 3. 1765. 10 — 131, Roswell, b. Xov. 9. II — Under 38 Abraham St. John, private in Hickocks Field Regt. X. V^ 14 — 228. *m. second, Leamon Woodruff. 31 — 501, *b. May 6, 1820. 36 — 199, not 198. 42 — 678, not 978. 4^ — yT,T,. Frances. 48 — 776. James W'., b. Oct. 31, 1810; m. Mary Williams. 51 — 813, b. Dec. 26, 1825. 60 — 984, Jnliaan. ^2 — 1161, M. Svlvanus Hutchison. 8f^4S8, \'an Deu. 88—472, h. Julv 8. 1803. 103 — 1^144. Chas. X. 122 — /82. Xot 7821. 420 — 3178, Stinde. 443 — ^S5i' ^'an Deusen. 4^6 — '^'453, \\'esley Reed. 483- -^^/S'^- Raymond 494- -6941, not 6491. 495- -6969, not 6669. 476- -4^'83. Finn. PART SECOND