Family History
The Reeder Family History
How did we get to Kentucky?
Researched by Steve Reeder
_What a time I had trying to figure that out. It turns out that after a fair amount of time and effort I was able to trace, without a doubt, our descendants back to1817 to my 3great-grandfather, Willis Reeder. The 1850 census showed Willis Reeder being 33 years of age. It also showed his wife Mary and six children. The funny thing, however, it showed two of his sons named John. This was very confusing, and I speculated many different scenarios, all I might add ended up being wrong. In the 1860 census Willis became John W. Reader, and in the 1870 census, he was J. W. Reader. Finally in the 1880 census he became Will Reeder. He did not appear in the 1890 census. All of these changes kept me in a spin. It was not hard to figure out after looking at all of the censuses that this was the same man. His wife was always Mary and the kids were the same except when they started to leave home.The thing that was still confusing was the two sons named John. I later determined that one of the sons actual name must have been Jehu after his father and grandfather. This was a common misspelling and could have easily been translated incorrectly.
It turns out that none of the censuses had my 3great-grandfather's name correct. His name in fact was Jehu Willis Reeder. Proof of this finally came about the time I was ready to give up on trying to make a connection to who the original Reeder or Reader was that came to Kentucky. Who was Willis's dad? Where was Willis born, KY, VA, or England? And where was he buried? On a trip to a graveyard in early May of 2001 with my brother John and his son Jacob, we discovered Willis's wife's grave and tombstone. We did not and still have not found Willis's grave.
I knew that a Jehu Reeder was in the 1810 and 1820 census in Henderson County. In fact he was the only Reeder in the census in Henderson County. The problem was, however, that there was also a Reeder at this time in the Christian County census. Henderson County spun off of Christian County about this time period. In fact Henderson became a county in 1799 and city in 1810. I had located history on both of these men over the internet. I knew that if I could make a connection to either one of them that I could quickly trace our roots back to the mid 1600's.
In mid May 2001, with the help of my brother John and his son Jacob, Rick Powell, Frank Nalley and Dorris Chaney, who are all mentioned in the preface, I discovered a will. The will belonged to Jehue Reader. In the will he listed his son Jehu W. Reader. This was the connection that I had been searching for. You can not believe my excitement. In his will his name was spelled Jehue, however, in his marriage records and his fathers will, which was done in VA, it was spelled Jehu. Jehu could not read or write as evident by his signing his X on his will. In the will Jehue W. was listed as being under age, this was in 1836. This agreed with my 1817 birth estimation based on the 1850 census.
I also found Jehu for the first time in Henderson in the 1809 tax records. He lived on Canoe Creek, and he owned taxable property, 3 mares and 5 slaves. By the way, at that time, he was listed as Jehu Reder.
In 1813 he bought more land but this time from Samuel Hopkins. By 1830 he owned 722 acres along Canoe Creek and had 22 slaves. His property was valued at $2.00 per acre and his total worth was $5,857. He wrote his will in 1835. The will was written by someone other than Jehu as he evidently could not read or write. He signed his will with an "X". I have included his will in this publication, pages 46 and 47. In the 1836 tax roll, Jehu was taxed on 830 acres and 28 slaves. His total taxable value at that time was just under $10,000. This amount would have put him in the wealthy category.
It turns out that Jehu had made his way from Mecklenburg, VA sometime between 1801 and 1809. Mecklenburg, VA marriage records show him marrying July 21, 1801 to Phebe Robards. It is speculated that Jehu and his in-laws journeyed to Kentucky and settled the community of Robards in Henderson, KY. That certainly is a possibility as Jehu's daughter-in-law, Mary, Willis's wife, is buried in Robards. It should also be noted that Henderson County spun off of Christian County in 1799, and Henderson City was organized in 1810. Several of Jehu's brothers and sister traveled into TN and then to IL.
Jehu's father was Robert Reader. He came from England around 1770. He purchased land in Mecklenburg, VA. in 1774. He wrote a will in 1780. The will was entered in the court records of Mecklenburg in 1782. I am guessing that is when he died. The will was written in his hand writing. A copy of the will is included in this publication on pages 42 and 43.
Just a few points of interest here The Revolutionary War was fought between 1775 and 1783. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. George Washington was President from 1789 to 1797 and was in fact the country's leader prior to that. Jehu's father very well may have fought in the War against the British.
Our second President was John Adams. He was President when Jehu moved to Kentucky.
I should also add that Jehu's son, Jehu Willis, my direct line, fought in the Civil War with the Union Army as a volunteer. I am currently sending off for his military records.
More to come.
Steve Reeder
Updated June 10, 2001
It turns out that none of the censuses had my 3great-grandfather's name correct. His name in fact was Jehu Willis Reeder. Proof of this finally came about the time I was ready to give up on trying to make a connection to who the original Reeder or Reader was that came to Kentucky. Who was Willis's dad? Where was Willis born, KY, VA, or England? And where was he buried? On a trip to a graveyard in early May of 2001 with my brother John and his son Jacob, we discovered Willis's wife's grave and tombstone. We did not and still have not found Willis's grave.
I knew that a Jehu Reeder was in the 1810 and 1820 census in Henderson County. In fact he was the only Reeder in the census in Henderson County. The problem was, however, that there was also a Reeder at this time in the Christian County census. Henderson County spun off of Christian County about this time period. In fact Henderson became a county in 1799 and city in 1810. I had located history on both of these men over the internet. I knew that if I could make a connection to either one of them that I could quickly trace our roots back to the mid 1600's.
In mid May 2001, with the help of my brother John and his son Jacob, Rick Powell, Frank Nalley and Dorris Chaney, who are all mentioned in the preface, I discovered a will. The will belonged to Jehue Reader. In the will he listed his son Jehu W. Reader. This was the connection that I had been searching for. You can not believe my excitement. In his will his name was spelled Jehue, however, in his marriage records and his fathers will, which was done in VA, it was spelled Jehu. Jehu could not read or write as evident by his signing his X on his will. In the will Jehue W. was listed as being under age, this was in 1836. This agreed with my 1817 birth estimation based on the 1850 census.
I also found Jehu for the first time in Henderson in the 1809 tax records. He lived on Canoe Creek, and he owned taxable property, 3 mares and 5 slaves. By the way, at that time, he was listed as Jehu Reder.
In 1813 he bought more land but this time from Samuel Hopkins. By 1830 he owned 722 acres along Canoe Creek and had 22 slaves. His property was valued at $2.00 per acre and his total worth was $5,857. He wrote his will in 1835. The will was written by someone other than Jehu as he evidently could not read or write. He signed his will with an "X". I have included his will in this publication, pages 46 and 47. In the 1836 tax roll, Jehu was taxed on 830 acres and 28 slaves. His total taxable value at that time was just under $10,000. This amount would have put him in the wealthy category.
It turns out that Jehu had made his way from Mecklenburg, VA sometime between 1801 and 1809. Mecklenburg, VA marriage records show him marrying July 21, 1801 to Phebe Robards. It is speculated that Jehu and his in-laws journeyed to Kentucky and settled the community of Robards in Henderson, KY. That certainly is a possibility as Jehu's daughter-in-law, Mary, Willis's wife, is buried in Robards. It should also be noted that Henderson County spun off of Christian County in 1799, and Henderson City was organized in 1810. Several of Jehu's brothers and sister traveled into TN and then to IL.
Jehu's father was Robert Reader. He came from England around 1770. He purchased land in Mecklenburg, VA. in 1774. He wrote a will in 1780. The will was entered in the court records of Mecklenburg in 1782. I am guessing that is when he died. The will was written in his hand writing. A copy of the will is included in this publication on pages 42 and 43.
Just a few points of interest here The Revolutionary War was fought between 1775 and 1783. The Declaration of Independence was signed in 1776. George Washington was President from 1789 to 1797 and was in fact the country's leader prior to that. Jehu's father very well may have fought in the War against the British.
Our second President was John Adams. He was President when Jehu moved to Kentucky.
I should also add that Jehu's son, Jehu Willis, my direct line, fought in the Civil War with the Union Army as a volunteer. I am currently sending off for his military records.
More to come.
Steve Reeder
Updated June 10, 2001