Life History

Other facts

Notes

• 1850 Federal Census, Russell County, Virginia, 7 November, District 511, p 204, Hse/Fam #1380
  John H Reid 39 M Farmer $No Real Estate b North Carolina Cannot read or write [born abt 1811]
  Parthena Reid 21  South Carolina [born abt 1829]
  John J Reid 2 F South Carolina [born abt 1848]
  Susan C Reid 6mos F b Russell Co VA [born abt April 1850]
  
  1860 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 6 June, Page 7 (scan 595), House/Fam #47
  John H Reed 48 M Farmer $0 Real Estate $500 Personal b VA [born abt 1812]
  Parthena Reed 24 F b SC Cannot read or write [born abt 1830]
  John J Reed 12 M b NC [born abt 1855]
  
  Note that Parthena's age is only 3 years greater than the report in 1850.  On the 1870 census, her age is back on track.
  
  1870 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 27 July, p 6, PO Ivy NC, Hse/Fam #47
  Reed, John H  58 M W Farmer $500 Real Estate $650 Personal Estate b North Carolina [b abt 1812]
  Reed, Perthena 40 F W  Keeping House b South Carolina [born abt 1830]
  Reed, Dick 14 M W Farm Laborer b North Carolina Cannot read or write [b abt 1856]
  Reed, Ellen  14 F W domestic Laborer b North Carolina Cannot read or write [b abt 1856]
  
  1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
  Reid, John W M 70   Farmer and Merchant VA NC NC
  Reid, Parthena W F 50 Wife Keeps House SC SC SC
  
  Living next door to John and Parthena is Catherine Edmonds, widow of the late James Cam Edmonds, with her children.  After the death of Parthena, Catherine will marry John, who will die before the 1900 census.
  
  1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina, 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
  Edmonds, Catharine  W F 40 Widow   Works on Farm and Keeps House NC NC NC
  Edmonds, William  W M 18 Son Works on Farm NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Elijah W M 15 Son Works on Farm TN TN NC
  -- page 10 --
  Edmonds, Marcena  W F 13 Dau NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Sarry E  W F 6 Dau NC TN NC
  Edmonds, Thomas  W M 3 Son NC TN NC
  White, Polly W F 75 Mother House Work NC SC SC
  
  Coresearcher Shirley contributed insider family information indicating that John Reed is the biological father of Thomas Edmonds, son of Cathrine White Edmonds, later to marry John Reed.  Gerald Bollinger, husband of Thomas' daughter Donna Edmonds, reported on this to Shirley in two exchanges she shared with me.
  
  "My wife, Donna (Edmonds) is the daughter of Thomas S. Edmonds and Pansy Mae Hall.  Thomas is the son of John H. Reed and Catherine (White) (Edmonds) Reed."
  --  Gerald Bollinger 2005, via Shirley, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 24 July 2011
  
  "I talked to Gerald Bollinger tonight.  He's the husband of Donna, Thomas' 12th child.  He said that Sheriffs and counties back then didn't recognize bastard children and they had to use the mother's name.  That's what happened in the 1880 with all the kids I've found in Jefferson--they all have their mother's last names."
  --  Shirley, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 30 July 2011
  
  I can't see how Sheriffs would have anything to do with recognition of paternity, but social disfavor and scandal would make it a definite problem.  Illegitimate children commonly took their mother's last name.  That is still commonly the case.
  
  I got a separate message from another descendant.  This fills inthe death
  
  "I am Elijah Edmonds great-granddaughter. According to my uncle who visited [a lot] with Catherine Edmonds Reed when he was a young man, Thomas was the illegitimate son of John Reed. Supposedly Catherine came home to NC because Cam had died in TN. Catherine married John Reed after his wife died and at times Thomas went by Reed and at others by Edmonds."
  --  Ancestry Messaging to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 19 April 2012
  
  John died before 1900.  No record has been found for him in the 1900 census or later.  He married Catherine White Edmonds in 1897.  It is uncertain when his first wife Parthena died.
  
  John H Reed & Catherine White Edmonds Reed
  Marriage to Catherine White 1897 14 Jul Age 50 Madison Co. NC Marriage performed by William H. Ray in Madison Co., NC and Catherine's last name is transcribed as Edwards. This is a common mistake between Edmonds/Edwards when being interpreted. John Reed is listed as age 65. (I doubt the ages are correct)
  --  Suzy Crews, Comment on this genealogy on Ancestry.com,  2 November 2013

Sources

• 1. 1870 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 27 July, p 6, PO Ivy NC, Hse/Fam #47
• 2. 1850 Federal Census, Russell County, Virginia
  • 7 November, District 511, p 204, Hse/Fam #1380
• 3. 1860 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 6 June, Page 7 (scan 595), House/Fam #47
• 4. 1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 9, No Hse/Fam #s
• 5. Gerald Bollinger 2005, via Shirley, email to Orville Boyd Jenkins, 24 July 2011
• 6. Suzy Crews
• 7. North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1975
• 8. Geneanet Messaging
• 9. 1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • no date, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9B, Hse #174, Fam #181
• 10. 1880 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 June, Upper Laurel, District 131, page 10, No Hse/Fam #s
• 11. 1930 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 18 April, Upper Laurel Township, District 19, page 9B, Flag Pond, Tennessee, Hse #164, Fam #170
• 12. 1910 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 3 May, Upper Laurel Township, District 92, page 8B, Upper Laurel Rd, Hse #148, Fam #149
• 13. 1920 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 10 January, Upper Laurel, District 127, page 2B, Hse/Fam #37
• 14. 1940 Federal Census, Madison County, North Carolina
  • 11 April, Township 11, District 8-24, Page 3B, Lower Laurel Rd, Hse #42, Owns $300
• 15. Ancestry Messaging