Richard Reed



born: 1815, Co. Kilkenny,Ireland
died: 7 Mar 1868, De Witt,Clinton Co.,Iowa
bur.: De Witt,Clinton Co.,Iowa, at St. Joseph's Cemetery
occu: farmer, De Witt Twp,Clinton Co.,Iowa
spouse: Catherine MELLON
born: Dec 1829, County Kilkenny,Ireland
died: After 1900
occu: farmer, De Witt Twp,Clinton Co.,Iowa
Children:
Katy REED
William REED
Edward REED
Agnes REED
Anna REED
Anna Maria REED
Elizabeth REED
Father: Thomas REED (-)
Mother: Mary FLETCHER (-)

Richard is believed to be a brother to Elizabeth Reed by Richard's great-granddaughter, Mary (McDermott) Ryan. Mary recalls that they knew various descendents of Elizabeth Reed and Pat Lawlor as cousins through this Reed family, including some Farrells, the Fitzgeralds, McGarry's, and others. Mary writes, ``Grandma (Anna Reed Beitenman) always called the Lawlers and McGarrys her cousins.'' They would have been first cousins if Elizabeth and Richard Reed were brother and sister. It seems unlikely that these relationships a couple generations down would have been remembered if Richard and Elizabeth were anything but brother and sister. Mary recalls visiting Alban Fitzgerald (and his wife Bess) in Cedar Rapids when Mary went to school at Mt. Mercy College. Alban was the son of Margaret Alice Lawler Fitzgerald, who was a daughter of Elizabeth Reed Lawler. Mary and her husband Joe Ryan wound up farming the same farm that Richard Reed originally farmed in Clinton County. Thus, they have the title abstract for the land. It shows that Richard acquired the farm from a Thomas Reed, who Mary always supposed was Richard's father, but after looking things over, she now thinks it was from the younger Thomas Reed. Here's some of what that abstract contains:

Richard's tombstone reads, ``Richard Reed, native of County Kilkenny, Ireland, died March 7, 1868, aged 53 years, May his soul rest in peace.'' If Richard was born in Co. Kilkenny, that throws some doubt on the theory that he was of the same family as Elizabeth (Reed) Lawlor and Thomas Reed who were from Co. Queens.


Census: 1870 De Witt Twp, Clinton Co.,Iowa, p. 203B (his widow and children)
Census: 1880 De Witt Twp, Clinton Co.,Iowa, (his widow and two children)
Census: 1900 De Witt Twp, Clinton Co.,Iowa, (his widow and daughters Agnes and Anna)

Sources for this individual: @S1432@ @S843@ @S788@ @S844@


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