Dear List, I have been reading several posts regarding the Reed and Acheson (spelling variations) families lately. I thought I'd throw mine into the mix. If anyone finds a connection to what they're working on, I'd sure love to hear from you. My REEDS and ACHESONS are connected through my McCRACKEN family. Mostly through John REED, (b.c.1786, PA) and his brother "Fighting Bill REED" of War of 1812 fame, from Cambridge, Ohio. ...Then there's an Acheson connection with one of John's kids. Read on.... PLEASE DON"T DELETE ME JUST YET..... A3 Lillian McCracken, b. 20 November 1786, Cumberland Co., PA, married John Reed, probably in Allegheny Co., PA sometime before 1810. I don't know who John's parents were, but....John Reed's brother was the infamous William "Fighting Bill" Reed. Bill was hired by his "brother-in-law", Lillian's brother, William McCracken in his tannery/blacksmithing shop in Cambridge, before the War of 1812. ("Fighting Bill Reed" was supposed to be depicted in the painting, "The Battle of Lake Erie", which hangs in the Ohio State House, in Columbus.) John Reed, his brother, was most likely dead before 1850, as he does not appear with his family on the PA 1850 census. (Although perhaps he was already in Ohio. He was assuredly dead before 1864, as his son Moses does not mention regards to him in a Civil War letter, written home, "save to mother and friends".) Lillian Reed, John's wife, was listed as living in the third ward of Pittsburgh on the 1850 census, p. 217. At that time she was listed with most, if not all of her children: Margaret, Mary (Reed) Atchison, Dorcas, Isabella, Letilia, Moses, and John. By 19 July 1860, (date of 1860 OH census reading) Lillian had moved to Cambridge Twp., Guernsey County, where she and her eldest daughter were living with John Reed, Jr.'s family, her youngest son. In 1870, Lilly was listed in her own home in Cambridge Twp., her daughter Margaret still living with her. Her son, John Reed, was living next door. In 1880, there was no listing for Lilly Reed in Guernsey County, Ohio, which begs the question, did she and Margaret return to Pittsburgh, or did they miss the census reading? Although an article in the Cambridge paper in 1899 regarding the 60th wedding anniversary of Lillian's nephew, Alexander McCracken, (son of William), suggests that Lillian Reed died at the age of 97 in Pennsylvania, I have found a death record for her in Guernsey County. Lillian Reed died in Guernsey Co., OH, on 5 January 1881, as recorded in Guernsey County Probate Court records. Together John and Lillian (McCracken) Reed had seven children, of which I am aware: A3a Margaret Reed b.c. 1810-11 living w/mom in 1870 A3b Mary Reed b.c. 1813 A3c Dorcas Reed b.c. 1817 school teacher in Gue. Co. A3d Isabella Reed b.c. 1820 A3e Letilia Reed b.c. 1824 A3f Moses Reed b.c. 1828 GAR from PA Reg./letters A3g John Reed b.c. 1828 GAR 9 December 1875 A3a Margaret Reed, born circa 1810-11, PA or MD. It appears from later census records that Margaret never married. She lived with her mother from before 1850 until we last find Lilly on the census in 1870. Margaret then is listed as being 60 years old, living with her mother. (I think, at that age, it's safe to assume she never married.) A3b *Mary Reed, born circa 1813, PA. Married an _______Atchison, Acheson, or Atkinson. On the 1850 census, Mary and her two children are listed with Lilly Reed in Pittsburgh. No father is mentioned. Together they had at least two children: A3b1 William Atchison, born circa 1836, PA A3b2 Amanda Atchison, born circa 1839, PA **?** Wm. McCracken took a Mitchel Atkinson as an apprentice in the tannery/blacksmith shop in Cambridge. Could this have been a connection to these people? And, who was the Mitchel Atkinson who was in Capt. Martin's Comp. in the War of 1812 from Guernsey Co.? ***** Daily Jeffersonian (2 March 1894, p. 3) "Solomon Tomlinson (another of my direct ancestors) conveyed the property to Mitchel Atkinson. He was of the Atkinson family who settled as pioneers at what was known as "Atkinson Ford" on Wills Creek, below Liberty. Mitchel Atkinson and John Ferguson married sisters." (see Sarchet article for more details.) A3c Dorcas Reed, born circa 1817, PA. Circa 1850 She was a teacher at the Union School in Cambridge and was also the principal at a later date. She never married. May have died in Guernsey County?! A3d Isabella Reed, born circa 1820, PA A3e Letilia Reed, born circa 1824, PA A3f Moses Reed, born circa 1828, PA was a twin to brother John below. Moses was a Col. in the 56th Reg. of the U.S. Infantry, during the Civil War, and he tried to get cousin Benj. Thompson a promotion to Lt. ...Letter from Helena, Arkansas 8 Oct. 1864. I have a few Civil War letters from him. One letter is as follows: Head Quarters 56th U.S. Colel. Infantry Helena, Oct. 8th 1864 Dear Cousin, I have just written Benny a letter. I sent his name on for an appointment as Com. Sargeant of the Reg. as I see a good opening for a commission now. Changes have taken place in the _ine Offices that makes it alltogether probable that I will be able to get him a Lieutenancy before very long. I am sorry that I wrote you at all, as no doubt my letter gave you some uneasiness. I have had good health since my return for which I feel thankfull to God. Give my love to all those handsome cousins of mine especially the girls and say to them that I hope to see them all somebody's wife when I go back. Yours in love, P.S. M. Reed Save to mother and all the friends A3g John Reed, born circa 1828, PA, twin to Moses above. Was in PA GAR. Came to Guernsey Co. c. 1849. (Owen's, p. 458) Listed on 1860 census with cousin Alexander McCracken in Cambridge, OH as a chairmaker. As a youth he apprenticed with someone in PA to be a cabinetmaker, which he practiced before moving to Ohio. Soon after coming to Cambridge he opened a chair factory, which he ran successfuly until 1856. He then pruchased a farm in Cambridge Twp., and commenced farming, which he did until his death. (Have Civil War letter signed John. May be from him or John Revere Clark. Not sure which "cousin John".) On 20 Dec. 1855 he married Ellen Broom, daughter of Baptist minister, Rev. Hugh Broom and Helen (Swan), of Cambridge, OH. Hugh Broom was a Scottish immigrant, born in Scotland in 1787 and settled in Cambridge in 1812, before 1822 when he is mentioned in the February 1822 Guernsey County Common Pleas records declaring his intention to become an American citizen. (Minutes Bk C, p. 7). Hugh Broom died in 1863. His wife was born in Scotland in 1785 and died near Cambridge in 1854. In Cambridge Township, in 1832, Hugh Broom built a stone house, near Birmingham Road. This house has been passed down through the Reed-Braden family ever since, and is the only house of its kind continually maintained by descendants of its builders. John Reed died in Guernsey Co., 9 Dec. 1875. In the newspaper obit. he died in a wagon accident. His' was a tragic death. His team of horses ran away, overturning the wagon which he was driving, causing it to overturn and fall on him. He died instantly. Ellen (Broom) Reed died in 1888, but another source says she died in Jan. 1891. (Check for them in the center Twp. Baptist Cemetery.) Together John and Ellen had at least two children: A3g1 Margaret K./H."Maggie" December 1856 A3g2 Hugh Broom Reed 5 November 1858, Cambridge Twp A3g1 Margaret K./H."Maggie", born December 1856. She married Daniel E. Braden on 27 November 1889. Daniel Braden was born on 21 February 1849, Center Township, Guernsey county, the son of Elijah and Mary (VanKirk) Braden. Daniel Braden's family lived in Center Twp., and were members of the Baptist church there. Together they had two children, to wit: A3g1a William Reed Braden April 1892 A3g1b Mary H. Braden 1906 A3g1a William Reed Braden married_______________. Together they had at least two sons, to wit: A3g1a1 Ralph Braden A3g1a2 Charles Braden A3g1a1 Ralph Braden was at one time the principal for the Newcomerstown High School, later he became an accountant in Cambridge. In 1969, he and his partner purchased the old McFarland house at 803 Steubenville Avenue. This site was once the blacksmith-shop of Ralph's great, great, great-uncle William McCracken, where his other g,g,g,uncle, "fighting Bill Reed" apprenticed. A3g1a2 Charles Braden lives in the old Reed-Braden stone house in Cambridge Twp. A3g2 Hugh B. Reed, born 5 November 1858, Cambridge Twp.. On 4 Oct. 1894 he married Laura McCollum, dau. of Ezekiel and Sarah (Hutchinson) McCollum, of Cambridge. Laura was born in February 1859, Ohio. Hugh had at least one son: A3g2a Thomas R. Reed, married Ann G. Ault, the dau. of Charles M. and Mary L. Stevens Ault, of Fairview, Guernsey County. Chas. Henry Robinson said that Tom later lived in New York City. A3g2a1 Lillian L. Reed, c. -1911 A3g2a2 Elizabeth Reed Carter Well, I know I have probably packed way too much info. into one posting. But when I have been seeing thesee REED/ACHESON queries, I keep telling myself. Post what you know. Maybe you'll find a connection. ...So, here they are. This is pretty much everything I know on my REEDS/ACHESONS. Hope someone can connect. Descendant of William McCracken of Cambridge, Ohio, Andy Miller, Columbus, Ohio