John Mortimer Reed (ca. 1786 - 1864) and Charlotte (Morgan), authored 2018

 John Mortimer Reed and Charlotte (Morgan) ca. 1786 - 1864, authored 2018 

 (last edited 8/21/2024)

The image [IMGP0736] is from a 2007 trip to Birmingham, Ohio by William and Dorothy Gates (timestamp on the directory is 20071021).  Although the stones are broken and not all details are clearly visible they represent most likely the parents of Phebe Morgan (Reed) Gates.  The separate stone for John Mortimer Reed seems to indicate he is 84 and thus died 1864.  Charlotte's death from the stone is probably November 30, 1846 and her age 60?  This suggests they are of approximately the same age.  Another image has a slight horizontal line of a "4".  As I recall Birmingham was not settled until the 1820s?

It is a rather convoluted story about how I even became aware of Birmingham, Ohio via my great-grandfather William Noah Gates's Civil War service.  Phebe Morgan Reed and Ashbel Gates were married January 12, 1826 in New York State (source?).  A further question, can it be assumed the Reed and Gates migrated together to Ohio.

[IMGP0736] Reed - Birmingham, Ohio Cemetery (several family surnames) visited 2007 by William A. and Dorothy A (Esser) Gates

1850 Census - Ohio, Erie, Florence, Birmingham - last line John Reed, a. 70, b. New Jersey - next page family continues with relationship questions

Hannah (Gates) Reed (also a probable daughter of Abigail [Betts] and Noah Gates) age 66 from Connecticut is at top of next census page. Her birth state is Connecticut and also consistent identified parents (Noah and Abigail).  My manuscripts indicate I started writing heavily about Abigail in 2004.  What is the relationship between this Hannah and John Reed in this Census document?  I suppose she could be a second wife but the Birmingham cemetery does not tell that tale.  Could the Charlotte Reed stone be that of Hannah's mother-in-law?  

In roughly 2007 I must have found cemetery records online thanks to Ted Reising (tedohio@yahoo.com).

I will try and corroborate with other sources to minimize the confusion.  I assume John in this case is Hannah's father-in-law and his wife Charlotte has been deceased since 1846.  This area of Ohio was just being settled in 1816 (Firelands Land grants from 1808)-- raises some additional questions!

The other individual is probably Charlotte's son or John's (grand)son.  He is 23 years old and identified as a "Wagon Maker" born in New York.  Assuming the latter as fact he came to Ohio or intermediate places sometime after 1827.

The Ennis family that follows the Reed household may be more or less closely related since a sister of Hannah's married an Ennis.  This is not being explored.  Seems safe to assume Charlotte Ennis is Charlotte (Gates) Ennis.

1850 Census - Florence Township, Erie County, Ohio - Reed & Ennis 

Florence Township History

FLORENCE TWP., Erie Co., Ohio from HISTORY OF THE FIRELANDS by W.W.Williams 1879 pages 445-453.

ORIGINAL OWNERS. [note: the following list of "sufferers" is abridged. Also included was the amount of loss, by whom classified, and amount classified. This refers to those claims granted in the "Firelands" in 1808 to those in Connecticut whose property had been destroyed by fire during the Revolution. All of the following claims were sold to Isaac Bronson, Ebenezer Jesup Jr., Jesup Wakeman, and Joseph Wakeman.]

Notice: the above material is Public Domain (no copyright). File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Ted Reising tedohio@yahoo.com Dec. 15, 1998.