William Burton Reed

Apr. 25, 1838 - 1926

information courtesy of FindaGrave contributors and Adriana "Rian" (Langerwerf) Farley

William Burton Reed was born in Indiana [25 April 1838], the son of Thomas and Maria (Myrick) Reed: "Reed, William B., 12, male, born in Indiana." with his marriage recorded as: William B. Reed and Margaret A. Hamilton were married by Wm. H. Cochran J.P. Their marriage was also listed in a newspaper account, as follows: "1st 100 Marriages In County Recalled. The State Historical Society called upon the various chapters of the DAR to compile a list of the first 200 marriage licenses issued in each county and forward to the Historical Society. In compiling the list the local DAR committee found the work very interesting. ... Thinking it would be of interest to [Jefferson, Greene County Iowa newspaper] Bee readers to scan the list and note the names of well known families today, we are printing the list of the first 100, and the name of the minister or public official who solemnized the marriage ceremony. William B. Reed and Margaret A. Hamilton, April 26, 1859, Wm. H. Cochran, J.P."

The Methodist Church was organized in 1855; listed as members of the congregation were "Wm. Reed & wife". Noting his farming, and family standing, by 1860: Reed, William, 22 years, male, farmer, personal property $200, born in Indiana Margaret, 17 years, female, born in ______ Margaret Jeanette, 2/12 female, born in Iowa, and in later accounts, William is noted to have lived in Perry IA, employed as a bill collector and farmer. He was appointed Township trustee in Virginia Twp., and belonged to IOOF in Carlisle, IA.

Reed, William B., Farmer, 32, male, personal property $200, born in Indiana Margaret, 27, female, born in Indiana Margaret Jeanette 10, female, born in Iowa Leona, 8, female, born in Iowa Oliver, 5, male, born in Iowa Phillis, 3, female, born in Iowa and printed sources note him to be "William Reed, Farmer, Sec 14, P.O. Palmyra."

He died at Perry [26 Aug 1926], as noted; "W.B. Reed, 415 S. 3rd St., 1st Ward, Perry, Dallas County, Iowa, male, white, married, husband of Margaret A. Reed, born April 25, 1838 age 88 years, 4 months 1 day, retired, son of Thomas Reed, born in Penn., and Maria Myrick, born in ME. Informant: Minnie Latimer, Yale, Ia. Date of death: Aug 26, 1926. I hereby certify that I attended deceased from June 12, 1926 to Aug 26, 1926 and I last saw him alive on Aug 25, 1926 and that death occurred on the date state above at 1:40 a.m.. The cause of death is as follows: chronic intestinal nephritis, contributed to by old age. Burial to take place at Violet Hill on 8/29/1926. /s/ T.R. Phillips, MD., Perry."

"Golden Wedding is Celebrated.
"Family Reunion Held at Home of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Reed on South Third Street.
"An enjoyable event was that held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Reed, on South Third street Monday, when a large number of the relatives and their friends gathered to help them observe the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding.
"Few people are privileged to celebrate an event of this kind and the hearty congratulations of all their friends in this city are extended to Mr. and Mrs. Reed on this occasion. They are pioneers of Iowa and this vicinity but one would never guess they had lived so long as both are in good health and as active as most people twenty years younger.
"Quite a large number of relatives were present and they brought with them good cheer and congratulations. A fine gold watch fob was presented to Mr. Reed and his wife was given a god watch chain and some gold coins. A big dinner and supper was served at the family reunion, and although all of the children and grandchildren could not be present, the occasion was one which will be long remembered by all. The children and grandchildren who have come to bless the union of these estimable people are:

"W.E. Reed and wife of Madison, Neb.; C.H. Reed, wife and baby Claude of Madison, Neb.; Mrs. D. Trent, of Madison, Neb.; Mrs. G. Farley, of Wilton, N.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Henry Gill, of Wilton, N.D.; Mr. and Mrs. Wahring and daughter of Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Oatmer, of Yale; Fred Farley of Coon Rapids; Ray Farley, of Churdan; Mrs. Ella Motes, of Granite, Oklahoma; Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Kloss of Churdan; Mrs. H.R. Proctor, of Gacoma, Iowa; Mrs. Perry Myrick, of Sac City. The only children absent were, Attorney and Mrs. M.O. Reed, of Colfax, Washington, who telegraphed congratulations on the event, and Dr. W.H. Reed, of Valley, Neb."

Margaret Ann (Hamilton) Reed

1843 - 1930

information courtesy of FindaGrave contributors and Adriana "Rian" (Langerwerf) Farley

Daughter of David Sanford and Hannah (Linn) Hamilton

"The New Virginia"

"On May 5th 1854 David S. Hamilton and family of four children and Mason Linn and wife and two children and William Linn and wife and three children started for the far west for homes near as I can remember. Took us six weeks to make the trip near as I can think. We stayed our first night at Bucks Grove and after we had super [sic] a young lady came to our camp and I met one of my old teachers I knew her at once. Her name was Miss Buck and I bid her goodby [sic] and I never saw her since. Next I think of was at Peoria. We had stopped for supplies. I was setting in our wagon and I saw a girl about my age and that was eleven. She had a dishpan of lettuce and I was so hungry for some as I seen her pump water on the lettuce it looked so good I never forgot it. Then next was at Joliet. We camped and when we had begun to eat found our bread was so salt we couldn't eat the bread. Then we came on and had to cross a canal bridge and the bridge was so high and (illegible) so our lead oxen wanted a drink so they made a bee line for the water for a drink. One of my uncles was in lead and our team in the middle and my other uncle was behind so he stopped his team they was well broke and he took the butt of his ox gad and beat our ox over the head and he and father beat them and made them stay in the road and mother and I and two little boys was in the wagon at the time. It was near forty or fifty feet to the water. Poor mother and I and all the rest expected we would be killed but the women and children walked over all big bridges all the rest of the way out.

"We came on to the Mississippi River, camped for a few days and did some washing. My mother's brother David Linn lived across the river at Heron close to the river and he camped on an island and cut cord wood and sold it to the steam boats so some of the men took a skift [skiff] boat and went to the uncles but he wasn't home. So Aunt told them where to find my uncle they rowed back and found his camp, but he was gone so they left a note and put it over his cot and he came in and layed [sic] down to rest and he looked up and seen the note so he got to no [sic] what was up and found we was all camped and where so he got in his skift and rowed to our camp. It was dark by the time he got there he was sure glad to see us as we all was to see him so they all set up till midnight, so glad to see each other.

"The men took the wagons and cattle and one horse up the river to Kettleburg to cross the river and uncle took his skift and took all the women and children to his house he made two trips across that was nine miles. He had to row it was a hard trip on him I know. We all stayed at my uncles about a week then we started to finish our trip. "One night our oxen got so far away we didn't get started till noon. I have forgotten the place we camped we had a fearful rain and thunder storm. Not much sleep we got that night, but no one was hurt and one night we stayed at a tavern or inn as some called it. The ground was too wet to make our beds on the ground. We ate supper and a part slept in the wagons and rest at the inn and ate our breakfast. I can't think it was in Iowa or Illinois, but it was on our way, all I can recall was at Skunk River. When father was crossing the river with our oxen the leaders jumped over board. We was so scared for fear father would be pushed off, but he kept the one on the near side from going over and reached over the near ox and pulled the boy key out and let the ox swim to land then he was hitched up again. There was no bannisters [sic] on the ferry boat to keep them from going off the boat. One instance I can recall was in Iowa but can't tell just where we met a mover wagon going back East discouraged and home sick with the country. We found them stuck in the mud and the women and children was sitting on the ground. They all looked like the last rose of summer and so did the horses. The women said this mud is sticky as the Illinois mud or that is the way she said it and we had that for a by word for a long time. We got a scare there. We all, women and little ones were sitting on the grass, while the men took the oxen and pulled the man's wagon out and baby brother Oll got a piece of grass in his mouth and nearly choked to death, but we got it out and one we were thankful he was saved. Nothing of importance the rest of the way.

"We got to Des Moines and crossed the river all OK. We camped, I think about three or four weeks at Beaver Creek while the men went to look for land. They got four one hundred sixty acres for the four families up in Green (e) County on Cook and Cedar Creek, but had to wait for the Land Sale. So the men came to the land sale but someone that knew told the men a man, a speculator had his eye on the land, but the one was wanting neighbors and he would beat the sale to point the man out so this man and my uncle picked the man up and kept him away till the sale was over, but he was sure a mad man. The rest stayed to bid off the land. My uncle laughed often how they outwitted the other fellow and they all got the land. It lay about 15 miles north of Jefferson out of all four families there is only a living at this time but that has been a good many years ago and I am the only one that can recall anything about our trip to the far west. I am in a few days will be 85 years old. Why I have been spared so long to suffer and am not strong anymore and am no account and may never will be what use am I, none." [Story of trip by Linn and Hamilton families to Iowa, written by Margaret Ann Hamilton Reed, 1928]

"Mrs. M.A. Reed Is Dead At 86. Mrs. Margaret A. Reed, 86, a long-time resident of Iowa, died at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at her home, 3021 East Twenty-ninth street. "Mrs. Reed was born in Kankakee, Ill., but had been a resident of Perry, Ia., for several years where she became a member of the Methodist church. "She is survived by eight children, Mrs. Nettie Farley of Ladsymith, Wis., Mrs. Lionna Trent of Smithwick, S.D., Willis C. Reed of Madison, Neb., Dr. Wilson H. Reed of Omaha, Neb., Mrs. Minnie Latimer of Yale, Ia., Mrs. Etta Gill of Regan, N.D. Mrs. [remainder missing]

"Margrett [sic] Ann Reed, 3021 E. 29th St, Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Female, White, Widowed, wife of Wm. B. Reed, born July 2, 1843, age 86 years, 7 months, 2 days, housewife, born in Kankakee, Iowa [sic], daughter of Sanford Hamilton and Hannah Linn. Informant Dr. W. Reed, Omaha, Neb., burial at Violet Hill Cemetery, Perry, Iowa 2/7/1930. I hereby certify that I attended deceased from Feb 2 1930 to Feb 4 1930. I last saw her alive on Feb 4 1930 death is said to have occurred on the date stated above at 8:30 a.m. The principal cause of death and related causes of importance in order of onset were as follows: acute gastritis & senility. /s/ L.V. Porter, M.D., Altoona, Iowa."