George Reed and Abigail Leger Were Not the Parents of Samuel Reed of Barnwell.

There was another Samuel Reed in South Carolina in the late 1700s and early 1800s who is often confused with our ancestor Samuel Reed of Barnwell. I hope here to clear up that confusion. 

Our ancestor Samuel's parents were not George Reed and Abigail Leger.  George and Abigail did indeed have a son named Samuel, but he was not the one who married Mary Clark.

Information about the other Samuel:

According to the Revolutionary War record of this other Samuel (located in the National Archives and available on Footnote.com), he was a son of George Reed and was born in Lancaster County, PA, on January 26, 1749.  When he was 13 years old, the family moved to Rowan County, NC, and then on to Abbeville, SC.

In 1775, this other Samuel enlisted in the militia and served for about six years in the Revolutionary War under his father Colonel George Reed, as well as others. 

He remained in South Carolina until about 1800 or 1806 when he moved to Georgia.  His war pension of $20.00 a year was executed on September 25, 1832, when he lived in Gwinnett County, GA.

After the death of his companion in 1840, he moved to St. Clair County, Alabama to reside with his children.  He died on February 8, 1843.

A letter in this Samuel's record states that this data was obtained from the papers filed for his pension claim.  It also states that this Samuel Reed was the only soldier of that name or similar spelling who served in the South Carolina troops whose record is found in the Revolutionary War records of that office.

Moving on from the war record, we have the 1790 census which shows "Capt. Saml Reed" living in Abbeville County, SC.  This is the other Samuel Reed AND the only Samuel Reed on the 1790 census in South Carolina.  

In a Google Books snippet from North Carolina - South Carolina Bible Records (by Jeannette Holland Austin, Heritage Books, 2008, page 244), I found "Capt. George Reid Bible" owned by Raymond M. Bell of State College, PA.  It lists Capt. George Reed born 12/23/1719 in Ireland who married Abigal Leger, born in France and died in Abbeville 11/3/1786.  Their children were Rosa who married Major John Rowie; Ann (Nancy) born 12/25/1747 and died 1/12/1769 who married Capt. William Raskin, Jr.; Margaret who married Hugh Reid and then William Cauder Baskin; Samuel who married Caroline Thomson; Alexander; and Joseph (Lieut.) born 6/5/1756 who married Isabella Baskin.  

Information we know about our Samuel:

The dates of the Revolutionary War were 1775-1783.  Our ancestor Samuel never served in the Revolutionary War.  He was in Ireland at the time.  His son Hugh was born in Ireland in 1783.

We know from our Samuel's will that he died in 1823 in Barnwell County, South Carolina, not in1843 in Alabama or Georgia. 

The 1850 Census has Hugh Reed (Samuel and Mary's son) as being 65 years old and born in Ireland.  Of course, his tombstone tells us that he was born on October 6, 1783.  The war was over by then.


In researching our families, we often need to rule out people with the same name as the ancestor we are hunting.  In doing so, sometimes we get to know the other person fairly well.  This happened when I was looking into this other Samuel Reed.  I hope this post sets the record straight regarding Samuel, son of George, and our ancestor Samuel Reed.
~