W6: Benjamin Franklin Reed(1918-UNKN)

Benjamin Franklin Reed(1918-UNKN) (W6)

Birth: October 5th, 1819 in Whately, MA


Father: Simeon Reed(1789-1853)(W12)

Mother: Miranda Morton(1798-1873)(W13)


Married: Married Sarah Wheeler Sanders(1823-1919) on February 26th, 1845 in Whately, MA


Children:


Death: Unknown, possibly in Haydenville, MA

Benjamin Franklin Reed was born on October 5th, 1819 in Whately, MA to Simeon Reed and Miranda Morton.  He was the third of six children. He lived with is parents through 1840. He married Sarah Wheeler Sanders on February 26th, 1845 in Whately, MA.  They were married in the Congregational Church by Jonathan S. Judd.   Benjamin moved into Sarah's parents house and there are mill records showing that Benjamin purchased supplies off of David Sanders.  Benjamin is listed as being a broom maker. Their first daughter, Jane Caroline, was born on February 12th, 1846 and their second, Lucy Amy Reed was born on February 5th, 1848.  The 1850 census shows Sarah, Benjamin, and Jane all living with Sarah's parents and sister, Lucy.  There is no listing for Lucy Amy.


The 1850 census shows that he was still working as a broom maker and the family had $1000 worth of real estate. They had another girl in 1850, Mary W..  I suspect the W stood for Wheeler but have no proof.  She died on November 3rd, 1852.  Their last child, Albert David was born on October 17th, 1852.  Benjamin's father dies in 1853.  The 1855 State census has the family still living with Sarah's parents and sister.  The family has an Irish maid named Mary Grace, age 24.  Once again, there is no listing for Lucy Amy.  Benjamin is now working with the railroads.


Benjamin is still living with Sarah, her parents, sister and children in 1860.  He is listed as being a sash and blind maker and has a personal income of $500 a year.  There is still no record of Lucy Amy.  They have a 22 year old maid from England named Sarah Barrett living with them.  Sometime after this, Benjamin left.  The last record we have of him is a civil war draft registration from Whately showing that he is in New York in 1863 and working as a grocer.  There is a comparable record from Brooklyn, NY that has a Benjamin F. Reed working as a grocer and living at 71 Main Street.  This is likely the point he runs off with a spiritualist.  The family stories identify him as a womanizer.  As I said in a previous post, Sarah followed him and made him divorce her and marry the other woman.


There are a few possible clues in later census records, but they could be a red haring.  The 1870 shows a Benjamin F. Reed of the right age from Massachusetts living with a woman named Charlotte C. Reed also from Massachusetts in Waterford, NJ.  He is a carpenter and has $100 in personal property.  The 1880 census shows the same couple living in Hammonton, NJ.  This Benjamin is now a farmer. Once again, family history has it that Benjamin became a missionary to the Native Americans in the south.  His son, Albert David brought him back to Massachusetts when he was old and dying. I don't know where he died or is buried but suspect it was in Haydenville or Willimsburg.

The Mystery

Branch

Descendants

Descendants

Sources