27. AILSE "ELSEY"8 DEHART (SIMON7, SIMON6, ELIAS SIMON5, SIMON AERTSZEN4, AERT SYMOSZ3, SYMON JACOBUS2, WILLIAM1) was born September 15, 1767 in VA? probably Botetourt County, and died September 30, 1823 in Clinton Twp, Jackson Co (now Vinton), OH. She married DOWNEY REED September 02, 1788 in Rockbridge Co, VA by
William Graham, Presbyterian minister28,29, son of PATRICK REED and MARGARET UNKNOWN. He was born September 15, 1770 in County Down, Ireland30, and died January 07, 1830 in Clinton Twp, Jackson Co (now Vinton), OH.
Notes for AILSE "ELSEY" DEHART: Ailse's marriage bond was signed by her step-father, William Owley and her mother, Hannah. In Virginia, 21 was the legal age so Ailse needed her parents' permission to marry. The bond was witnessed by David Owley, John Carpenter, and Fanny (?) McGlawhelon (?). Downey's surety was Daniel Eyrs (?).
Notes for DOWNEY REED: According to his grandson, A.D. Reed (newspaper interview), after Downey came to America in 1780 as a boy of 8 years. He settled with his parents in Virginia near the Natural Bridge (Whistle Creek) in Rockbridge Co, which was formed in 1778. According to a genealogy written by Mary F. Reed (located in Wescott Memorial Library, McArthur, OH), the family settled among many relatives. Downey should be on the tax lists after 1786 since they listed everyone over age 16 - but he is not listed. The marriage bond between Downey and Ailse was signed on August 29, 1788 in Rockbridge Co, VA. His marriage bond in 1788 was signed by his parents, Patrick Reed and Margaret, indicating that he was under age 21 - his name was given as Downey Reid and his wife was Ailse Dihart.
Witnesses were John Smiley and Daniel Eyrs. In 1798, he was one of several subscribers who agreed to pay the salary of Rev. George A. Baxter for 1/2 of his time to the Monmouth Presbyterian Church. The original structure was located
in the area known as the "Fork of the James" River (now Maury) and consisted of a Pole Building erected about 1748 on Woods Creek. "This was replaced by a building of hewn timber on Whistle Creek in 1767 and was called Hall's Meeting House" (Rockbridge Co, Virginia Cemeteries, Kerrs Creek District), about 2 miles west of Lexington, VA. Rev. Baxter accepted the call on 1 May 1799, and agreed to serve both Monmouth and the Lexington Congregation (source: Proceedings of the Rockbridge Historical Society, Vol. III, Lexington, VA: Edwards Brothers, Inc, 1949, p.
42). On Whistle Creek, Downey Reed was a miller. In a manuscript compiled by Ruth Winters Odell, she claims that Downey was married first to Ailse Dihart, and 2nd to to her sister Elsey DeHart. While some believe that these two are really the same person, this has not been proved and we may never know for sure. After Downey sold his land in 1804, he left Virginia and travelled to West Virginia, where Ruth Winters Odell (1981) claimed he stayed for several years. Amos Reed even claimed that his father Patrick was born in Greenbrier Co, West Virginia. From West Virginia, the traveling party probably took the road down New River to Kanawha. The road to Point Pleasant was well-used that that time. They passed the Kanawha Valley, crossing the Ohio at a ferry over to the Indian Path, which was by then a well-used road, now Ohio State 35. Early pioneers reported that the road was badly in need of repair, and that it was better to walk than to ride in a wagon. Most pioneers rode horseback and had a packtrain. The town of Jackson, OH was thriving by the early 1800s and was the usual stopping place to locate land. Downey probably followed the old Buffalo and Indian trail north from the Salt Licks at Jackson. "There were plenty of streams all along this route and the path was clear of brush and trees, having been in constant use by animals and red men until it was a popular route to the Salt Works at Jackson." They arrived at Little Raccoon Creek where Downey found enough water and the lay of the land gave him the site for a grist mill" (manuscript by Mary F. Reed at Wescott Memorial Library). Downey moved to Ohio with several other families, probably to Gallia Co. where he is listed on an 1812 tax list for Addison Twp. One of the other families may be Samuel McCluer, who left Rockbridge Co. for Ross Co. Ohio (source: "The Official Rockbridge Co. Pioneers Page!").
Another family was William Harper and Nancy Faris, whose daughter Mary married William Reed (1777 - 1829).
Downey of Clinton Twp paid taxes of $29.60 in 1817. Downey built a dam on the banks of the Little Raccoon Creek, to create enough water power to use on the first grist mill in Vinton Co. That mill operated for over 40 years, serving to ground meal and flour; a saw mill was also established to help people build their houses.
1820 census, p. 124, Clinton Twp, Jackson Co [now Vinton], Ohio: Downey Reed along with William and Acklin Reed, his sons.
Downey is prominently mentioned in a history of Vinton County, OH as one of the first settlers, and the Post Office was known for 40 years as Reed's Mill (Biggs, 1950). Downey built a two-story hewn log house on the banks of the Little Raccoon Creek, half way between the current villages of Hamden and Dundas in Clinton Twp, Vinton Co, OH. At first the house was home for Downey's family and his son Acklin's family. "It had large fireplaces at both ends - one for cooking and one for heating the house. Amos Reed told that this log house was dressed up by adding weatherboards cut at Reed's Mill. It was located on the north side of the Little Raccoon Creek, and was a pretty place with flowers and vines around the long porch. Fruit trees and currant bushes grew along the fence which kept the livestock out of the yard" (source: manuscript by Mary F. Reed at Wescott Memorial Library).
In his will, written January 02, 1830, Downey left one dollar to each of his children who were named: "William, my eldest son and Aclin Reed and Peggy Brown and Patrick Reed and Hannah Reed and John Reed and Hugh D. Reed each of the above named heirs, I do will one dollar each." The will goes on to leave his lands to his youngest child Alsy Reed, all excepting my wife Esther. He specified that if Alsy should die without an heir, the lands should then be given to his youngest son, Dehart Reed. Witnesses were Allish Harrison, B. Leach, and Thomas Elder. His surname on the will is spelled "Read." The will was recorded on March 27, 1830 (source: Will Book A, Jackson County, Ohio, p. 8).
Downey and Elsey Reed are buried in Bethel Church cemetery, located about halfway between the villages of Hamden and Dundas, on the west side of route 93 (Visited by M.L. Veal in 2005). There are several other Reeds buried in the family plot, which is located near the bank of the Little Raccoon Creek. The writing on the headstones actually faces the creek and most are constructed with "heads" at the top that seem to be looking forever at the waters. A picture of the 117 year old Bethel Church appeared in the Wellston Telegram on 15 Aug 1947. A grove of oak trees surrounded
the church and graveyard within the 13 acres originally given by Downey Reed and his children. A.D. Reed claimed to have seen the square of brown paper that was the original deed, but the paper disappeared after the church burned. "The first church was made of hewn logs cut from the forest and dedicated in 1830. This was a long, low building with the door in the middle of the long side. The benches were split poplar puncheons with no backs. A new church was built and the old logs used for firewood. The new church burned in 1865 and another church was built of bricks" (manuscript by Mary F. Reed at Wescott Memorial Library, Vinton Co, OH, copy in the files of ML Cook).
Children of AILSE DEHART and DOWNEY REED are:
46. i. WILLIAM9 REED, b. August 31, 1789, Rockbridge Co, VA; d. October 26, 1838, Liberty Twp, Jackson Co, OH age 51, interred Bethel Church Cemetery, Vinton Co, Ohio.
47. ii. ACKLIN REED, b. July 22, 1791, Rockbridge Co, VA; d. January 11, 1836, Jackson Co, OH age 47, buried at Bethel Cemetery, Vinton Co, OH near his parents.
48. iii. MARGARET "PEGGY" REED, b. Abt. 1795, Rockbridge Co, VA; d. January 19, 1876, Liberty Twp, Ross Co, OH.
49. iv. PATRICK REED, b. August 10, 1798, Rockbridge Co, VA or Greenbrier Co, WV; d. August 04, 1862, Hamden, Vinton Co, Ohio age almost 64.
v. HANNAH REED, b. Abt. 1800; d. Londonderry, OH.
50. vi. JOHN REED, b. October 26, 1800, Ohio; d. August 08, 1843, Louisa Co, IA near Wapello.
51. vii. HUGH D. REED, b. November 02, 1806, Ohio, perhaps Gallia County?; d. Aft. 1870, prob. Iowa.
viii. DEHART REED, b. Abt. 1811, Ohio; d. October 16, 1847, ?, buried in Bethal Church Cemetery, Clinton Twp, Vinton Co, OH31; m. MARGARET LAW, November 22, 1834, Jackson Co, OH32; b. Abt. 1812.
Notes for DEHART REED: This Dehart Reed was found on the1840 census in Louisa Co, Iowa with 1 male over 21; 3 females under 21; 1 over 21.
On August 29, 1846, DeHart sold property to Samuel E. Hawthorne in Louisa Co, Iowa.
A DeHart Reed was on the 1840 census, Orange Twp, Knox County, Illinois, Males 20-29 = 1; Females under 5 = 2; Females 20-29 = 1; Total in the family = 4; Employed in Manufacturing. I have not yet identified this man's family.
ix. ALSY REED, b. Abt. 1813, Ohio; d. Aft. 1830.
http://collectornuts.com/dehart.pdf
