William and Mary Reid

biography

Submitted by Arlene Adkins, great-great grand daughter of William and Mary Reid

The first references made as to the residence of William Reid in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania. Cumberland County then included the counties of Mifflin, Perry, Juniata, and part of Hunington. In May of 1779, William Reid entered the service of the U.S, Army under Lieutenant Francis Coulter, to serve as a "Boatman." He was attached to General John Sullivan's Army and served under Captain John Morrison, General Edward Hand's Brigade. They went to Tioga Point,
Chemung, New York. He was a "common soldier" among four thousand of Sullivan's troups marching up the Chemung River's east bank to engage hostile Indians In Newtown, New York.

They engaged the Indians in battle. Joseph Brant's Indian-Tory force was forced to withdraw. They returned to Tioga Station, Then commanded by Captain Read; served there in Morrison's company of one hundred men; burning nearby Indian crops. He marched South with the army and was discharged at Coxe's Town.

In July 1781 William was in the Juniata River Valley at Brown's Mill, near Lewistown, Mifflin County Pennsylvania. He joined the Militia Co. Commanded by Captain Bowels as a substitute for Jacob Nagle, who had been drafted. In June and July into late August, 1781,he marched with company to "Big Quishequnoquillas Valley," patrolled but had no engagements with the Indians. He served two months.
In 1781 he was in the Juniata Valley and was discharged from the Militia. He remained home for two weeks. He was then drafted for a two month tour in the Militia under Captain George Jaus, and Lieutenant John Boyce. His Elder brother James was also on this duty tour. They patrolled in Buffalo Valley, and were discharged at Swinford's Mill at the end of the tour.

Once more at home in Cumberland County, he married Mary Boyd whose stepfather was named Brannen. They were married by the Reverend Michael Enderlin of St. Michael's Lutheran Church. They migrated from Cumberland County to Pittsburg, then to Westmoreland County. They then migrated back to earlier gone area in Cumberland Co. Their daughter Margaret was born during this period. In 1786 and 1787 they were in the region of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River. This was in the Allegheny River area. They migrated back and forth along the West Branch in Northumberland County, hence to the Allegheny River area.

In 1798 they settled in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. In a letter from his brother James, William's address was Heart's Crossroads. He contracted for two hundred acres, tract 781 Pennsylvania Popiltion Land district, S. Shenango, Pennsylvania. He transferred his Revolutionary War Discharge to William Green for the purpose of patenting land. The date of the transfer was not given.

He appeared in Crawford County Pennsylvania, Common Pleas Court for a Revolutionary War Pension. This occurred in 1832.

On February 11, 1845, William Reid died. He was buried in Wilson Cemetery, plot 123. Espyville, North Shenango Township, Crawford County, Pennsylvania. His family at his death, was his wife, Mary, and four daughters, Margaret m. Zemas Pelton, Mary, m. Daniel Smith, Elizabeth m.____ Allen, Anns m. Solomon Waters, and two sons, James m. Ann Lewis, and William m. Sarah Cline Bennett.

Mary Boyd Reid followed her husband in death on the 14 October, 1850. She is also buried in Wilson Cemetery.

Written and submitted by Arlene Adkins, great-great granddaughter of William and Mary Reid