contributed by Mary Ann Stewart Kaylor

In 1826, STEPHEN HOLLAND REID first came to Illinois by boat up the river, then entering Morgan County, took up two sections of land...about eighty acres each (Deeds of US Public Land were signed by Pres. J.Q. Adams 1 May 1826 and 3 Jul 1827), land that is now the city of Jacksonville. Stephen then returned to Lexington, Fayette Co. KY for his wife and children and household goods. Starting in the autumn, with two six-horse wagons and a covered carriage, they spent the winter in Illinois, and again setting forth in the spring, reached their destination in Morgan County on the first of May..with no bridges and no roads even, journeying by land was slow and tedious, and a veritable slough of despond must have been the three mile stretch between Big and Little Ocho Rivers at Vandalia, known as "Hell and Scissors" which took three days to cross. The Reid family at once took up their abode in a log cabin built for them during his absence. Then came the breaking up of twenty acres of prairie, the hewing of timber and framing of a house. The new dwelling was nearly finished when the death of pioneer occured, leaving his wife with the care of the farm and 12 children.

STEPHEN HOLLAND REID was born in Londonderry, NH 19 Feb 1773 s/o ABRAHAM REID and MARTHA HUMPHREY. Stephen's grandfather MATHEW REID was the immigrant ancestor. At the age of 27 he enlisted for three years as a marine in the U. S. Coast Guard, serving in Boston 24 Mar 1800. He was a Corporal assigned to the Frigate Constitution which had been launched in 1798. He was engaged in the Tripolitan War with the Barbary States, a pirate war (info from Original book of the Adjutant & Inspector's Office, 1798-1805,p 133 National Archives, Room 11W and given to me by Mrs. Elizabeth Baldwin Hubert)

He married MARY PRATHER d/o BARUCH PRATHER in Lexington, KY 5 June 1803. His probate was filed in Morgan CO IL 28 Nov 1827. His original burial place was lost as the city of Jacksonville developed and expanded. He has a monument in Jacksonville East Cemetery. (Abstracted *in part* from 1889 History of Morgan CO IL.)

 



Family Index

County main page