Ridenhour, Hayes, Jennings and Reed are all names that are found together in Tennessee, Kentucky and Missouri. They lived by each other, married each other and moved to new areas together. Therefore it is not surprising that my g-grandfather, Miles Reed, married a Hayes (Sarah Jane, her mother was a Jennings.) and his father, Edward Reed, Jr., married a Ridenhour (Rebecca).  Rebecca was the sister or cousin of John Ridenhour, who had married Edward's sister, Elizabeth Reed.

Note: In some Reed Histories on our line, an Edward Read is listed as having married a Mary Colvin with her brother standing as witness. This is a mistake, another Edward, our Edward married Rebecca "Becca" Ridenhour. They are listed on Miles Reed's death certificate as his parents.  Edward's father was Edward Reed, Sr. who married Margaret Close. Interesting enough, Edward, Sr. also had a sister Elizabeth Reed who married George Close, Margaret's brother.

 
             Name: Edward Reed 
             Surname: Reed 
             Given Name: Edward 
             Sex: M 
             Birth: ABT 1774 in Barren Co., Kentucky 
             Death: in Franklin Co., Missouri 
Father is possibly: William Reed I or Joseph Reed

           Marriage 1 Margaret Close b: ABT 1768 in Kentucky 
                Married: 9 Apr 1795 in Hardin Co., Kentucky 

Children:

Edward Reed, Jr. m. Rebecca Ridenhour
Elizabeth Reed m. John Ridenhour
John Reed m. Mary Hooper
plus others
 

Name: George Close 

Marriage 1:  Elizabeth Reed
 

Luckily for me, Kentucky did not have an enormous population at the time my ancestors passed through.

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