RACHEL CARRIE CONLEY, daughter of ABSALOM CONLEY and MELVINA HAMILTON, was born August 15, 1864 in Oil Springs, Johnson County, Kentucky, died November 14, 1932 in Jenkins, Letcher County, Kentucky, and is buried in Oil Springs, Johnson County, Kentucky. She married JOHN E. REED, son of LYDIA RICE and WILLIAM REED, about 1883. He was born in July of 1847 in Kentucky, and died before 1910. John Reed married (1) LEVINA PRESTON, daughter of GREENVILLE PRESTON and EXIER WARD, July 19, 1874 in Johnson County, Kentucky. She was born about 1842 and died in 1880. Levina Preston married (1) DANIEL PELPHREY, son of WILLIAM PELPHREY and MARY LEMASTER, August 29, 1861 in Johnson County, Kentucky. He was born about 1842 in Kentucky, and died about 1869.
Notes: Information on this family can be found on page 153 of "The Conley Clan of Eastern Kentucky," published and sold by The Magoffin County Historical Society.
William Pelphrey was the son of Daniel Pelphrey and Lydia Wheeler.
Mary Lemaster's last name comes from her son Jesse's birth record.
Levina Preston's name is listed as Pelphrey on the record of her marriage to John Reed. Her first husband, Daniel Pelphrey, reportedly died in 1869 after having 4 children with Levina - Mortela, Araminta, Mary Alice, and Rosa Lee. Her name is listed as Luvina Preston on son Paris' birth record. She isn't found in the 1880 census, but her daughter Lillie is only 1 month old. She likely died from some kind of complications due to childbirth.
Exier Ward's name comes from son Greenville's birth record.
According to Kentucky marriage records, John E. Redd (age 27 [hard to read], 1st marriage, born in Johnson County, parents born in Floyd County) married Louvina Pelphrey (age 28, 2nd marriage, born in Johnson County, parents born in Floyd County) on July 19, 1874.
According to her death certificate, Mrs. Rachel Carrie Conley Reed died November 14, 1932 in Jenkins, Letcher County, from apoplexy due to malignant hypertension. Also on this certificate, her birthplace is listed as Oil Springs, her birth date as August 15, 1864, her marital status as widowed, her husband as J. C. Reed, her father as Joab Conley (b. Kentucky), her mother's maiden name and birthplace as unknown, the informant as E. H. Preston of Jenkins, and the burial place as Oil Springs.
On page 403 of the 1850 census for Johnson County, Kentucky (dated September 12, 1850), Greenville Preston is listed as the head of the household for house #403, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, and he's 27 years old. Also listed are Exer (born in Kentucky, age 25), Lovina (born in Kentucky, age 5), Araminta (born in Kentucky, age 3), Moses (born in Kentucky, age 1), Shadrach Walters (farmer, born in Kentucky, age 19), and Winfrey Walters (born in Kentucky, age 16).
On page 64 of the 1860 census for Johnson County, Kentucky (dated June 27, 1860), Grenvil Preston is listed as the head of the household for house #406, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, and he's 38 years old. Also listed are Ixer (born in Kentucky, age 36), Levina (born in Kentucky, age 13), Araminta (born in Kentucky, age 11), Moses (born in Kentucky, age 9), Shadrach (born in Kentucky, age 7), Greenvil [Greenville] (born in Kentucky, age 5), Wm. R. [William R.] (born in Kentucky, age 3), and Nathan Preston (born in Kentucky, age 24).
On pages 17 & 18 of the 1870 census for Barnetts Creek in Johnson County, Kentucky (dated June 29, 1870), William Pelfrey [Pelphrey] is listed as the head of the household for house #117, he's a farmer, born in Kentucky, and he's 48 years old. Also listed are Mary (born in Kentucky, age 47), Sarah Jane (born in Kentucky, age 15), Alexander F. (born in Kentucky, age 14), Samuel (born in Kentucky, age 11), Jessa [Jesse] (male, born in Kentucky, age 9), Mary (born in Kentucky, age 7), Lyddia Pelfrey (too old to work, born in North Carolina, age 85), Sarah Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 36), Levina Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 25), Mortela Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 7), Araminta Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 5), Mary Alace Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 3), and Rosey Lee Pelfrey (born in Kentucky, age 2).
On page 11 of the 1880 census for District 45 (Barnetts Creek) in Johnson County, Kentucky (dated June 7, 1880), John Reed is found widowed and living in the home of his widowed mother. Lydia Reed is listed as the head of the household for house #61, she's a farmer, widowed, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, and she's 52 years old. Also listed are Benjamin F. (son, single, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, age 24), Serena (daughter, single, born in Kentucky, age 22), Daniel (son, born in Kentucky, age 20), Nancy C. (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 17), Hannah S. (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 15), Lydia A. (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 13), William M. (son, born in Kentucky, age 10), George W. (son, born in Kentucky, age 9), John E. (son, widowed, farmer, born in Kentucky, age 33), Paris F. (grandson, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 4), William P. (grandson, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 2), Lillie E. (granddaughter, born in May of 1880 in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 1 month), and Ben F. Mahan (boarder, single, farm laborer, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 26).
On page 4 of the 1900 census for District 40 (Magisterial District No. 3) in Johnson County, Kentucky (dated June 2, 1900), John E. Reed is listed as the head of the household for house #32, he's a farmer, born in July of 1847 in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, married for 17 years, and he's 52 years old. Also listed are Rachel C. (wife, born in August of 1863 in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, married for 17 years, she's given birth to 10 children and 9 are still living, age 36), Newton P. (son, born in December of 1883 in Kentucky, age 16), Elliott E. (son, born in December of 1884 in Kentucky, age 15), Benjamin H. (son, born in November of 1888 in Kentucky, age 11), Allice (daughter, born in April of 1890 in Kentucky, age 10), Virginia (daughter, born in November of 1891 in Kentucky, age 8), Rolla W. (son, born in January of 1893 in Kentucky, age 7), Myrtle (daughter, born in May of 1895 in Kentucky, age 5), Estill (daughter, born in September of 1897 in Kentucky, age 2), and Ivy (daughter, born in April of 1900 in Kentucky, age 1 month).
On page 3 of the 1910 census for District 70 (Oil Springs) in Johnson County, Kentucky (dated April 16, 1910), Rachel Reed is listed as the head of the household for house #29, she's a farmer, widowed, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, she's given birth to 11 children and 8 are still living, age 44), Virgie (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 17), Myrtle (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 14), Ida (daughter, born in Kentucky, age 9), Evert (son, born in Kentucky, age 23), Harrison (son, born in Kentucky, age 21), Rollie (son, born in Kentucky, age 16), Estell (son, born in Kentucky, age 12), and Thomas Prater (farmer, widowed, born in Kentucky, parents born in Kentucky, age 51). Rachel's mother-in-law is in house #26.
The children of LEVINA PRESTON and DANIEL PELPHREY are:
- MORTELA PELPHREY, b. 1863, Kentucky.
- ARAMINTA PELPHREY, b. 1865, Kentucky.
- MARY ALICE PELPHREY, b. 1867, Kentucky.
- ROSA LEE PELPHREY, b. 1868, Kentucky.
The children of JOHN REED and LEVINA PRESTON are:
- PARIS F. REED, b. June 18, 1875, Johnson County, Kentucky.
Notes: According to Kentucky birth records, Parris F. Reed was born June 18, 1875 in Johnson County to Jno E. Reed (b. Johnson County) and Luvina Preston (b. Johnson County).
- WILLIAM P. REED, b. 1878, Kentucky.
- LILLIE E. REED, b. May 1880.
The children of RACHAEL CONLEY and JOHN REED are:
- NEWTON P. REED, b. December 1883, Kentucky.
- ELLIOTT EVERETT REED, b. December 17, 1884, Kentucky, d. October 2, 1929, Jenkins, Letcher County, Kentucky, buried in Oil Springs, Johnson County, Kentucky, m. FLORENCE (unknown last name).
- BENJAMIN HARRISON REED, b. November 24, 1888, Oil Springs, Johnson County, Kentucky, d. December 1965, Baltimore, Baltimore County, Maryland, m. (1) ROSA WEBB, m. (2) BELVA (unknown last name).
- ALICE REED, b. April 1890, Kentucky.
- VIRGINIA REED, b. November 1891, Kentucky.
- RALEIGH WATSON REED, b. August 17, 1893, Kentucky, d. July 3, 1915, Jenkins, Letcher County, Kentucky, buried in Paintsville, Johnson County, Kentucky.
Notes: According to his death certificate, Raleigh Watson Reed died from a "crushed skill, loss of brain susbstance - compound comminuted fracture left leg" on July 3, 1915 in Jenkins, most likely caused by a mining accident. Also on this certificate, his birthplace is listed as Kentucky, his birth date as August 17, 1893, his marital status as single, his occupation as miner, his parents as Jno. E. Reed (b. Kentucky) and Sarah Conley (b. Kentucky), the informant as Everett Reed of Jenkins, Kentucky, and the burial place as Paintsville.
- MYRTLE REED, b. May 1895, Kentucky.
- ESTELL REED, b. September 1897, Kentucky.
- IVY REED, b. April 1900, Kentucky.
(This information comes from Joseph Eugene Conley and other sources)