More "Silver Billy" Reed Information

HISTORY OF THE REED FAMILY FROM 1776 - 1938

By James Reed of the fifth generation, the

Oldest known member of the family now living.

Written at Dublin, Texas

From 1933-1938 A large part of this history is written from memory.

Used by permission of Esther Gene (Choate) Johnson

Submitted by Winnie Ward Conway

Great, great grandfather Nathan Reed lived in Pendleton District, South Carolina. Little is known about him. He was of Scotch descent and his wife was Irish, which makes their descendents Scotch-Irish. She, it is understood, came from Ireland. Characteristics of both nationalities crop out all down the line.

The Scotch were a very self-reliant people. They believed in standing on their own feet. They were clannish and had the "staying" qualities: always a staunch friend, but not very talkative. As a friend the Irish were just as staunch, more hilarious, quick spoken, witty, loved their grog, and always ready for a scrap.

Nathan Reed had two sons: William and Isaac. Little is known about William. He seems to have been rather eccentric. He went to Tennessee in an early day, as the land was being sectionized. Each section was numbered and then sold to the highest bidder. He knew exactly where each number was located. It seems the transaction was in the open and when a section was put up he wanted he bid it in. He had an old cart there with a horse hitched to it and when the deed was ready he would go to the cart, get a sack of silver, and pay for the land. After that incident he was always called "Silver Billy."

The other son, Isaac, was born June 6, 1778. Isaac married Elizabeth Harper in September, 1797. Elizabeth was born March 20, 1779. Isaac and Elizabeth lived in Pendleton District, South Carolina. They had eight children: four sons and four daughters. The number which was born in South Carolina is not known. In 1815 Isaac moved to Tennessee. He lived in Tennessee nineteen years and was a prominent preacher (Baptist) before he came to Texas in 1834. The year he began preaching is not known.

Isaac Reed and grandfather Herrion met frequently at protracted meetings tho they did not live in the same county. When he came to Texas in 1834 and settled in Nacogdoches County, Texas was then governed by Mexico. Protestant sermons were forbidden in Texas but Isaac Reed continued to preach anyway. He owned several slaves. At his own expense he had his slaves build a church house. The nails for nailing on the roof were probably all that had to be bought. Later he moved to Panola County.

On the 3rd day of May 1937 a marker was set up under the tree where Isaac Reed stood to preach one of the first Protestant sermons ever preached in Texas (one hundred and one years ago.) On that day hundreds of people gathered there for the annual home coming of Old North Church, the first Protestant church in the State.

From the time Isaac Reed moved to Panola County until 1845 no data is available. He and grandfather Herrin organized Macedonia Church in Panola County. He traveled over the country preaching in isolated communities. He seems to have been a very vigorous man, both mentally and physically. He frequently preached two hours at a time.

Around the 12th of May 1937, my niece, Mrs. A. F. Jones, and her husband visited that Old North Church and they were shown the tree under which Isaac Reed stood to preach that historic sermon. She said the original house was burned down several years ago.