I am trying to find the parents of Elizabeth Reed Bailey. She was born in 1813 in Pennsylvania, married Jacob Bailey in Preble County, Ohio, January 11, 1829. They are living in Butler County, Ohio, in the 1830 census next to Jacob's brother, Peter. I have tax receipts for Butler County taxes for 1835 and 1836. I have Alexanderville tax receipts for 1838, 1839, and 1840. I am assuming Alexanderville was in Shelby County, IN, because that is where they are in the 1840 census. Two of Jacob's brothers, Peter and Philip, are also now in Shelby County, IN. Elizabeth's death certificate says that she had lived in North Muddy Township, Jasper County, IL, for 62 years, so the family would have moved to Illinois in 1841.

I also have a promissory note dated 4/1/1837 that was signed by Martin Reed and Jacob Bailey, promising to repay Abraham Smith. Another promissory note dated 12/21/1850, signed by Daniel Reed and Jacob Bailey, promises payment to John Feiser (Fisher?).

A letter dated 1/24/1864 was written by a John N. Reed, addressed to his uncle (I assume that was Jacob Bailey). He says his folks are fine, as are the Henry Reed family and the Michael Reed family. He asks his uncle to have Benjamin N. Reed write to him. The 1860 census for Jasper County, IL, has a Benjamin Reed as the 6-year-old son of an Allen Reed. John also says that his family stayed in Cambridge City, IN, for about 3 months, and then went to Dayton, Ohio, and that letters could be sent to Miami City, Montgomery County, Ohio.

With all of this information, I should be able to put Elizabeth with the right family, but so far I have come up empty-handed. Do any of these Reed names and places ring a bell for anyone else?