The Reed and Berbach Families of New York State - Person Sheet
The Reed and Berbach Families of New York State - Person Sheet
Spouses
MemoHeadstone: 1893; Bible: 1894
MemoSection 1-342
FatherThomas BILLINGHAM (1794-1865)
MotherKatherine (Catherine) KARL (CAREL OR CARL) (1798-1869)
Family ID523
Family Media 
ChildrenJane Eliza (1839-1915)
John Edward “Eddie” (Died as Child) (1854-1856)
John Edward (1858-1938)
Notes for John REED Jr.
G. Shaw Reed has the name as John Edward Reed, Jr.764
ca 1848-1852:
According to the recollections of great-grandson Dale Reed on 23 April 199656:
John Reed went to Califormia to prospect for gold. He came home with about $20,000.00 worth of gold. One family legend has it that he came home “ahead of a posse.” No one knows why or if that is true.
Dale Reed spoke of the following related family heirlooms (as of 1996):
Spurs: John Reed wore these to cross Panama. He went by boat to Panama from California. He crossed Panama by land, then continued by boat from Panama to the East Coast. Dale Reed possessed the spurs.
Gold Nugget: Everyone else in Reed’s party was discouraged with the claim. Reed gave the claim “one last” dig and found this nugget. This led to the rest of the gold. John Reed kept the nugget. Dale said the gold nugget was mounted on a chain and was in the possession of Lauren Buchanan.
Gold Ring: The ring was made from some of the gold that was discovered. Dale said one of his nephews (Jack Reed’s son) had this ring.
There was also a musket that belonged to John Reed. Dale did not know who had the musket.
Alice Reed owned an antique German Black Forest cuckoo clock that, according family legend, was purchased with some of the gold. The clock was gifted by Alice to Laurel Reed Berbach in 2018.520
The California Gold Rush began in 1848. By 1855 only large groups of mine owners were making money. Also, by 1855, a railroad was completed across the Isthmus of Panama that eliminated crossing by mule or canoe.
Although Dale Reed, in his 1996 interview, stated it was his “grandfather” that participated in the California gold rush, Dale also stated that the gold rush was in California. The dates would then suggest that it was John Reed, Jr. who participated. John Edward Reed (his son) would be too young. Also, John Jr’s wife was living with others at the time of the California gold rush according to the 1850 census. The Panama connection also speaks to the California gold rush. John Edward Reed (m. Carrie) had children born during the Alaska (Klondike) gold rush, so it seems unlikely that it was him.
In 2018, Alice Reed confirmed that it was her great-grandfather (John Jr.) who participated in the California gold rush as told to her by her Grandmother Reed and her father, Morris Reed. She also stated that John Reed, Jr left his wife and one child at home.520 This is confirmed in the 1850 US census.
1850:
As of 5 Aug 1850, Mariah (age 30) is living in the Sabastian Visher household in Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. John and Jane Eliza (would be about age 11) are not listed in the 1850 census.802
1851:
As of 20 Aug 1851, John Reed, age 36, arrived in the Port of New York on the ship Brother Jonathan, having departed from the Port of Chagres, Panama (Panama Canal).803
1855:
It is reasonable to speculate that John Reed used some of his gold to purchase a farm in the Town of Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York:
As of 18 Jul 1855, John Reed (age 40), his wife Maria (age 33) and their two children Jane E (age 15) and John E (age 1) lived in the Town of Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. John is a farmer who owns his own land and his worth is listed as $1000 which is good in comparison to his neighbors. Their home is framed. John is listed in the census as having been born in Saratoga Cnty and has lived in the town for 35 of his 40 years. 804 The five years he didn’t live in Saratoga Cnty were probably the years he spent in California.
Maria’s parents, Thomas and Catherine Billingham lived in the same town, about six households away.804
1860:
John Reed (age 46), his wife Mariah Reed (age 44) and their children, Jane E. Reed (age 21)and John E. Reed (age 2) lived in Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. Jane is a seamstress.773
1864:
John Reed, Jr. died on 12 Mar 1864.774
ca 1848-1852:
According to the recollections of great-grandson Dale Reed on 23 April 199656:
John Reed went to Califormia to prospect for gold. He came home with about $20,000.00 worth of gold. One family legend has it that he came home “ahead of a posse.” No one knows why or if that is true.
Dale Reed spoke of the following related family heirlooms (as of 1996):
Spurs: John Reed wore these to cross Panama. He went by boat to Panama from California. He crossed Panama by land, then continued by boat from Panama to the East Coast. Dale Reed possessed the spurs.
Gold Nugget: Everyone else in Reed’s party was discouraged with the claim. Reed gave the claim “one last” dig and found this nugget. This led to the rest of the gold. John Reed kept the nugget. Dale said the gold nugget was mounted on a chain and was in the possession of Lauren Buchanan.
Gold Ring: The ring was made from some of the gold that was discovered. Dale said one of his nephews (Jack Reed’s son) had this ring.
There was also a musket that belonged to John Reed. Dale did not know who had the musket.
Alice Reed owned an antique German Black Forest cuckoo clock that, according family legend, was purchased with some of the gold. The clock was gifted by Alice to Laurel Reed Berbach in 2018.520
The California Gold Rush began in 1848. By 1855 only large groups of mine owners were making money. Also, by 1855, a railroad was completed across the Isthmus of Panama that eliminated crossing by mule or canoe.
Although Dale Reed, in his 1996 interview, stated it was his “grandfather” that participated in the California gold rush, Dale also stated that the gold rush was in California. The dates would then suggest that it was John Reed, Jr. who participated. John Edward Reed (his son) would be too young. Also, John Jr’s wife was living with others at the time of the California gold rush according to the 1850 census. The Panama connection also speaks to the California gold rush. John Edward Reed (m. Carrie) had children born during the Alaska (Klondike) gold rush, so it seems unlikely that it was him.
In 2018, Alice Reed confirmed that it was her great-grandfather (John Jr.) who participated in the California gold rush as told to her by her Grandmother Reed and her father, Morris Reed. She also stated that John Reed, Jr left his wife and one child at home.520 This is confirmed in the 1850 US census.
1850:
As of 5 Aug 1850, Mariah (age 30) is living in the Sabastian Visher household in Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. John and Jane Eliza (would be about age 11) are not listed in the 1850 census.802
1851:
As of 20 Aug 1851, John Reed, age 36, arrived in the Port of New York on the ship Brother Jonathan, having departed from the Port of Chagres, Panama (Panama Canal).803
1855:
It is reasonable to speculate that John Reed used some of his gold to purchase a farm in the Town of Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York:
As of 18 Jul 1855, John Reed (age 40), his wife Maria (age 33) and their two children Jane E (age 15) and John E (age 1) lived in the Town of Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. John is a farmer who owns his own land and his worth is listed as $1000 which is good in comparison to his neighbors. Their home is framed. John is listed in the census as having been born in Saratoga Cnty and has lived in the town for 35 of his 40 years. 804 The five years he didn’t live in Saratoga Cnty were probably the years he spent in California.
Maria’s parents, Thomas and Catherine Billingham lived in the same town, about six households away.804
1860:
John Reed (age 46), his wife Mariah Reed (age 44) and their children, Jane E. Reed (age 21)and John E. Reed (age 2) lived in Broadalbin, Fulton Cnty, New York. Jane is a seamstress.773
1864:
John Reed, Jr. died on 12 Mar 1864.774