Generation 4 Eleanor Berry Reed

The Story of Eleanor Berry Reed#

Eleanor Berry was born in Orange County, North Carolina, about 1801. She was about seven years old when her father left with a group of men to search for land. Two of Thomas Berry’s brothers went with him as well as several other people. Thomas and William Berry had married sisters Sarah and Hannah Cate. When the men left, Hannah and Sarah with their five children moved in together. Eleanor was probably seven years old the last time she ever saw her father. Thomas is believed to have been killed by Indians.

Her uncle William never returned home. Thomas Person Berry was born soon after his father William left, so he never knew him. I am reasonably sure that one of Eleanor’s chores was to help look after her little baby cousin. Hannah and William had another son who was older than David or Eleanor. He was born in 1799. There was one more male under ten living with Hannah and Sarah when Hannah filed as head of household in the 1810 census. It was a very busy time for Hannah and Sarah as they went about trying to farm and care for the five children. The young boys were probably already doing men’s jobs helping with the farming. Hannah had a daughter Elizabeth Berry born in 1812. Elizabeth’s father was John Berry, although I have no idea who he was.

The Journey to Tennessee#

It was probably very early in the spring of 1816 when John Pigg and his newly acquired family set out on their journey to Tennessee. David and Eleanor were teenagers, Hannah’s daughter Elizabeth was three years old, Thomas Person Berry was almost eight years old, and his older brother was about sixteen.

I think it was a very sad time for Eleanor when she had to say goodbye to her aunt Hannah and her cousins. My guess is that John Pigg was going to try to get to Tennessee in time to do some late planting.

Marriage and Family#

In a very few years after Eleanor arrived in Tennessee she met and married John Reed. John and Eleanor Reed had three sons and a daughter over the next few years. Eleanor lost her husband John when her oldest son George Washington Reed was about fifteen years old. John W. Reed was twelve, Wilson Mack Reed was ten, and Mary Reed was six. This was another situation where the young boys in the family had to step up and take on grownup responsibilities.

Children of Eleanor Berry and John Reed#

1. 1. George Washington Reed
   Born Wayne County, Tennessee
   Oldest son. About fifteen years old when his father John Reed died.
2. 2. John W. Reed
   Born Wayne County, Tennessee
   About twelve years old when his father died.
3. 3. Wilson Mack Reed
   Born Wayne County, Tennessee
   About ten years old when his father died.
4. 4. Mary Reed
   Born Wayne County, Tennessee
   Only daughter. About six years old when her father died.

Census Records#

• 1810 — Eleanor listed with her mother Sarah and aunt Hannah Cate Berry as head of household in the Orange County, North Carolina, Census
• 1820 — No census found
• 1830 — No census found
• 1840 — Eleanor Berry Reed listed head of household, Wayne County, Tennessee
• 1850 — Eleanor Berry Reed listed head of household, Wayne County, Tennessee
• 1860 — Eleanor Berry Reed living with her son, Wayne County, Tennessee

Back to Sarah Cate Berry Pigg Eleanor’s mother — who opened the inn at Cypress Inn, Tennessee