Redd Alert Fall 2006
Volume 1 Issue 1
Now you can own a copy of Lura Redd’s book
THE UTAH REDDS AND THEIR PROGENITORS
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8438 S. Gad Way, Sandy Utah 84093
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Finding Ancestor Rachael Redd
by Carolyn J. Nell, AG®
William Redd’s wife has been identified as Rachel. In 1746, William Redd was living in Accomack County, Virginia, when and where he purchased land from John Taylor, Jr. On 26 July 1757, a grantor deed was located where William and Rachel Redd were selling their land containing 100 acres, more or less, to Edmund Scarburgh. So far, additional information has not been identified pertaining to Rachel Redd. Women’s names were never prominently reported in the records as were the men. To have a greater appreciation for the identification of Rachel, it is necessary to provide a brief overview of the research.
The question probably the uppermost in the minds of the reader is: “How in the world
did the research proceed from Nansemond County, Virginia, to Accomack County, Virginia?” The answer is simply: “It wasn’t easy.”
Understand that prior to 1864 genealogical research in Nansemond County records has been practically non-existent because the county court records were burned on three separate occasions. The Vestry Book of the Upper Parish, Nansemond County, edited by Wilmer L. Hall and published by the Library of Virginia in Richmond, is the only county-type record available. Searching the book for clues is not for the faint-hearted or novice researchers. Through numerous steps dissecting the Upper Parish procession records and analyzing any available land grants issued to the neighbors of Mr. Scarburgh and William Redd, it was possible to cross the Chesapeake Bay to Accomack County.
In 1759, the next time William Redd was identified, he was in Nansemond County, Virginia, where his land was being processioned. The land he was living on was probably the same land owned by a Mr. Scarburgh. When Mr. Scarburgh’s name disappears from the procession records after 1755, William Redd has possession of it.
How was this discovered? By learning the names of the neighbors, it was possible to see that a James March shared a common land boundary with Mr. Scarburgh, and William Redd became the replacement for Mr. Scarburgh when the land was processioned again in 1759. By platting the land of James March, it was possible to approximate the location of William Redd’s land.
This summary might seem slightly confusing, but when laying out the time line for William Redd, both in Accomack and Nansemond Counties, it is possible to understand how the pieces all come together. The time line provides an insight as to where Whittaker Redd was probably born, i.e., Accomack County, Virginia. Most likely there are other siblings belonging to this family. Now does it mean these conclusions are absolutely correct? No, but until documentation proves these conclusions incorrect, please meet Rachel Redd, a recently identified ancestor. This is a precious find.
Accredited Genealogist Carolyn Nell was originally hired by Burke Tangren to work on Redd family history in Virginia where we find the last know records of the Redds. Carolyn is a nationally recognized for her expertise and knowledge in genealogy research and in particular in our area of interest. She now continues this research for the Redd Family Organization.
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Utah Redds Book To Be Republished
By Amasa Mason Redd, M.D.
There is nothing like a book to hold, to read, to search and at times to smell. New books give off such a nice aroma especially if bound in leather. Old books have their own recognizable odor as well. Thirty three years after the First Edition of The Utah Redds and Their Progenitors was published there are precious few copies available. I even heard from some one that a copy of the book was for sale on e-bay and the starting price was $99.
The Second Edition on CD sold out quickly. Its main claim to fame was its search-ability and print-ability. I recall copying sections to send to our son by e-mail when he was serving a mission in the Florida Tampa Mission while my wife, Karen and I were serving a mission in Japan. He found the family stories inspirational and enjoyable. Those of you who have the CD and have learned how to use it know that one can search for a name or a photo and find it quickly on the CD.
Jan Garbett and I considered publishing another CD using the Folio Indexing and Retrieval Engine © but could not find anyone in Utah licensed to publish the book with this software. I was able to find the corporation that now owns the software but it is no longer geared to family publishing. I could have purchased a license to publish it myself for about $2500. It didn’t seem worth it.
The Third Edition will be the same book as the First Edition except it will be published with a perfect bind (soft) instead of a hard bind by dmt PUBLISHING. It will most likely be more durable than the First Edition.
Because the book is the “Redd Bible” and is used to find out where one fits in the family, it needed a complete index, which it doesn’t have. If you have ever tried to find yourself in the index you have learned very quickly that not everyone listed in the book and appendices are listed in the index. One needed to know one’s father, grandfather or great-grandfather in order to locate one’s self in the First Edition.
The Third Edition will have an expanded and complete index, improved photos and a few corrected typographical and spelling errors.
In addition, we hope to include in a sleeve a PDF version CD of the whole book including the expanded appendices contained on the Second Edition CD. This will be somewhat searchable and quite printable. In compiling the new index I have gained a greater appreciation for Lura’s work in collecting the family history and writing the book.
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Redds Remembered in New Harmony
By Jan Garbett
New Harmony celebrates the founders of Fort Harmony September 2, 2006 with a pioneer musical “I See Our Zion.”
This free event is open to the public and is produced for the second year in a row Labor Day weekend. The musical takes place at Old Fort Harmony just off exit 42 going west 1 mile on highway 144.
A 100 year old basket made by Hans Ulrich Bryner recently contributed to New Harmony Heritage by Merne Laycock Livingstone, granddaughter of William Alexander Redd will be shown.
Tours of the Lee/Redd/Pace farm and Pioneer cemetery will take place along with historical lectures given at the town park at 4:00 p.m. The park is near the LDS Ward which has a monument on the grounds featuring the bell that summoned our ancestors to school and church.
We hope New Harmony will make this an annual event for all of us who want to visit our past .
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New Harmony Ancestral Land for Sale
By Jan Garbett
Would anyone be interested in going in together to buy back the Redd land in New Harmony for possible summer homes or permanent residences? Contact Bryson Garbett (801)733-5118 [email protected]
Formerly land of our New Harmony Redd ancestors it was eventually transferred to the Pace family and has been in their ownership for the past 100 years.
Wendy Yardley is the agent selling the land. (435)421-1672
Directions: Take I-15 to New Harmony Exit 42. Go 4.9 miles to New Harmony Main Street. Turn left and go 1 block to 100 South. Turn right and follow road .15 mile to dirt road-thru stream-road curves to the left. ERA sign placed at the beginning of the property.
Zoned A20 with 38 Shares of Water.
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Picture Mystery Solved
by Jan Garbett
You pull out a photo you took
30 years ago and hardly remember the details, you turn it around to see if you had presence of mind to identify it. If you did, you can easily jump back into the connection of that time and place. Who would think with the distance of over 100 years and 3000 miles that I could piece together family we’ve never known? Thanks to the internet and modern technology it is easier today than ever before. In the Spring of 2003 I received an email from someone who had visited the Redd family web site asking me if an old photo their parents had bought at a garage sale might be one of our Redds. I certainly didn’t recognize her, but gratefully someone had written on the back of this photograph taken by Jesse Harrell in Suffolk, Virginia: Mollie F. Redd Myrtle Nansemond County Va. For two years this picture has circulated via the internet on this web site without any response. In the meantime census records have become ever more accessible on-line and interlibrary loans make it possible to order microfilms and view them anywhere in the country. It was a combination of checking census data and reading Nansemond vital records that one day gave me the ah hah moment. Carolyn Nell, the professional researcher who lives in Virginia has been working on the Redds since 1988 had pieced together a family of Allen Redd and Mahala Willis. Working in conjuction with her from miles away here at my home in Utah I discoved a widower Allen Redd remarry Mary Adealine Aichen on marriage records loaned from Virginia to my home state of Utah. They have a son Gusavus who in 1882 marries 18 year old Mollie F Pruden in Nansemond. Our mystery Mollie sitting on this site for two years is finally found. In fact, in an effort to contact relative Redds in Virginia I got lucky enough to call her Grandson who still lives in Virginia. His name will sound familiar: John H Redd.
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Meeting to Organize Set for October 1
There will be an organization meeting to formalize the Redd family organization and elect a governing board to promote the dissemination and understanding of Redd family history and the activity and correlation of family research.
This meeting will be held Sunday 7:00 p.m. October 1, 2006 at 8438 South Gad Way (2100 East) Sandy, Utah
Agenda for discussion and ratification:
1. Bylaws for the Redd Family Organization
2. Family Ties research as a 501 C 3
3. Biannual Newsletter
4. Review of current genealogical research
5. Plan to promote understanding and appreciation of Redd family history.
We are in search of family members who are willing to serve on the board, help with the newsletter or web site or participate in the organization or research efforts.
If you will be able to help contact Jan Garbett at 801.598.4035
