Tag Archives: Marriage

Reeder Siblings | marriages

Known Information

James, John, and Thomas Reeder and Mary Ellen (Reeder) Fountain lived in DC after the Civil War.

Sources

Census

1870; Census Place: Washington Ward 3, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M593_124; Page: 475A

1870; Census Place: Washington Ward 3, Washington, District of Columbia; Roll: M593_124; Page: 475B

1870; Census Place: Washington Ward 3, Washington, District of Columbia;Roll: M593_124; Page: 449B

Marriage Records

District of Columbia, Marriage Records, 1810-1953 | ancestry.com


United States, Freedmen’s Bureau Marriages, 1861-1872 | familysearch.org

City Directory

District of Columbia Birth Returns, 1874-1897 | familysearch.org

Birth Certificates

Reeder, Baby, 9236, 20 Nov 1876 | DC Archives

Reeder, Baby, 28331, 16 Jan 1882 | DC Archives

Reeder, Baby, 36254, 15 May 1882 | DC Archives

Three Reeder brothers, James, John, and Thomas were recorded in the 1868 Washington City Directory as living at M and 6 NE, which is near the Kendall Green Barracks. Bank records also list them as the brothers of Mary Ellen Fountain.

James Reeder

James was living with Emeline, his wife, and their sone Henry J. in 1870. Walter Reeder, age 11, is also living with them. Based on the bank records of Mary Ellen Fountain, Walter is James’ younger brother.

DC Marriage records lists a marriage for James Reeder and Emeline Dorsey on 13 Aug 1868. A birth record for a daughter born in 1876 lists both James Henry Reeder and Emeline Dorsey Reeder as the parents, and that they both were born in St. Mary’s County, MD. A birth record for a daughter born in 1883 lists Emeline’s last name was West, but provides the mother’s birthplace as St. Mary’s County

John Reeder

John Reeder is living with his wife, Cora, and their son, Willie, who was born in DC in 1868; Cora collected rations in January 1868 due to “sickness”, it is possible that in addition to any number of illnesses suffered by freedpeople as a result of malnourishment, exposure from poor shelter and clothing, that she was pregnant and sick with morning sickness.

They are living with is likely the younger siblings of Cora, suggesting that her last name is Key.

The Freedmen’s Bureau recorded marriages for freedmen that had not been formally recognized before. In 1867, John Reader and Cora Keys had their 1861 marriage in St. Mary’s County, MD, recorded in the DC Bureau They listed that they had one child, which suggests that they had an older child prior to Willie. A priest named Moore married them.

Thomas Reeder

Thomas is living with his wife, Martha, and their daughter Mary E. They do not have any other family living with them.

DC Marriage Records lists Thomas Reeder’s marriage to Martha Colbert in June 1867. An 1882 birth certificate for their son lists her maiden name as Calbert and that she was born in Prince George’s County.

Mary Ellen Reeder

Mary E Fountain is living near her brother, Thomas Reeder, just a few households away in the census. She is living with her husband Benj. F. Fountain.

DC Marriage Records lists Mary Ellen Reeder’s marriage to Benj Franklin Fountain in June 1866. No children have been located for them.

Further Research Needed:

  • Research the Key, Dorsey and Reeder family in St. Mary’s County
  • Research the Colbert family in Prince George’s County
  • Research the Fountain family in Virginia

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Wedge and Lee families | marriages

Known Information

Emma Lee and James Wedge are listed as the parents on the death certificates of Sarah Irene Snowden, Emma M Wedge, and Joseph A. Wedge

Sources

Death Certificates

District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961

Image Number 01805, 1421, 1199

Marriage Records

PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
CIRCUIT COURT
(Marriage License Applications)
1886-1984
T757

1900 Census

1900; Census Place: Election District 1, Anne Arundel, Maryland; Page: 25

Emma M. Lee and Jas. Edward Wedge applied for a marriage license in Prince George’s County, Maryland in 1900. They married in Upper Marlboro on 27 Jun 1900. Eddie Wedge applied for the license.

Catherine Lee and Robert Wedge also applied for a marriage license in Prince George’s County in 1904. They married in Upper Marlboro on 28 Dec 1904. George Wedge applied for the license.

1900 Census

Both Robert and James are listed in the 1900 Census with their father, George Wedge in the Queen Anne’s District of Prince George’s County. The census was enumerated at the beginning of June prior to the marriage of Emma and James at the end of June.

This suggests that Robert and James are brothers and it is likely that they married sisters from a Lee family living in the vicinity.

Emma Lee | possible census records

A search for Emma Lee in both Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County does not return a census record that is overtly consistent with what is known about Emma Lee.

A possible record is of an Emma Lee, age 24, who is living as a boarder in a household in Annapolis. Other household members include Susan Wright.

Catherine Lee | possible census records

A search for Catherine Lee in both Prince George’s County and Anne Arundel County returns a possible record in District 1 of Anne Arundel County.

Catherine Lee is living in the household of Washington and Sallie Lee. Two sisters, Rose and Louisa are also listed in the household. Emma is not present.

Emma has several children recorded in the 1920 census, including a daughter named Catherine and Rose L(ouise). The names of her daughters suggests a connection to Washington and Sallie Lee.

In a previous post, a review of Washington Lee’s census records listed his children. Among these children were a Peter, Benjamin, Susan. Emma also has children named Peter Benjamin and Susanna in the 1920 census.

The similarity in names, as well as the proximity of Washington Lee in Anne Arundel County to the Wedge family across the river in Queen Anne’s District of Prince George’s County, suggests that Washington and Sallie Lee are Emma’s parents.

Further Research Needed:

  • What other connections can be made between the Emma Lee/James Wedge household and the Washington Lee household and or Catherine Lee/Robert Wedge household?

related posts

Washington Lee | 1870 census

Known Information

Washington Lee was born in PG County, MD around 1840-1884. He went to DC during the Civil War where he enlisted in the 23rd USCT. He was discharged in 1865. His sister Emily was living in DC during his service.

Information derived from 1880 Census records and compiled military service records.

Sources

1870 Census

1870; Census Place: Queen Anne, Prince Georges, Maryland; Roll: M593_592; Page: 212A & 212B; Family History Library Film: 552091 | ancestry.com

Marriage License

Index of Marriage Licenses, Prince George’s County, Maryland 1777-1886 [database on-line] | ancestry.com

Summary Information

Washington Lee lived in the vicinity of Buena Vista Post Office in Queen Anne’s District of Prince George’s County. The individuals he is living with have a variety of surnames; no one else has the last name Lee. His age is consistent with his service records and the 1880 census.

Community Context Analysis

On Sept 10 1870, Washington Lee married Sallie Stewart; the ceremony was performed by McDonald. The Stewart family were Washington Lee’s neighbors in the census records. Sallie Stewart, 23, lived in the household of James Stewart.

T. McDonald is also listed in the 1870 census as a priest from Ireland. He is living in the vicinity of the Upper Marlboro Post Office, which suggests they were married at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Upper Marlboro. There was also a Catholic Church in Woodmore, which was a nearby Post Office.

Landowners Maps

Simon Martenet was a mapmaker and surveyor who published an atlas of Maryland in the 1860s. His maps of Maryland Counties lists landowners on them. G.M. Hopkins created an Atlas of the fifteen miles around Washington DC including the County of Prince George, Maryland in 1878, which also lists landowners. Both of these maps allow us to approximate the location of a household by comparing the names in the census record with those on the maps.

Martenet, Simon J. Martenet’s Map of Prince George’s County, Maryland. [Baltimore, ?, 1861]

Hopkins, Griffith Morgan, Jr. Atlas of fifteen miles around Washington, including the County of Prince George, Maryland. Philadelphia: G.M. Hopkins, 1878.

In the census records, two post offices were listed. On the page with the Stewart households, Oak Grove PO was recorded. On the page with Washington Lee, Buena Vista was listed. This excerpt from the County Map shows the location of both post offices. Analysis below will show that they lived halfway between both post offices in the western “bulge” of Queen Anne’s District, west of the Western Branch along the border with Kent District.

Nearby landowners include: Wm Berry (p. 211B); Violetta Harden (p. 212A); Ellen Belt (p. 212B); J.C. Fairfax (p.212B); Norman Hill (p. 213A)

The following can be located on Hopkin’s detailed map of Queen Anne’s District. The path of the census taker can be traced along the road that formed the boundary between Queen Anne’s District and Kent District.

  • Wm. Berry’s Residence is west of Oak Gove PO in the southern part of Queen Anne’s District.
  • Violetta Harden was in C. A. Harden’s household, represented by Dr. Chas. Harding on the map, further west of Wm. Berry’s Residence.
  • Dr. Jno Fairfax is the next landowner as you follow the road as it curves north.
  • Norman Hill is at the road that intersects with the road that also serves as the border.

The records for both the Stewarts and Washington Lee were listed between Harding and Fairfax on the map, suggesting that they were living on the curve of the road.

This is in the approximate area of modern Kettering, MD, which is roughly east of the interchange of Central Ave and I-495.

The landowners owned large parcels of lands with hundreds of acres and worth tens of thousands of dollars. This suggested that they needed a considerable labor force to plant and harvest crops. Scanning the census records, most of the Black households are listed as farm hands suggesting that they engaged in tenant farming after the Civil War and their emancipation.

Further Research Needed:

  • Identify the members of Washington Lee’s household and possible connections to either the Lee or Stewart family
  • Identify the relationships between the members of the two Stewart households in the 1870 census

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