City Directories and History: JAMES REID, SR AND RHODA HUTCHISON
Many York County, South Carolina residents and/or their offspring moved westward into newly opened areas of the expanding United States or to other North American territories. James Reid (1785, SC – 1838, Bastrop Co., TX) and Rhoda Hutchison Reid (1789, York Dist., SC – 1860, Bastrop Co., TX) are two examples of such residents. They spent the bulk of their married life in York Dist, SC. After 25-30 years, they left York District and eventually established a permanent residence in Bastrop Co., Texas.
James Reid, Sr. is believed to be the son of Robert Reid, Sr. Robert Reid, Sr. was living in York District, SC by 1800. Only two of James’ six known siblings have been tentatively identified by name: Thomas Reid, Esq. and Robert G. Reid. James’ mother’s name has not been determined. Thomas Reid, Esq. resided in York District.
Rhoda Hutchison is the daughter of Samuel Hutchinson, the granddaughter of John and Sarah Hutchison, and the niece of David Hutchison. The Hutchison family established themselves in York County after the American Revolution. Rhoda is one of 9 or 10 children born to Samuel Hutchison and his unnamed wife. Rhoda’s identified siblings include: Polly Ann, Margaret C., Samuel B., James P., and John.
Rhoda and James were married in York District between 1800-1804. Nine of the eleven children were born in York District. Conveyance records for York District indicated Rhoda and James owned land on Fishing and Crowders Creeks. They were farmers. In the late 1820s, the Reids began their journey westward. They are listed as living in Tipton Co., TN during the 1830 Tennessee Federal Census count. Their oldest son was also listed in this county’s census. Two more children were born during their Tennessee years. Their stay in Tennessee was not a long one.
Sometime in the early to mid-1830s, the Reid family began moving to the Mexican State of Coahuila and Tejas near the town of Bastrop. This area became Bastrop County after the Texans won their independence from Mexico in 1836 and the Republic of Texas was born Rhoda, James, Sr., and their minor children probably followed one or more of their adult children to Texas. It is believed they came sometime after 1835. The earliest Reid offspring found recorded in Mexican land records arrived in 1833. Other offspring applied for public land from the Republic of Texas through 1839. Some adult children gave their immigration date to the Republic of Texas as November of 1837. James, Sr. did not personally apply for public lands, but his estate did in 1838. James Reid, Sr. died not long after his arrival to Texas.
The Reed Bend of the Colorado River is the first major river bend north of Bastrop Townsite. It was named for James Reid, Sr., or more than likely, two of his sons. Both sons bought land inside this curve of the river from Stephen F. Austin’s estate and established homesteads. The name, Reid’s Bend, in Bastrop County documents often refers to either the Reid family homesteads near the river, the family cemetery or the river bend itself. James Reid, Sr.’s heirs had a complicated estate to settle, since James did not leave a will. He had ten heirs. The courts finally determined that there was no easy way to divide his holdings and ordered the holdings of James Reid, Sr. to be auctioned in early 1854. This was 16 years after his death. Some of the land sold at auction was ground used as the family’s cemetery. The eldest son bought back cemetery acreage from the new owner in 1855. Rhoda continued to raise her minor children after her husband’s death in Bastrop County. She always lived close to her adult children.
Of the nine children who survived into adulthood, only one child left the Bastrop area before the 1850s. This son returned to Tennessee. The other children married and had families in Bastrop County. After 1850, some of the children began leaving the county for other parts of Texas. The Reid name was prominent in the early Bastrop County history. Reids served the Republic of Texas as public office holders and in the military. They continued to do so after 1845 when Texas entered the Union and when Texas was part of the Confederacy. Seven generations of Reids have been documented as being born in Texas since the 1830s. Most of these descendants have remained in the state. Several Reid descendants are still living in Bastrop County today.
(Information courtesy of and from: YCGHS – The Quarterly Magazine)
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