Elizabeth Ann Reed 1818 - 1893

Elizabeth Ann REED^1A was born on 16 September 1818^B, in Butler County, Ohio or possibly Pennsylvania. Her parents names are unknown.^{2, B, C}. Elizabeth became known as Eliza.

Blaney PALMER Sr.³ married Eliza A. Reed on 18 November 1847 in Butler County, Ohio.

By 9 October 1850 Eliza and Blaney Palmer Sr. are living in Otter Creek Township, Ripley County, Indiana. Eliza and Blaney Palmer Sr. can be found in subsequent United States census reports for 1860, 1870, and 1880 enumerating Center Township, Ripley County for those years. According to those same census reports Eliza Alma (Reed) Palmer's occupation was that of housewife. The 1870 and 1880 United States Census share Eliza could read, but could not write.

Hendrick's Crossing.
(Two miles south of Osgood.)

... Blaney and Eliza Palmer visited friends in Jeffersonville a few days last week.

-- Sourcee: Page 2 of the Ripley Journal from 9 August 1883

Family lore, within my family, was Eliza died as a result of a copperhead bite. I located a citation about her being bitten by a copperhead at least two years before her death^D.

As Mrs. Blaney Palmer stepped out on the porch bare-footed at her home west of town last Wednesday evening, she returned to the home with the remark that something had stung her. Investigation proved that a huge copper-head snake had crawled upon the porch and aggravated by Mrs. Palmer stepping on it, fastened its fangs on her toe. Her foot and leg swelled horribly, and a physician was called, but she is now out of danger. His snakeship was killed.

-- Source: Page 8 of the Ripley County Journal from 27 August 1891

Eliza A. Palmer died on 14 March 1893^G, aged 74, in Ripley County, Indiana.

On the Death of Mrs. Blaney Palmer

Eliza H.[sic] Reed was born in Butler county, Ohio, September 10, 1817; she was married to Blaney Palmer in 1845[sic]; to them were born 7 children>sup>F - five daughters and two sons. One daughter^E passed to the spirit world June 5, 1875. She leaves a husband and 6 children to mourn her loss; she had been in failing health for the past 5 years, but was not confined to her bed, and on March 24[sic], 1893, the death angel gave the summons and the mother went from us to join her daughter on the other shore. When home we go to see the father. mother is not there; her voice is silent in the tomb. Her funeral service was conducted at the residence by Rev. Guthrie. on Monday, March 17, after which her remains were laid to rest in the Versailles cemetery. The Good Lord saith when the hour cometh the reaper of death shall fell us; it is come and took from us one that has been near and dear to us all, he has called mother home while the body lies mouldering in the tomb, Her spirit is high up in heaven with our Saviour on his throne; she has bid adieu to a tender husband, she has left a loving family, she has sought for a happier place, we all will meet her if we fill our hearts with God's good grace. Mother is gone but not forgotten, her likeness will always be in our minds.

DAUGHTER ISABELLE CONNELLY[sic]⁴

-- Source: Page 4 of the Ripley County Journal from 18 May 1893,

She was buried in Cliff Hill Cemetery on 17 March 1893 in Versailles, Ripley County, Indiana. Eliza Alma REED and Blaney PALMER Sr. were parents to seven children: Mary Elizabeth PALMER⁴, Jane PALMER⁴, John PALMER⁵, Eliza Ann PALMER⁴, Mariah PALMER⁴, Isabelle PALMER⁴ and Blaney PALMER Jr.⁶.

Notations of Carol A. Wells-Perlaky:

^A Middle name taken from marriage record image that listed the couple as "Plenny Parmer" and "Eliza Ann Reed".
^B Birthdate from her headstone, which differs from date shared in obit.
^C Basis on a set of names, for Eliza Alma Reed's parents, is supported through the will of her maternal grandfather, Charles Russell. Eliza Alma Reed, who was born in Springfield Township, Gallia County, Ohio, is not the same Eliza Ann Reed who married Blaney Palmer in Butler County, Ohio. On Ancestry.com a PDF file is shared, titled to the will referring to Eliza who married Blaney, however Charles Russell's granddaughter, Eliza, married a John Guy/Grey in Ohio, and is listed in Ohio for the 1850 US Census whereas Blaney and Eliza [Reed] Palmer were already living in Indiana by the time of the 1850 US Census. Currently, I am leaning to a William and Mariah (or Mary) Reed, who lived within Fairfield Twp, Butler County, Ohio area for the 1840 and 1850 US Census as potential parents for Eliza Ann Reed ... however there was also a Samuel Reed who also lived in Butler County, Ohio around the same time frame.
^D It is hard to say if the snake bite in 1891 played a role in her death in 1893. The family lore had it sound it was almost immediate.
^E Reference to Mariah Palmer.
^F Confirms number of children to being 7 and not 8. This helps support that the couple did not have a 3rd son named James.
^G Her death date is often listed, including on the Find A Grave Memorial page for her, as 24 Mar 1893. Which the 24th would work for the funeral being held on a Monday, as stated in the obituary notice. However, the obituary written by Isabel about her mother was published on 18 Mar 1893, which is six days prior to March 24th. Using the publication date of the obituary had me using 14 Mar 1893 date for Eliza's passing, which would had the funeral being on Friday, 17 Mar 1893.

Relationship to Carol A. Wells-Perlaky:

¹ Maternal Great-Great-Grandmother
² Maternal 3x Great-Grandparents
³ Maternal Great-Great-Grandfather
⁴ Maternal Great-Aunt
⁵ Maternal Great-Uncle
⁶ Maternal Great-Grandfather

Sources for Research on Eliza(beth) Ann Reed:

·   United States Census on 9 October 1850 in Otter Creek, Ripley County, Indiana
·   United States Census on 19 June 1860 in Center Township, Ripley County, Indiana
·   United States Census on 11 July 1870 in Center Township, Ripley County, Indiana
·   United States on 3 June 1880 in Center Township, Ripley County, Indiana
·   Newspaper/Publication - Ripley County Journal - August 1883, August 1891 ·   Newspaper/Publication - Ripley Journal May 1893
·   Find A Grave memorial pages for spouse and children
·   Rootsweb Archives
·   Ancestry Message Boards
·   Genealogy Forums

Additional Citations:

21 Apr 2018 Blog post was updated to share theorized [not confirmed] set of names for Eliza parents. I also correctly edited her birth place to being Butler County, Ohio, due to forgetting to that before when originally posting, due to establishing, on my side of the research, that Thomas Reed and Mary Sarah Russell to not being her parents, but the parents of another Eliza Reed who married a John Guy/Grey. I also added additional notations, to the above alphabetical listing of notations from my side, during the Apr 2018 update about the number of children and death date thoughts for Eliza(beth) Ann Reed.

26 Mar 2021 Blog post updated to remove the names of William and Mariah I had listed as Eliza's theorized parents. Which takes me back to having her parents' names currently Unknown.