I am trying to find the father of Amos REED, b. 15 Feb 1762 in Newton, MA [Rev War pension file]. Amos? mother was Phebe CAMPBELL (no good primary source for this surname, however). She m. John SAVAGE as her 2nd husband, on 2 Feb 1776 in Newton, MA. [MA Vitals to 1850]. Amos REED m. Hannah SLADE, dau. of James SLADE and Experience PARKER, 11 Sep 1782, in Blandford, Hampshire, MA. They had 13 children, most born in Blandford, but the last one or two apparently born during migration to Town of Russia, Herkimer Co., NY, where they lived for some 15 years before relocating to Jefferson Co., NY. Hannah died in Town of Clayton, Jefferson, NY, 23 Jan 1824. Amos m. second Thankful (SLADE) CASE, a sister of Hannah. He died 11 May 1847 in Clayton Center, Jefferson, NY. Gravestones for Amos and Hannah Reed are in Three Mile Creek cemetery, Town of Clayton, Jefferson, NY. Amos Reed?s siblings, if any, are unknown. Their children were (surname REED):

Archibald (Archa)
John Savage
Polley Mary
Amos Jr
Phebe
William
Rolon
Simeon Parker
Hannah
Betsy
Rolon (2nd) R.
James Slade
Thankful Purline

Here is additional information on Amos Reed, primarily from military and church records:

Revolutionary War Service and Pension Application

Amos Reed lived at Blandford, Massachusetts during the Revolution. He enlisted in the War as a private, and his name appears on Muster and Pay Roll of Capt. John Carpenter's Company of Guards, engaged 6 Oct 1779. Discharged 6 Jan 1780. Time of service three months. Company raised for three months from time of joining, stationed in East Springfield, Massachusetts.

Amos Reed (spelled Read) appears with rank of private on Muster and Pay Roll of Capt. Levi Ely's Company, Col. John Brown's Regt. Entered service 9 Aug 1780. Discharged 22 Oct 1780. Time of service two months, 21 days, incl. 7 days (140 miles) travel home. Regt. raised for three months.

Amos Reed appears in a return of 3 and 6 months men raised in Hampshire County, from (late) Col. Moseley's Regt. by order of Brig.-General Danerson (Danielson), date Hampshire County, Oct. 26, 1780. Town of Blandsford. Term, 3 months. Mustered by Lieut. Col. Timothy Robinson.

Amos Reed received a pension of $20 per annum during his life-time, "for services in the Revolutionary Army." His application was dated 11 Sep 1832. The grant was "given at the War Office of the United States this 12th day of November 1832," by John Robb, Acting Sec'y. of War, the pensioner then being aged 70 years. (D.A.R. Nat. No. 66,266).

From his declaration made in application for a pension:

"State of New York,
Jefferson County

On this eleventh day of September, 1832, personally appeared in open Court, before the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, in and for said County, now sitting, Amos Reed, a resident of Rutland in said County, aged 70 years, who being first duly sworn according to law, doth, on his oath, make the following declaration, in order to obtain the benefit of the Act of Congress, passed June 7, 1832,

That he entered the service of the United States under the following named officers, and served as herein stated:

In the year 1778, then living in Blandford [MA], was drafted for nine months or to pay thirty Dollars which sum he paid -- and on the first of October of the same year 1778 volunteered for three months in the company commanded by Capt. Carpenter of Brimfield -- Lieutenant Martin Smith of Westfield -- both of Massachusetts -- no colonel it being what was called a Captain's guard -- and was stationed at the Barracks on Gallows Hill, East Springfield, Massachusetts -- there was no other force there at that time -- was dismissed the first of January at Springfield -- no written discharge -- having served 3 months a private soldier in P Company

About the month of July 1779 at Blandford Mass. volunteered in the Company commanded by Capt. Ely -- Lieuts. Smith, Fowler and Stiles. Major Root, Colonel Brown's Regiment, Massachusetts State Troops -- for three months. Marched to Albany -- from there to the Mohawk River and was employed most of the time in different Forts on that River in small squads and guarding the Inhabitants against the Indians while they secured their crops -- On the 19th October our regt 200 in number was surprised by about 700 Torys & Indians under command of Sir John Johnston, B[utler] & B[rown] at Stone Roby --- Colonel Brown was killed and we [?retreated?] under Maj. Root into Stone Roby Fort -- 26 of the 40 composing the Company I was in were killed -- I was discharged the 20th day of October at the Fort but remained one day longer to assist in burying the dead .. In the year 1780 was with 6 or 8 others who were to furnish a continental soldier, which we did and paid $200 --

Was born in Newton, Massachusetts, Feby 15, 1762. Lived in Blandford, Mass. at the time he performed military service -- since the Revolution lived in Norway,[Herkimer Co.] NY 15 years -- Brownville, [Jefferson Co.] NY 10 years -- and now in Rutland. Has a record of his age in a Bible given him at 10 years old --- In the two periods above mentioned he faithfully served his country in the capacity of a private volunteer more than six months -- never received a written discharge -- has no documentary evidence --- knows of no witness.

He hereby relinquishes every claim whatever to a Pension or Annuity except the present; and declares that his name is not on the Pension Roll of the Agency of any State.

Sworn to, and subscribed, the day and year aforesaid.

P. Burchard, Clerk
Amos Reed

===================

Amos Reed and his family appear to have removed to Herkimer Co., NY shortly after 1800. They are enumerated in the 1810 U.S. census in the Town of Russia (which was split off from the Town of Norway as Union on 7 Apr 1806 and renamed Russia on 6 Apr 1808.) G. A. Hardin's history of Herkimer County states that Amos Reed was the first supervisor of the Town of Russia, serving from 1807-1810, and again in 1812. One might assume he would have been resident in the area for at least a year or two prior to being chosen for such a position. The records of the Russia Union Church list the marriage of his daughter Polley to Truman BARKER, although the date of the marriage is not given. [A reasonable estimate for the date would be 1805, when Polley would have been about 19 years old.]

In abstracts of wills, administrations and guardianships in New York State, 1787 - 1835, we find on page 65 of Letters Administration Book D the following entry: "Adm of the estate of John Savage, late of Town of Norway, Co. Herkimer, died intestate. Granted to Phebe Savage & Amos Reed ... as admins. Seal Sixth March 1807." From this we see that Amos' mother and step-father migrated with him from Newton and Blandford in MA to central New York state.

Amos and Hannah (Slade) Reed were among the people who constituted the beginning of the Elm Flats Baptist Church on 10 Mar 1820. Elm Flats was just north of Depauville in what is now the Town of Clayton, Jefferson County, NY. On 30 Oct 1820 the church met at the school house and chose Amos Reed to be Moderator and Clerk. On 24 Jan 1823 Amos Reed was chosen as one of two deacons. On 23 Aug 1825, the church "Voted to relinquish Brother Amos Reed as clerk." On 27 Dec 1827 "The church thought it proper to choose a deacon in place of Brother Reed who had moved away." However, on 21 Sep 1844 and again on 12 Dec 1844 "Father Reed at Covenant meeting."

Amos Reed apparently also lived in the Towns of Rutland and Brownville in Jefferson County, NY. And he lived for a time in the household of his son Amos Reed Jr in the Town of Mexico, Oswego County, where he was enumerated as a Revolutionary War veteran in the 1840 U.S. census. Town of Orleans, Jefferson Co, NY records list an Amos Reed as the first supervisor of that town. This was probably the same Amos Reed. [Hough's history of Jefferson County, NY also lists an Amos Reed as the first supervisor of Town of Orleans, from 1822 to 1823.]

In his pension application, Amos Reed states that he has a record of his date of birth in "a Bible given him at 10 years old." Assuming such Bible actually existed, its present condition and whereabouts are unknown. Why would a boy be given a Bible with a record of his age in it at age 10? Perhaps this event marks the death of Amos' father, in which case it would have occurred around 1772.

The question is "who was Amos' father?" I have seen some undocumented and most likely just plain wrong information on the web, but never any documented proof of who his father was. Can you help?

Dave Simonds