THE MICHAEL REASOR AND ALLIED FAMILIES

Michael REASOR Jr. Headstone - Little Mount Cemetery, Spencer County, Kentucky

THE MICHAEL REASOR AND ALLIED FAMILIES
_______________
F. HINER DALE
COPYRIGHT 1941

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The Early History of The Michael Reasor Family

In the year of 1653 three brothers, Wellington Reasor, William Reasor and George Reasor left their ancestral home in Bern, Switzerland and traveled to Portsmouth, England, where they became passengers on the good ship “John & Thomas” and sailed for America. They arrived safely and landed at Jamestown, Virginia. Each of the three brothers received grants of land in Virginia, upon which they settled and carved a home in the wilderness.

Wellington Reasor, whose descendants this book concerns married and had a son named Virginia. Virginia married and had a son named Michael, who was born in 1735. Michael was of an adventurous nature and served in Dunmore’s war in 1774. Lord Dunmore, born in Scotland in 1732, had come to the colonies and had been named Governor of New York in 1770. In 1771, he was made Governor of Virginia and in 1774, he led a campaign against the Ohio Indians. This campaign is known in history as Dunmore’s War.

For his services in this war, Michael Reasor, Sr., received a warrant for fifty acres of land in Virginia. (See Vol. 2 p 328 Archives of Virginia State Library.) Michael Reasor, Sr. lived at Winchester, Frederick County, Virginia. From There he moved to Augusia County, thence to Washington County, where he took up 112 acres of land on O’Possum Creek (See page 1244 First Surveys of Land in Washington County, Virginia.) On April 29, 1777, Michael Reasor, Sr. was appointed Administrator of the Estate of John Sex in Washington County. (See Annals of Virginia Page 959). Michael Reasor Sr. died at the age of 94 in Washington County, Virginia.

Family and official records tell little more of the life of Michael Reasor, Sr. Only two sons are mentioned, Michael and Frederick. It is with the descendants of Michael Reasor whose lives fill most of the remaining pages of this book. On February 3rd, 1760 Michael Reasor [Jr.] was born at Winchester, Virginia.

On May 1, 1777, Michael Reasor enlisted as fifer in Captain Gilkason’s Company of Colonel Kennedy’s Virginia Regiment under General George Washington and marched through Maryland to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and later to Philadelphia. In January, 1779, he was discharged at Philadelphia. Then Michael Reasor and his brother Frederick had a ship fitted out and sailed for Germany, and obtained a cargo of one half million dollars worth of leather goods for the Revolutionary army. Upon their return voyage a violent storm arose and disabled their ship. The Reasor brothers and their sailors were rescued by a passing Scotch vessel, and the Reasor brothers were landed in Philadelphia, without a dollar. Their ship and its cargo was abandoned to the waves of the ocean. Back on American soil the penniless, Michael Reasor reenlisted in the Revolutionary was under

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George Washington at Winchester, Virginia, in April, 1781, in Captain William Frost’s Virginia Company and he served with the Revolutionary army until September 1, 1781, when he was discharged at Richmond Virginia. He was present when Cornwallis surrendered his sword to George Washington.

For his services in the Revolutionary army, Michael Reasor was granted a pension of sixty dollars per year on his application S. 16514 dated September 10, 1832, which became effective as of March 4, 1831. His pension certificate was numbered 6580. His pension was discontinued on March 4, 1843 for the reason that he had acquired land to such an extent, that under the law a pension could no longer be paid.

By reason of his services in the Revolutionary war, all of his male descendants are eligible for membership in that patriotic society known as the “Sons of the American Revolution” and all of his female descendants are eligible for membership in the “Daughters of the American Revolution.”

On March 12, 1843, Michael Reasor certified to the War Department that he had resided in Spencer County, Kentucky, formerly a part of Shelby County, Kentucky, for forty years and that prior there to he had resided at Winchester, Virginia.

Soon after Michael Reasor was discharged from the Army of the Revolution the second time, and on February 27, 1782, at Winchester, Virginia, he married Anna Herbert, who was born in New Jersey, September 1, 1760. Her father, Thomas Herbert, was born in Germany in 1730. On June 11, 1843, Michael Reasor died at his home at Little Mount, Spencer County, Kentucky, and hi is buried in Little Mount cemetery. Anna Herbert died at Little Mount July 5th, 1847, and is buried beside her husband. They were cared for in their declining years by their son, James Reasor, who lived on the home place with them.

After their marriage Michael Reasor and wife resided at Winchester, Virginia, until 1797, at which time they had seven children. They then immigrated to what is now Spencer County, Kentucky, and settled on land at Little Mount, where they resided until the time of their death.

On the 23rd day of July, 1825, Michael reasor and his wife gave their son, Josiah, 58 acres of land on Brashears Creek in Spencer county, Kentucky. The original deed signed by Michael and Anna Reasor is now in the possession of Lula H. Greene of Pampa, Texas, a descendant.

In Will Book B. page 449 at Taylorsville, Kentucky, is given the settlement of the Michael Reasor estate, with receipts from the heirs. The heirs who signed receipts are as follows: Sinthy Ann Pector; Daniel Reasor; Margaret Scott; Mary Ann Lewis; James Brown;

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Eunice Brown, George Pectol; William Budd, Eliza Budd; Smith
Eunice Brown, George Pectol, Sarah Pectol; William Budd, Eliza Budd; Smith Reasor: William Reasor; Elizabeth Cronk; Ann Moore and Ruth Willis, heirs of Frederick Reasor; Samuel McCutcheon and Sarah McCutheon; John Galloway and Hannah Galloway; John Scott and Anna Scott; Harmon Scott and Margaret Scott. In the settlement of the estate, Dr. William Reasor received $82.50 for medical services rendered his father and his father’s family. There was no will and the estate was closed in 1848, by Josiah Reasor, a son, administrator. [Typed as found in book.]

Unfortunately little is known of the descendants of Frederick Reasor, brother of Michael. Frederick married Celia Copper November 27, 1887, in Winchester, Virginia, and moved to Scott County, Kentucky. His two daughters married in Scott county, Kentucky, and with their husbands, moved to Indiana. At the time of this publication, no more is known of them or their descendants, if any.

Children of Michael Reasor and Anna Herbert.
- Thomas Reasor B. in VA. Dec 27 1782, D. young unmarried.
I - Frederick Reasor B. in VA. Jan 6, 1785.
I I - Hannah Reasor B. in VA. Jan 26, 1787.
II I - Josiah Reasor B. in VA. Apil 2, 1789..
IV - Daniel Reasor B. in VA. June 15, 1791.
V - Elizabeth Reasor B. in VA. Sept. 29, 1793.
VI - Dr. William Reasor B. in VA. Feb. 10,1796.
VII - Anna Reasor B. in KY. Dec 25, 1797.
VIII - Margaret Reasor B. in KY. June 10, 1800.
IX - James Reasor B. in KY. Aug. 6, 1803.
X - Sarah Reasor B. in KY. Nov. 14,1804.

Ancestry Chain: BR, MRR, Garland Lee REASOR, Edgar Webster REASOR, Daniel Breckenridge REASOR, Daniel REASOR Jr., Daniel REASOR Sr., Michael REASOR Jr., Michael REASOR Sr.