Claiborn Reed
Claiborn Reed (about 1846 – Sept. 6, 1864) was a Union soldier from Scott County who died in the Civil War.
See Also: Scott Countians killed in war
Biography
Born about 1846, Claiborn Reed was the son of Allen Reed (1796-1890) and Willy Griffith (1806-1887) of New River. His siblings included Wiley Reed, Nancy Reed, Sarah Reed, Russia Reed, Isaac Reed, Rebecca Reed, Shadrach Reed, and Almira Reed. Also listed in the household when the 1860 census was taken were 4-year-old Columbus, 1-year-old Leonard, John, 8-month-old Rachel, 5-month-old Mary, 9-month-old Peggy, and 9-month-old Sally.
Allen Reed was a War of 1812 veteran who owned significant land holdings in the New River and Mountain View area — about 5,000 acres. Willy was the daughter of Joseph Griffith, Revolutionary War veteran who moved to Brimstone Creek after the war.
Civil War
Four of the Reed brothers enlisted in the Union army: Isaac, Shadrach, Wiley and Claiborn. All four served in Co. I, 30th Kentucky Infantry, after enlisting at Monticello, Ky. Shadrach enlisted on Jan. 21, 1864, followed by Isaac on Jan. 27, 1864, Claiborn on Feb. 4, 1864, and Wiley in April 1864.
As related in Paul Roy’s Scott County in the Civil War, Jennifer Reed Sexton provided a story written by her father, Clyde Reed (Wiley Reed’s grandson), about the family’s involvement in the war. Clyde Reed wrote that the family was initially neutral in the war, until a group of Confederate soldiers encamped at Black Creek Crossroads visited the family’s home at New River. “When they came within sight of the house, the Reed boys ran. The soldiers began shooting. They killed one of the Reed boys, the others escaped. The one whom they had killed had fallen about two hundred yards from the house. The four soldiers went to him and finding him dead, picked him up and carried him back to the Reed home. After taking what food they could find, they mounted their horses and left.” Meanwhile, Wiley Reed picked out a spot along the river so he could watch the soldiers as they left the family’s home. Resting his rifle against a pine tree, he fired at the lead soldier and killed him. The soldier was buried where he fell.
Clyde Reed further wrote: “(Wiley) then made the decision to come to the north side of the river, construct a log cabin and remain there until the war ended. The soldiers seldom crossed over the river, the area was densely wooded, few homes, no roads. There was nothing of interest on the north side of the river. Wiley knew all this and also that his father owned 5000 acres in this area. He located a small spring of water and constructed a log cabin. This cabin was approximately two miles from his father’s house. He lived here for about a year, slipping home occasionally to visit his father and mother. During this time he had been thinking about joining the Union Army. His thoughts kept coming back to the day the Confederates had killed his brother. The nearest Union Army Recruiting Station was at Burnside, Kentucky, about 50 miles from his home. He finally reached the decision to enlist in the Union Army. He took his old flint lock rifle, the one he had killed the Confederate soldier with, got on his horse and rode to Burnside, Kentucky. There he enlisted in I Company, 30th Kentucky Mounted (by furnishing his own horse) Infantry.”
Shadrach, Isaac and Wiley all survived the war. However, Claiborn died on Sept. 6, 1864 from disease. He is buried at the National Cemetery in Lexington, Ky.
The brothers also had a first cousin, Allen Reed, who died during the war at the age of just 16. They had another cousin (Allen Reed) and two uncles (Campbell County Reed and Harrison Reed) who also served in the war.
Aftermath
Wiley Reed married Savaria Jane Ellis on Nov. 25, 1883. They had 10 children. Among them were Amon Reed, Manus Reed, Mozilla Kruell, Lonas Reed, Roman Reed, Wiley Kawood Reed, Brazen Phillips, McKinley Reed, Allie Parson and Millard Reed. Wiley died in 1916 and was buried at Black Creek Crossroads Cemetery.
Shadrach married Mary Josephine Lynch in 1871. Their children included Samantha Matlock, Frances Naugle, Clayton Reed and Mary Eddings. He moved to Missouri, where he died in 1893.
Isaac Reed died in 1928.