Individual Details

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Reece, John Posted on Friday, May 11 @ 07:43:28 EDT
Topic: Biographical Sketches-->
-->By: Jeff Reece
The first record I have of John is the family bible of John Moore Sr. which lists his marriage to Deborah Moore on July 25, 1848 in Owsley County, Kentucky. Deborah is the daughter of John Moore Sr. and Judy Bowman. John is listed in the 1849 Owsley Tax list with 300 acres of land. John also transferred 35 acres on the Bowman fork of the Sturgeon River to James Hacker on July 12, 1849. John received 18 acres on the Little Sturgeon branch of the Kentucky River from David Reece on March 1, 1850. The two land transactions above are from "Owsley County Land Records, Volume One".

John and Deborah had their first child on March 13, 1849 in Owsley County, his name was Joseph. John is in the 1850 Owsley Census at age 28 born in Tennessee with Debby age 30 and Joseph age 1 both born in Kentucky. John was a stonemason per the Census.

On May 12, 1851 John killed two of Deborah's Brothers, William Moore and John Moore Jr. in a dispute over John Moore Sr.'s will. The Moore family bible gives May 13, 1851 as William's date of death. I have no record of John Moore Jr.’s death. The people in the Booneville area know this story well. Allegedly, John killed John and William Moore in front of the courthouse in Booneville, Kentucky.

Below is a newspaper article from the Adams Sentinel, Gettysburg, PA June 23, 1851:
TRAGEDY IN KENTUCKY - The Frankfort Commonwealth gives an account of a tragic affair at Booneville, Owsley County, Kentucky on the 12th of May last. There had been some difficulty between Wm. Moore, John Moore and John Reece, brothers-in-law in relation to the division of some property. On that day they met in the open street and had some conversation which resulted in blows. The two Moores attacked Reece with sticks and stones, and he defended himself with a large butcher knife with which he stabbed his assailants in such a manner that they died in about ten hours. The deceased each left a wife and family. - Reece was severely beaten, but is expected to recover.

John Reece is listed in the Owsley tax lists of 1850 with 250 acres, 1851, and 1853 with 300 acres in Madison. In 1854 John has three plots of land. 400 acres in Madison on Indian Creek, 50 acres, and 100 acres in Sturgeon. The land in 1853 and 1854 was possibly inherited from John Moore Sr.

John and Deborah had their second child on May 12, 1854 in Owsley County, her name was Mary. Mary's birth date and parents are recorded on her death certificate. This is the last recorded date that I can find of Deborah Moore Reece. I am assuming that she died as a result of Mary's birth. I cannot document this, Deborah seems to have just vanished from all records after Mary's birth.

John married Lucinda Hudson on December 15, 1856 in Madison County, Kentucky. This area of Madison County became part of Jackson County in 1858 when Jackson was formed.

John and Lucinda's third child, James, was born May 5, 1861 in Jackson County, Kentucky. This is the latest record I currently have of John Reece.
On October 7, 1867 Lucinda married Sherrod (Sheridan) Riley Baker.
No Civil War records have been found.

Spouse

Deborah Moore (1819 - 1856)