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Author: keithbuckley22
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Classification: queries
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http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.indiana.counties...
Message Board Post:
I believe that Dorcas Tabitha Redding (or Reding) was the daughter of John Reding and
Martha Jane Swaim Reding of Back's Creek, Randolph County, North Carolina, and the
cousin of Thomas R. Reding, whose life and career as a gravestone carver I have been
researching for over 30 years. I was particularly interested in your mention of the
Trogdon name-- Thomas and Dorcas's aunt, Elizabeth Reding married Isaac Trogdon while
they were still living in Randolph County, and they moved to southern Indiana as well,
finally settling in Harrodsburg.
At least one of Dorcas and John Boling's children (Alvin) is buried in Walnut Ridge
Cemetery (formerly Monroe Cemetery). Walnut Ridge was probably the largest cemetery in
Monroe Township during the Bolings' lifetime, and Thomas Reding carved and/or supplied
almost all of the extant gravestones from his time period in that yard. I suspect
Reding's connection to Dorcas at least partially explains the presence of so many
stones and even, perhaps, who Thomas's son, Joseph, ended up marrying a woman who was
born and raised in the same area. There is also in Walnut Cemetery a large unmarked
sarcophagus with Thomas Reding's initials on it. While I will probably never be able
to prove this is Dorcas's tomb, I do not think it is out of the realm of possibility.
Reding apparently provided gravestones for every other one of his relatives who came to
Indiana, even for in-laws of siblings living as far from Salem as New Castle.
I would be most grateful for any other information anyone can provide concerning Dorcas!
You can contact me directly at buckley(a)indiana.edu
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