At home, May 8, 1894
Mr. Wm. Reid

Dear Sir:

         The old Bible and your letter with it came duly to hand for which
I owe you many thanks.  I was much gratified as well as surprised to
receive the Bible, for I had given it up as lost.  I write now to give you
your own genealogy on your mother's side, with such dates of births,
marriages, etc., as I have been able to ascertain.  To begin, I will state
that you like myself are descended through your mother from "Alexander Blain."
         He was your great grandfather, as he was also mine.  He was born
in Ireland on May 8, 1712 and died on the farm where I was raised in 1806,
being at his death nearly 94 years of age.  Just when he came to America I
do not know, but I find by the record in the old Bible that he was married
to his wife, Hannah, on February 7th, 1738 or '39, the years being written
thus: 173 8/9.  I have always understood he was married in the state of
Pennsylvania to "Hannah Devonshire" though I have no record of these
facts.  If it be true that he married in Pennsylvania as I have no doubt it
is, that proves he came to America as early as 1739, if not earlier than
that date.
         After his marriage he went to Virginia where he resided until his
removal to Kentucky in the year of 1785, I supposed, or about that
time.  He bought the farm on which he lived to the end of his life from
William Montgomery on July 20th, 1785 as is shown by his deed on record in
the County Clerk's office.
         As he then had a large family the presumption is he secured the
home very soon after his arrival in Kentucky.  So I think it a fair
supposition he came to Kentucky in 1785.  "Alexander Blain" had 11
children: 5 sons and 6 daughters.  Among the daughters was "Sarah" who was
born July 9th, 1755, and became the wife of "George Murrell."  She was your
grandmother.  The date of her marriage I have not yet ascertained.  If she
married before 30 years of age, she must have married in Virginia.
         Your grandfather "George Murrell" as shown by "Collins History of
Kentucky" was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives in 1799,
1810, and 1812.  In the will he states as a reason for making it, that he
was then unexpectedly about to start on a campaign; that he had previously
given to his son James (your uncle) 100 acres of land but had made him no
deed, and he made the will for that prupose [sic] giving James title to the
land.  His will contains no other provision than this.
         This will was probated and put to record March 14th, 1814.  As
wills are usually probated not long after the testators death it is
reasonable to conclude that he died in January or February of 1814.  Now as
Collins in his History says, he was in the Senate in 1814 and as he
evidently died in 1814 your own recollection that he was said to have died
in Frankfort while serving as a member of the Legislature seems to be
pretty well corroborated, and these facts prove too that your grandfather's
first name was George and not James as you at first thought.
         That your grandmother's name was "Sarah" is proven by a provision
in "Alexander Blain's" will giving to her 100 acres of land in which he
calls her "Sarah Murrell".  This 100 acres is the same on which the old
house where you were born is situated.

                                                         Yrs. truly,

                                                             J. Blain

         I cannot call to mind the county in Virginia our people (the
Blains and Murrells) came from.  If you have any recollection on that
point, please write and give it to me as I want to correspond with some
clerks in Va. on the subject but don't know where to send my letters.

                                                             J.B.

George Murrell
married Sarah Blain
Sept. 1781

George Murrell born                  Married
Sept. 24th, 1753.  Died Betsy Murrell    James Reid
Jan. 29th 1814          Jensy     "           John W. Reid
                                 Sallie    "            Rob't. Miller
Sarah Blain born July   George  "            Elenor Wilcher
9th, 1755.  Died July           James    "            Betsy Montgomery
15th, 1808.  George             Samuel  "            Miss Skiler
Murrell departed this           John       "            Miss Martha Shackelford
life the 29th day of
January A.D.  1814,
then a member of the
Senate of the Ky.
Legislature which was
then in session at
Frankfort.

Alexander Reid was married twice.  His first wife was a Blain.By his first
wife Alex Reid had three daughters, Almira, Naoma, and Jane.

There is reference in the Bailey lineage to a James Shackelford Huffman (b.
Dec. 5, 1860, d. Nov. 24, 1893)