Help me find Reason Bell Willoughby’s parents!

Question

My G-G Grandfather was named Reason Bell Willoughby and I know a lot about him - born in 1810 in Ohio. Married Mary Ann Firestone who died in 1839 while they lived in Iowa.  I believe they had a child named William Wallace but there are no records of his birth.  Reason remarried in 1840 and came to Oregon via wagon train. He died in Oregon in 1881.  Interestingly the son Wallace shows up on a census with his 2nd wife and daughter in Iowa when he was 11.  Then there is a Willie who died young in Oregon.

I cannot find who his parents were!  This is something I have chased for years!  One of the census documents show that his father was born in Scotland.

His middle name is odd and may be a surname- I have searched through the “Bell” line as much as I can.

That is all I know - any help would be greatly appreciated!!

Comments

Marriage date for Reason and wife Mary Ann was 31 Mar 1835 at Wayne County, Ohio.

The county was named after General "Mad" Anthony Wayne, a Brigadier General during the American Revolutionary War, according to Wikipedia.

Answer 1

You indicate that your great great grandfather, Willoughby was born in Ohio. There is a city of Willoughby in Lake County, Ohio. There is also a Willoughby Hills, Ohio. Do you know the county or city where your G G grandfather was from in Ohio?

From Wikipedia, "In 1835, the village was permanently named "Willoughby" in honor of Dr. Westel Willoughby, Jr., a public health official..."

Comments

Death notice says born Wayne County Ohio

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Only one Willoughby 1820 census, Wayne County - first name Andrew

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Thank you Frank.  I could not find any connection between my Willoughby and the town’s with the same name.  It’s like this part of my family starts with Reason B.  I believe he was in the early Legislature in Iowa and was also in the Legislature here in Oregon once he made it here via wagon train. There is reference made to him in a pioneer diary written on the Oregon Trail.  There seems to be some information about him in various places he lived - just nothing about who his parents were or how he grew up.  It’s this type of thing that makes me wish I had been smart enough to ask my grandparents about him when they were still alive!

Answer 2

R B Willoughby, 1880 US Census, spouse E T Willoughby. He was 70, born in Ohio, wife was 60 born PA.

Son E J Willoughby was 30 born Iowa, daughter Nettie Willoughby 25 born Oregon, daughter MA Locke 38 born Iowa and Granddaughter, Nellie Locke 12 born Washington.

Answer 3

In the marriage record to Mary Ann Finestane, there are spelling variances for Reason as Resin P. Willaughby.

Marriage Date: 31 Mar 1835 Wayne, Ohio

Find A Grave has him as Reason B. Willoughby, b 10 Jan 1810 and death date 31 Jan 1881 with burial at West Point Cemetery. He died in Linn, Oregon as est. age of 71.