Peggy Smith-Hake's
"Window to the Past"
The Teaverbaugh Family...
(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL in the column, 'WINDOW TO THE PAST', Jan. 22, 2004)
​​(Printed in THE MILLER COUNTY AUTOGRAM-SENTINEL in the column, 'WINDOW TO THE PAST', Aug. 18, 2011)
​NOTE: The Teaverbaugh family of Miller and Osage Counties were the ancestors of Robert Reed, the TV star who was featured in the series "The Brady Bunch" several years ago. Recently the family of the late actor hired a genealogical researcher and writer to delve into the family's history and write a biographical story of Robert Reitz/Reed. The man contacted several people in Miller County to see what he could learn about the Teaverbaugh family and I was one of those persons he made contact with via email....... Several years ago I had written a story about William Jasper Teaverbaugh, Reed's great grandfather, and, in turn, sent the info to the researcher. (Peggy Hake)
William Jasper Teaverbaugh (pictured on the left) was born 7 Feb 1846 in Osage County, MO and passed away 15 July 1930 at the age of 84 years. I do not know who his parents were but in the 1900 census of Miller County, he stated his father was a native of Germany and his mother was born in Missouri. At the age of 21, William married his first wife, a Miss Archer (first name not found) and they became parents of 5 children. Two of their children survived their father at his death in 1930---Pearl Teaverbaugh Barlow and Florence Teaverbaugh Shearer (per his obituary). William's first wife died at an early age and he then married Carrie M. Sickendick-Lloyd on 17 Dec 1884 in Laclede County, MO.
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Carrie Teaverbaugh, William's second wife, died in 1917 at the age of 66 years (born 1851) and William married his third wife, Elizabeth Lawson Sherrell, in 1920. She was the widow of William L. Sherrell. William Teaverbaugh had no children by his third wife.
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At the age of 17 years, William Jasper Teaverbaugh enlisted in the Union Army during the Civil War and first served in Co. C of the Missouri Volunteers.​
He later served with Co. D of the 6th Missouri Volunteers and was mustered out of service at Benton Barracks, MO in 1865. ​After its organization in the 1880s, William became a member of Miles Carroll G.A.R. Post #11 at Iberia where he was a Junior Vice Commander.
He and Carrie became parents of 5 children including: William Jesse Teaverbaugh 1886-1918 m. Stella Meredith 1905; *George O. Teaverbaugh b. Oct 1887 m. Nettie Madden 1906; Lillian May Teaverbaugh b. Jun 1889 m. Fred Greenwood 1906; Nellie M. Teaverbaugh 1891-1967 m. Robert Groves 1908; Georgia E. Teaverbaugh b. Jun 1893 m. Frank Keeth 1912
​In 1900, the Teaverbaugh family was living in Miller County in southern Richwoods Township in the Madden/Pleasant Hill community. Their neighbors included the families of Spearman, Adams, Whittle, Keeth, Thomas, and Allen.
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​The grandparents of Robert Reitz (Robert Reed) were *George O. Teaverbaugh and Nettie Madden.
Their daughter, Helen Teverbaugh married Robert Reitz, Sr. of Illinois who were the parents of Robert Reitz, Jr (Robert Reed).
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Helen and Robert met while both were attending the old Iberia Academy and Junior College and later married and moved to the Chicago, Illinois area.
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William Jasper Teaverbaugh died 15 July 1930 and was buried at Pleasant Hill cemetery beside his second wife, Carrie. His funeral services were conducted by Rev. E. G. Giggy of the Methodist Church.
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Helen (Teaverbaugh) Reitz
(1913-2002)​
John Robert Reitz, Jr.
aka: Robert Reed (1932-1992)
The following is the obituary for Nettie (Madden) Teaverbaugh, the grandmother of TV and movie actor, Robert Reed.
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​OBITUARY OF NETTIE MADDEN TEAVERBAUGH
Nettie Madden was a daughter of Thomas and Alice (Pickering) Madden. She was born in Miller County, Mo. on July 5, 1887, and died June 1, 1974. In November of 1906, she married George O. Teaverbaugh in Miller Co. Her husband preceded her in death in 1951. Nettie Madden Teaverbaugh spent her entire life in Miller Co. She was a member of the Madden church, located in southern Richwoods township and later transferred her membership to the Iberia Methodist Church. She was preceded in death by 2 infant sons, Dorsey and Clarence Teaverbaugh. She was survived by a daughter, Helen Teaverbaugh Reitz of Pasadena, Calif.; 3 sons: Spurgeon, Wayne, and Jean Teaverbaugh; 1 sister: Sarah Madden Groves of Iberia; 1 grandson: Robert Reed; 1 granddaughter: Donna Walker; 2 half-brothers: John and Elda Woolery and 1 half sister: Clara Large. Nettie Madden Teaverbaugh was laid to rest in the Madden cemetery situated on a hill overlooking the Big Tavern creek near the site when the Madden church once stood.