The Reed Families of Guthrie County, Iowa

WILLIAM A. REED.

William A. Reed, to whom has been vouchsafed well-earned retirement from the active work of the farm, having acquired a handsome competence through his carefully directed and managed agricultural interests, was born in Guernsey county. Ohio, on the 5th of May, 1834, his parents being Samuel and Anna (Rose) Reed. The father was born in Ohio, where he continued to make his home until 1859. which year witnessed his removal to Iowa. He located on land in what is now Victory township. Guthrie county, for which he traded his Ohio property. For several years he continued to develop and improve his Iowa farm and then took up his above in Guthrie Center, where he conducted a hotel for many years, a hostelry that will be remembered by all of the old pioneers. He was a popular landlord and he continued to make his home in Guthrie Center up to the time of his death, having many friends in the county seat and throughout the surrounding country. Upon the organization of the republican party he became one of its stalwart advocates and continued to march under its banner. He was several times elected to the office of county supervisor and was recognized as one of the influential citizens of Guthrie Center, his opinions carrying weight with those who knew him. In his family were eleven children, of whom six are living: William A.; J'theodore P., who resides in Palisades, Colorado: George W.. whose home is in Panora. Iowa: Hannah, the widow of George Mc- Clune, of Valley township, this county: Hester A., the wife of Luther Motz. of Colorado: and Mary. the wife of William McKelvey, of Colorado.

The home farm of the father in Ohio remained the place of residence for William A. Reed through his boyhood and youth and in the public schools he acquired a limited education, such as could be obtained in one of the old-time pioneer schoolhouses with its slab benches, its huge fireplace and its primitive furnishings. He was twenty-five years of age when he came to Iowa and in the following spring he went to Pike's Peak with the thousands of other gold seekers. The summer was spent in the mountains there and in the fall he returned to Guthrie county. In the winter of 1861 he took another trip to Pike's Peak with a load of freight. There were eight wagons in the train, he and his brother George each having charge of a wagon. The winter was one of the most severe in years and the trip was made with much difficulty and attended with many hardships, for a large amount of snow fell and the roads were so greatly blocked as to be almost impassable. After his return from the trip Mr. Reed settled down to farming on a tract of land of eighty acres in Victory township, which he had acquired some time previous. His real life work has been that of general farming and the close application and unfaltering diligence which he has manifested have constituted the basis of a gratifying prosperity.

In January, 1863, however, Mr. Reed felt that his first duty was to his country and enlisted as a member of Company I, Twentyninth Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war. The campaign of the Twenty-ninth was a vigorous one and Mr. Reed took part in numerous engagements, in which he proved his valor and his fidelity to the stars and stripes. \Mien the war was ended and victory had perched on the Union banners he was mustered out. being discharged at New Orleans on the 13th of August, 1865. He then returned home and for two years thereafter was engaged in teaming in Guthrie Center.

In 1867 Mr. Reed traded his Victory township farm and his town property in Guthrie Center for one hundred and twenty acres in Bear Grove township, where he now resides. He removed to his new home and has since continued here. Some time later he sold forty acres of the farm, which was across the road from the eighty-acre tract on which he resided, and purchased another eighty acres adjoining his home place. Subsequently he added a similar amount, so that his farm now comprises two hundred and forty acres on sections 22 and 23. Bear Grove township. In his business he has steadily advanced, his financial resources increasing as his labor in the fields has brought forth good crops that made his work very profitable.

On the lath of October, 1860. Mr. Reed was married to Miss Mary A. Rose, a daughter of Ayers and Jane (Thompson) Rose, of Guernsey county. Ohio. Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reed have been born four children. of whom three are living: Elmer E.. who is manager of the home farm: Hattie J., the wife of Richard Clark, of Audubon county.

Iowa; and Millie A., the wife of Andrew Long, of Grant township.

Mr. Reed is a republican in politics and for years has been recognized as a most ardent advocate of the principles of the party, but has never been an aspirant for political honors. He is among the highly esteemed of the early settlers who has been upright in his dealings and reliable at all times in business transactions. In more recent years, because of ill health, he has left the active management of his farm to his son, who has ably succeeded his father, being now recognized as one of the successful agriculturists of Guthrie county. Mr. Reed has passed the Psalmist's allotted span of three score years and ten and in the evening of his life receives the respect which should ever be accorded one who has advanced thus far and whose record has always been that of a worthy citizen. He proved a faithful soldier and in the pursuits of civil life has displayed equally commendable qualities.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

GEORGE W. REED.

George W. Reed, who, known as Wash, is now living retired in Panora. but for many years was closely associated with farming interests in Guthrie county, with the result that his activity and enterprise made it possible for him to put aside business cares and now rest in the enjoyment of the fruits of his former toil. He was born in Guernsey county, Ohio, May 31, 1843, id is of English lineage. His grandfather was Hezekiah Reed, his father Samuel Reed. The latter was born in Pennsylvania and on attaining his majority married Anna Rose, a native of Ohio. They resided in the latter state until 1858, when, on their removal to Iowa, they settled in Guthrie county. Their family at that time numbered eight children, and two of the sons, Theodore and C. F. Reed, were already living in Iowa when the other members of the family came. The trip from Ohio was made with teams, their outfit consisting of several oxen and four horses, a carriage and wagons, and when night overtook them they had to camp along the roadside. This was before the era of railroad travel, and on reaching Guthrie county they settled on land near Guthrie Center. The father then conducted a tavern, while his sons did most of the work of the farm. His death occurred when he had reached the advanced age of seventy-five years, and thus passed away one of the honored and respected pioneer residents of Guthrie county. His religious faith was that of the Presbyterian church and his political belief was that of the republican party. He was a man popular because of his many good qualities, his business integrity and his spirit of enterprise. Mrs. Reed also belonged to the Presbyterian church, and her many excellent traits of heart and mind endeared her to all who knew her.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

SILAS J. REED.

Silas J. Reed, who is engaged in farming on section 29, Victory township, making specialty of stock-raising with a fine herd of Herefords, was born in this township July 12, 1857. His father. Theodore P. Reed, was born in Ohio in 1836 and married Miss Sarah Hooks, whose birth occurred in Pennsylvania in 1838. They lived in Ohio for several years, and in April. 1857, settled nn section 29. Victoiy township, Guthrie county. This was then a frontier district in which the work of improvement had scarcely been begun. There were still many evidences of Indian occupancy here and the plains were covered with their wild grasses, while the timber was uncut and the streams unbridged. Most of the land was still in the possession of the government, and Mr. Reed entered a claim of eighty acres, upon which he built a log house, thus beginning life in true pioneer style. He and his family had driven from Burlington. Iowa, to Guthrie Center with ox teams. With characteristic energy he began plowing his land and transforming it into rich and productive fields, and he successfully carried on general farming until 1886, when he removed to Guthrie Center and there resided until 1891. In that year he went to Palisades. Colorado, where he later located, in 1902, and now owns and operates a fruit ranch. He has been a very successful man and still owns considerable land in Guthrie county. Unto him and his wife were born seven children, of whom four are yet living, namely: Silas J., of this review; Mrs. Lizzie Berkhalter. of Palisades, Colorado; James D., of that place; and Mrs. Bertha 'younger, of Palisades. The mother died in Guthrie Center in 1896.

Silas J. Reed acquired a common-school education by attending the district school near his father's home. He began work 011 the farm as soon as he was old enough to handle a horse and he gave his father the benefit of his service during the period of his minority. Later he engaged in farming on his own account on land which belonged to his father and was thus busily occupied until 1890. when he removed to Guthrie Center and established a livery barn, which he conducted for about five years, or until 1895. Mhen he returned to the farm upon which he now makes his home. He has here one hundred and twenty acres of land, which he leased from his father, and he has brought the fields under a high state of cultivation. He makes a specialty of raising cattle and has a fine herd of Herefords. all registered stock. He also raises Duroc Jersey hogs, and his stock-raising interests prove to him a profitable source of income.

On the nth of October. 1883, Mr. Reed was married to Miss Hetty Rich, who was born August i. 1857, and was a daughter of Lorenzo Dow Rich, who was born in Virginia. February 28. 1828. and died September 2y, 1896. His wife bore the maiden name of Barbara A. Bixler. and was born in Pennsylvania. May 14. 1836. She is still living, her home being now in Exira, Iowa. Mr. Rich came west to Illinois about 1850. settling in Livingston county. Illinois, where they lived until the spring of 1889. They then arrived in Guthrie county. Iowa, where the father purchased a farm, continuing its cultivation and improvement until he died. In the family were eight children, namely: Hetty; Pardon C. who is living at Lorah. Cass county. Iowa; Edward F., whose home is in Exira, Iowa; Mrs. Caroline Dafiford, of the same place; Mrs. Hannah Horton, of Lutz, Nebraska; Daniel, also of Exira; Mrs. Fannie Essington, of Brayton. Iowa, and Mrs. Nellie Nelson, of Lorah. Iowa.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reed have been born seven children and the family circle vet remains unbroken by the hand of death. In order of birth these are as follows: Ward A., who was born August 29, 1884, and is now in Palisades, Colorado; Bonnie Blanch, born October 26, 1886; Theodore Perry, born November 3, 1890; Ila Moline. born April 25, 1893; Lorenzo Dow, born June 30, 1895; Helen Jet, born March 8, 1897, and Edwin James, born September 19, 1898. With the exception of the eldest son all are still at home.

Mr. Reed gives his political support to the republican party. He has been township treasurer; has also been assessor for a number of terms and now holds the office of secretary of the township board. His duties have ever been discharged with fidelity, and thus he has made an excellent record. He is also secretary of the Guthrie County Institute and secretary of Guthrie County Pet Stock and Poultry Association. He belongs to the Knights of Pythias lodge at Guthrie Center and is interested in all that pertains to the work of public improvement along material and political lines. His worth in business circles throughout the county is widely acknowledged and in the community where he lives he has many warm friends.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

H. H. REED.

The attractiveness of Guthrie county as a place of residence is attested by the fact that many of her native sons have remained within her borders after attaining man's estate, recognizing the fact that the advantages and opportunities which she offers are equal to those afforded in other parts of the country so that ability and energy will here win a measure of success not surpassed by that given in other localities. Mr. Reed was born in Guthrie county on the lath of April, 1870, and has always resided here, Iiis home being now in Baker township, where he is engaged in general farming. He is one of the nine children, five sons and four daughters, who were born unto George W'washington and Hannah Reed. His parents were natives of Guernsey county, Ohio, the former born in 1839 and the latter in 1 84 1. Mr. Reed was a youth of but eleven years when in 1850 he came to Guthrie county. His first occupation was that of a tanner and in the early days of mining excitement in Colorado he made two trips across the country with teams to that state. This was prior to 1861. In the first year of the Civil war he responded to the country's call for the aid of its loyal sons and joined the boys in blue o'f Company I, Twenty-ninth Iowa Infantry. With that command he served until the close of the war and although he was in several hotly contested battles, being in the thickest of the fight, he was never wounded. His spirit of loyalty and of bravery, however, was never questioned and he returned home with a creditable military record. His time and energies were then devoted to the work of tilling the soil and caring for his crops until he retired from active life to enjoy a well-earned rest in Panora, where he is now living, without recourse to further labor.

It was upon the old family homestead that H. H. Reed passed his boyhood. At the usual age he entered school and when not occupied with his text-books he was instructed in the work of the home farm. Almost his entire life has been given to general agricultural pursuits and he now operates one hundred and sixty acres of land on section 15, Baker township. The farm is a well-improved property and attests in its excellent appearance his careful supervision and practical methods. For about nine years he engaged in teaching school.

In the year 1875 occurred the birth of Elsie Alden, who in 1899 gave her hand in marriage to H. H. Reed. Her father, A. B. Alden, was born in Massachusetts and married Miss Emma Hawkins, a native of Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Reed attend the services of the Presbyterian church and contribute to its support. He votes with the republican party and is now sei-ving as township clerk. He is interested in the political questions and in the success of the organization which he endorses and is recognized as one of the local leaders of the party.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

SIDNEY R. REED.

Sidney R. Reed has been at different times variously connected with business and progressive interests in Guthrie county and is now associated with his brother, W. L. Reed, under the firm name of Reed Brothers, in the grain and live-stock business. He possesses a spirit of determination that has enabled him to overcome many difficulties and obstacles, such as always confront the business man. Prompt, energetic and reliable, he has made an excellent record in the business W'Orld by reason of honorable methods. He was born in Noble county, Ohio, April 29, 1859, his parents being Harmon T. and Louisa (Jordan) Reed. His great-when he came to Iowa. Arriving in Guthrie county, he purchased a farm in Valley township, then Center tow'ship, where he engaged in buying, feeding and shipping cattle in connection with general agricultural pursuits. He was thus busily occupied until 1875, W'hen his knowledge and previous success in the cattle business took him to Chicago, W'here he engaged in the live-stock commission business at the Union Stock Yards. He w'as identified with the business there for fifteen months, after wliich he returned to Menlo, then known as Guthrie Switch, where he continued in the live-stock and grain business until 1878. In the fall of that year he went to Leadville, Colorado, where he engaged in mining and merchandising. During his sojourn in that state he was one of the four men known as the ''lucky four" W'ho discovered the Duncan mine on Friar hill. The others were Mike Duncan, George France and F. B. Bickford, all of whom were early settlers in Guthrie county. Mr. Duncan sold his interest to Mr. Reed and his partner, Mr. Bickford, for six hundred dollars, and some time later they opened up a rich silver vein that enabled them to sell the mine for thirty thousand dollars. The new company developed the mine rapidly and but a short time later they were shipping ninety tons per day which showed a smelting rate of thirty dollars per ton, and the mine was estimated to be worth one hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

WILMINGTON L. REED.

[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]

Harmon T. Reed spent the days of his boyhood and youth in the state of his nativity and after arriving at years of maturity he was married to Miss Louisa Jordan, a daughter of Elijah and Mary (Legg) Jordan, who was born in Ohio in September, 1839. Her parents. Elijah and Mary ( Legg) Jordan, had fourteen children, of Avhom the following are yet living: Mrs. Nancy Fowler, a resident of South Dakota; Mrs. Sarah McCoy, of Seattle, 'washington; JVIrs. Clara Hooks, who is living in Wyoming: Mrs. Caroline Rainey, of Ohio; Sydney Jordan, whose home is in Iowa county, Iowa; David, who is living in Monteith. Iowa; and Frank, a resident farmer of Valley township. In the spring of 1864 the parents of our subject removed from Ohio to Iowa and settled on a farm of two hundred and forty acres in Valley township, Guthrie county. There was a log house upon this place and about forty- acres of the land had been broken. The father at once began the further development and improvement of the farm and continued to carry on general agricultural pursuits there until 1875, when he removed to Chicago, spending two years in the metropolis in the live-stock and commission business. He then sold out and went to Menlo, Iowa, where he entered the grain and live-stock business. At a later date he disposed of his interests there and removed to Leadville, Colorado, where he became connected with mercantile and mining interests, remaining at that place until about 1883, when he once more sold out. In that year he became a resident of Monteith, where he opened a store and also became connected with the grain trade, continuing in these lines for five years. He then disposed of his store to his son and removed to Colorado, now making his home at Palisades, that state, where he owns a fruit orchard. He has been quite successful and has accumulated a comfortable fortune, so that he and his wife are now enabled to enjoy the necessities and luxuries of life.

Wilmington L. Reed was onlv three years of age when brought by his parents to Iowa and he acquired a common-school education in this state and in Chicago. "hen not busy with his text-books he became associated with his father in business and was with him in the store until twenty-three years of age, when the father gave him the store and stock, retaining the bank account and notes as his share of the business. Wilmington L. Reed then continued in merchandising for sixteen years with good success, after which he disposed of his store and entered the grain and live-stock business, in w'hich he has since continued. He is a man of resourceful business ability, energetic and determined, possessing also laudable ambition and keen insight into business situations. Aside from his commercial interests at Monteith he owns a half interest in the store at Underwood, Iowa: together with two hundred and forty acres of land on section 23, Valley township, Guthrie county; forty-acres in Cass township; a business block in the 'village, and a nice residence property.

On the 17th of November, 1879, Mr. Reed was married to Miss Anna AlcClellan, who was born in Guthrie county, March 2y, 1864. and is a daughter of John and Melinda (Coleman) McClellan, in whose family were six children, of whom five are now living: J. T. McClellan, who resides in California; Mrs. Alice Reed, of Montieth; Mrs.

Martha Bowie, who is living in North Dakota; Mrs. Sa(He Southworth, a resident of Madrid, Iowa, and Mrs. Anna Reed, the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. McClellan came to Iowa in 1854 and established their home in Valley township on eighty acres of land, where the father continued to farm until 1899. In the meantime he has prospered in his undertakings and with a goodly competence he went to Monteith, where he lived retired until his death. His widow still resides in that village and makes her home with a daughter.

Unto Mr. and Mrs. Reed have been born four children, of whom three are living: Mrs. Mamie Branson, of Valley township, who has two children — Gladys and Reed; Harry A., of Underwood, Iowa; Sidney H., at home and in school; and John, who died at nine years of age.

Mr. Reed has filled the office of township treasurer for ten years and has been school trustee for a number of years. He is an independent voter, yet is interested in all matters of progressive citizenship and withhold his support from no measure or movement that he believes will prove of public benefit. He is regarded as one of the prominent and representative business men of Monteith, carefully controlling his interests and managing his affairs with probity and honesty. His genuine worth, broad mind and public spirit have made him a director of public thought and action here and he well deserves mention in this volume.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.

Clearchus Reed dates his residence in Guthrie county from 1868. He was then a young man of twenty-two, but already he had seen military experience upon the battlefields of the south, and had provided for his own support by an active business life at his old home in Ohio. He is well known in Guthrie county as a live-stock raiser and also owns and operates a mill. He has met with success as the years have gone by reason of his diligence and honorable dealings, and is now numbered among the substantial residents of this part of the state.

Mr. Reed was born in Little Sandusky, Ohio, on the 13th of August, 1846, and was one of twelve children of Saunders and Caroline (Teller) Reed. His father was born in Virginia in 1820 and removed to Ohio when about twenty-one years of age. There he learned and followed the trade of cabinetmaking, continuing at that business until 1870, when he came to Iowa. The year after he removed to Kansas, where he was engaged in cabinet-making until his death. He was a successful man, who accumulated a handsome competence, and at his demise left a large estate. He passed away in 1898, at the venerable age, of seventy-eight, having for more than two decades survived his wife, who died in 1876, when fifty-eight years of age, her birth having occurred in the state of New York in 1818.

As printed in the source¹. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.