The Reed Families of Portage County, Ohio

JAMES REED, farmer, P. O. Deerfield, was born in Brooke County, W. Va., in 1809, a grandson of Anthony Middlesworth, a Hollander by birth, and son of William and Mary (Middlesworth) Reed, the former born in the State of Delaware August 23, 1778; the latter a native of West Virginia. They had a family of twelve children, of whom eight are still living. The family were among the pioneers of this county of 1812, and settled two and a half miles south of the center of Deerfield Township. William Reed here cleared eighty or ninety acres of land and passed the remainder of his life, attaining the ripe age 'of eighty-five years. Our subject was brought up on the farm, receiving the limited education obtainable in that early day. Being reared in the wilderness he early learned to swing the ax and to toil with his hands. At

C'--K the age of twenty-one he began the struggle of life for himself, and by perseverance, industry and frugality he accumulated a fine estate, comprising over 290 acres of land. He was married September 14, 1852, to Miss Rebecca A. McMillen. The family are connected with the Presbvterian Church.

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

ANTHONY REED, farmer, P. O. Deerfield, was born in Columbiana County, Ohio, in October, 1811, son of William and Mary (Middlesworth) Reed; former born in the State of Delaware, the latter in West Virginia. (Their history appears in another portion of this volume.) The family settled in the southern portion of Deerfield Township, this county, in 1812, where the parents lived to the close of their lives. Our subject's advantages for receiving an education were very limited, and his father realizing this fact, erected a log-schoolhouse, in which he taught his own and the neighbors' children in his spare moments. Anthony resided on the old homestead until thirty years of age. He was married in 1842 to Miss Elizabeth Lazarus, a native of Deerfield Township, this county. This union has been blessed with two children — Amelia, wife of William R. Shilliday (have four children, Maggie, Arad, Mattie and Mary), and Mary, widow of George Ganze (by whom she had two children, Joel and Mabel), and who is residing on the old homestead with her children, a comfort to her father in his declining years. Mr. Reed, when twenty-one years of age, purchased sixty-six acres of land, to which he subsequently added until he is now owner of 429 acres. He inherited but a small amount of money, and his accumulations are the result of his own energy and industry. He is a member of the Congregational Chur.ch.

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

LINUS REED, farmer, P. O. Deerlield, was born March 30, 1815, in Deerfield Township, this county, son of William and Mary (Middlesworth) Reed, whose history appears elsewhere in this work. Our subject attended the school taught by his father, and held in the log-schoolhouse erected by the latter, and resided on the old home farm until his marriage in 1838, in Stark County, Ohio, with Sarah B., daughter of David Swaine, and a native of New Jersey. To this union were born two children, Mary A. (deceased) and Ardelia. Our subject is a self-made man; commencing with but $50, he has accumulated a comfortable competency. He taught school for fifteen terms at $12 per month, and from his savings made his first purchase of land at $9 per acre; for his next purchase he paid $30, and the residence which he is now building to replace one destroyed by fire will cost $1,800. When he first seed on his present farm it was covered with woods, which had to be cut away to make room for his log-cabin. His first purchase was twenty-six acres, to which he added seventy-two, and he has also bought lands elsewhere which he disposed of advantageously. Mr. Reed is one of the oldest residents of Deerfield Township. He is a member of the Presbyterian Church.

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

HORACE REED, farmer and stock-raiser, P. O. Rootstown, the first white male child born in Rootstown Township, this county, was born near his present home, October 8, 1805, son of Abraham and Silie Reed, natives of Connecticut, who immigrated to Rootstown Township, this county, November, 1804. This was then called the Western Reserve and there we're only two little shanties in the place. Abraham Reed died January 6, 1849, his wife in 1834. Our subject was married May 24, 1826, to Lois E. Baldwin, born in Massachusetts February 7, 1803, daughter of John and Esther Baldwin, natives of Massachusetts, who came to this county in 1811, and remained until their death. Former died April 18, 1845, and latter September 17, 1848. Mr. and Mrs. Reed are the parents of seven children: Melissa E., wife of Edward E. Chapman; Anjanette, wife of Alfred Baldwin; John H., in Nebraska; Edward A., in Tennessee; Cornelius A., present Probate Judge of this county; Horace L., of Mansfield, Ohio, and Julia A. Our subject has engaged in farming all his life, and for about twenty years dealt in stock. He now owns 200 acres of land, but has been possessor of as much as 500 acres at one time. Mr. and Mrs. Reed are a worthy couple and command the love and respect of all who know them. They celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary nine years ago, and are now the only couple living together in town that were alive at the time of their marriage.

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

C. A. REED, Probate Judge, Ravenna, comes of Connecticut stock, a grandson of Abraham Reed, who settled in this county in 1804 and died in 1859. Horace, eldest son of Abraham Reed and father of our subject, was born in Rootstown in 1805, and at this writing is residing on the homestead where he was born. He married Lois E. Baldwin, daughter of John Baldwin, who came from Massachusetts and settled in Charlestown, this county, in 1811, and by her were born seven children, all now living: Melissa E., wife of E. E. Chapman, of Rootstown; Aryanett E., wife of A. Baldwin, of Akron, Ohio; John-H., of Columbus, Neb.; Edward A., Poplar Creek, Tenn.; Cornelius A.; Horace L., of Mansfield, Ohio, and Julia A. Our subject was born in Rootstown, this county, July 3, 1838. He worked on the farm and attended school until his twentieth year, when he entered the Normal School at Lebanon. In 1861 he began the study of law under Col. B. Burns and Judge Dickey at Mansfield, Ohio, and was admitted to the bar in July, 1863. In September, 1863, he formed a partnership with A. Hart in the practice of the profession at Ravenna. This lasted about twelve years, after which Mr. Reed continued the practice alone until he was elected to his present position in 1881. He was elected Prosecuting Attorney in 1869, occupying the office four years. Our subject was married February 1, 1865, to Miss PhebeF., daughter of Capt. Albert Ray, of Nantucket, Mass. Two children were born to this union, both now living: Lorena B. and Julia May. The family is connected with the Congregational Church, and Judge Reed is at present Superintendent of the Sabbath-school. He is a Knight Templar.

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

JAMES H. REED, veterinary surgeon, Kent, was born in Boston, Summit Co., Ohio, August 12, 1815, son of James and Catherine (Stough) Reed, natives of New Joibey and Germany respectively, and who settled in Boston Township, Summit County, about 1810. James Reed, who was a millwright, also a carpenter and joiner by trade, was a soldier in the war of 1812, being "out" two years, for which he drew a pension and land warrant, and on his return settled in Ravenna Township in 1816. He had nine children: Robert, James H., George, Peter, John, Calvin, Orrin (deceased), Melinda (Mrs. Spencer Smith), Irena (Mrs. Burt A. Smith). Our subject served an apprenticeship at cabinet-making in Medina until he was nineteen years of age, when he returned to Ravenna and worked at his trade one year. In 1837 he located and partly cleared the farm he now owns in the northeast part of Franklin Township, this county. He has been a veterinary surgeon upward of forty years. He was married, August 13, 1835, to Tussey Scranton, daughter of Joseph Scranton, of Franklin Township, this county, by whom he has ten children, seven now living: Lawrence, Levi, Lucy (Mrs. Luther Johnson), Paulina (Mrs. Fred Myers), Martha (Mrs. C. A. Ferguson), Amelia (Mrs. Frank Brown) and Elber. Mr. Reed located in Kent in 1876, where he has since resided, principally engaged in the practice of his profession. He has held several offices in the township with credit to himself and to the satisfaction of the people. In politics he is a Republican.

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

LEVI REED, liveryman, Kent, was born in Franklin Township, this county, September 8, 1842; son of James H. and Thirza (Scranton) Reed, who were among the early settlers of the township. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools and the Oberlin Commercial College. After he became of age he worked on a farm by the month for two years, and in 1864 enlisted in Company I, One Hundred and Eighty-eighth Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and served till the close of the war. He was married, October 3, 1867, to Clarissa C., daughter of Joseph B. and Ruth (Olin) Stratton, who settled in Franklin Township, this county, in 1837, and by this union there were live children: Willie, Lorena, Joseph A. (deceased), Leona and Leroy. After his marriage Mr. Reed engaged in farming for two years, and in 1869 located in Kent. For three years he worked in the railroad shops, after which he engaged in the coal business, feed and grocery store and livery business with his brothers Luther A. and L. G. In 1882 Mr. Reed embarked in the livery business on his own account, in which he has been profitably engaged till the present time. He is a member of the G. A. R., and both he and wife are members of the TJniversalist Church. In politics he is a Republican.

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

C. R. REED, of the firm of Carlile & Reed, tinners and plumbers, P. O. Kent, was born in Franklin Township, this county, July 20, 1854, son of William and Mary E. (Day) Reed, whose family consisted of William, Charles (deceased), Charles (second) R., Robert, Nellie, John and Frank. William Reed, father of our subject, was born in New Lisbon, Columbiana Co., Ohio, May 31, 1823, and was reared on his father's farm. He served an apprenticeship at the carpenter's trade, which has been his occupation ever since. His parents were John and Rebecca (Morgan) Reed, who settled in Fraoklin about 1828, and who were the parents of twelve children, eight of whom grew to manhood and womanhood: Reuben (deceased), Sperry, William, Hiram, Ellen (wife of M. Hulbert), Rebecca (deceased), Cassa (deceased) and George. John Reed was a native of Maryland, a weaver by trade, which he followed for several years after coming to Franklin Mills (now Kent). He then engaged in agriculture, clearing and improving a farm on which he lived and died. C. R. Reed's maternal grandfather, Jacob Day, was a stone mason by trade, and one of the first settlers of Franklin Township, this county. Our subject was reared in his native township, and in 1876 entered the employ of F. F. Carlile, to learn the business of tinner and plumber, and worked as journeyman up to 1882, when he became associated with his employer under the firm name of Carlile & Reed. He was married. February 12, 1884, to Cora S., daughter of Samuel B. and Sarah (Doolittle) Hall, of Kent, Ohio. Mr. Reed is one of Kent's enterprising business men and a worthy citizen.

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

HARVEY O. REED, farmer, P. O. Rootstown, was born in Rootstown, this county, June 3, 1856, son of Otis and Laura M. Reed, who were also born in Rootstown Township, the former January 10, 1810, the latter April 17, 1813, They were married September 18, 1832, and settled where our subject resides, and here they remained until the father's death, January 18, 1881. The mother resides on the old homestead. They were the parents of seven children, four now living. Our subject, who is the youngest, was married October 1, 1879, to Emma J. Deming, born in this township October 2, 1855, daughter of Gideon Y. and Lucia Deming, who died October 25, 1877, and January 16, 1884, respectively. Mr. and Mrs. Reed had one child — Elsie, born December 23, 1883, died September 28, 1884. Mrs. Reed died December 25, 1883. She was a faithful member of the Congregational Church. Our subject is a farmer by occupation. He is a member of the Congregational Church.

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

THOMAS REED, policeman, Garrettsville, was born in Ireland, August 13, 1823, son of William and Margaret (Nelson) Eeed. natives of that country, who were the parents of seven children, of whom Thomas is the youngest. He came to America in 1842, and located in Philadelphia, where he remained two years engaged in wharf building. He then came to Geauga County, Ohio, and hired to a man for five years as a farm hand. He purchased a small farm near Cleveland in 1854, but sold it six years later and bought a still larger farm in Trumbull County, where he remained until 1873, when he came to Garrettsville with the intention of retiring from active labor, but for a year or two dealt in stock. In 1855 he married Miss Caroline A. Pierce, of Geauga County, Ohio, and by her has three children: Marc A., a graduate of Scio College, who has taught school nine years, and is at present Superintendent of Schools is Girard, Ohio; Delia, also a school teacher for six years, and who is a graduate of the Garrettsville schools, and Guy W. Mr. Reed received an appointment by the Council as Night Policeman, and has held that position nine years, and has also served as Constable five years. In April, 1880, while trying to quiet a drunken row he received a blow on the head, fracturing his skull, from which six pieces of bone were taken. It was a narrow escape, but he still continues to keep the peace in the streets of Garrettsville to the full satisfaction of the people. He is a member of Garrettsville Lodge, No. 246, F. & A M.

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