Sidney R. Reed

As printed in 1907

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 Past and present of Guthrie County, Iowa : together with biographical sketches of many of its prominent and leading citizens and illustrious dead (1907). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.