William M. Reid

WILLIAM M. REID, deceased, was born in Whetstone township, Crawford county, O., Nov. 23, 1834, and died at his home in Bucyrus, O., July 30, 1909. His parents were Rev. George and Mary A. (Foster) Reid.

Rev. George Reid was born in the north of Ireland, Jan. 7, 1812, a son of George Reid. The family came to the United

States in 1824, crossing the Atlantic Ocean in one of the old sailing vessels that required three months to make a voyage that is now completed in a week. The Reids landed on the coast of Virginia, but moved by degrees farther north, driving their teams on up through New York until they reached Jamestown, where. they carried for a time and then pushed into Ohio. Grandfather George Reid died in Wayne county. For some years the Reids lived at Sandusky and then came to Crawford county, where they secured four sections of Government land. They were not only pioneers but people of purpose and enterprise. Their land was speedily cleared and put under cultivation and while they failed their first yield of wheat, they were the first to invest in a tread-mill thresher, which was then considered a wonder of agricultural machinery. The Reids brought the first grass mower into the county and were ever ready to test the utility of new inventions. The bricks with which they built their houses they burned and molded on their own farm; they tanned the hides of their own cattle and made leather and also fashioned their own shoes, while the women of the family were no less busy and resourceful. From the flax raised on the farm, mothers and daughters wove linen of amazing softness of texture and the heavy winter clothing came also from their bus; looms, the wool from their own sheep. Pages might be written of the remarkable accomplishments of both the fathers and mothers of those early days and in considering them, their descendants must give testimony of honor and praise.

While the settlement of a representative family like the Reids was a benefit to the county, it was particularly helpful to Whetstone township and there it became a prominent factor in all affairs. Rev. George Reid was a missionary preacher and paid his own way when necessary, although in every community a pioneer welcome awaited him. He felt a special call to preach to the Indians and established a mission church in Wyandot county, the old structure being a landmark, standing in the midst of an old

Indian burying ground. With the help of his sons he developed a fine farm on which he lived until after the death of his first wife, who was the mother of his five children: Robert, who was born July 15, 1832, and died in 1860; William M.; Hugh, who was born August 10, 1837, and died in 1844; George, who was born August 30, 1841, and who now resides on his farm in Iowa; and Rachel, who was born April 3, 1843, and died in 1845. After his second marriage* Rev. George Reid located at Ada, O., and later, while on a visit, died at the home of his son, William M., at Bucyrus, when aged about 68 years.

William M. Reid was given somewhat better educational advantages than many country boys of the period enjoyed, his father having him attend the district schools regularly and later sending him to Columbus to take a course in a commercial college. In the early fifties, with his brother, Robert Reid, he came to Bucyrus, where they embarked in the dry goods business together. Later, William M. Reid, about 1856, went into the general store business under the firm name of Reid, Butterfield & Co. In 1865 he became senior member of the firm of Reid, Kaler & Malic, dealers in grain, seeds and produce, and in this line continued and became a prosperous merchant. From early manhood he was a Republican and at different times was elected to public office and once was mayor of Bucyrus. In all his enterprises and connections he was honest, reliable and dependable and no man was held in higher esteem by his fellow citizens. He never identified himself with many fraternal of"- ganizations but became interested in the Knights of Honor and was a charter member of this order at Bucyrus and belonged also to the Royal Arcanum. He united early with the Presbyterian church, in which he long served as an elder, and for twenty-one years was superintendent of the Sunday-school.

Mr. Reid was married (first) December 31, 1861, to MissMary E. Modewell, who was born in Crawford county, August 10, 1863, and died when aged 25 years, five months and nine days. Her parents were Adam and Susan (Kelley) Modewell, who were leading people of Bucyrus at that time. Mrs. Reid was survived by one daughter, Anna M., who is a teacher in Honolulu. Mr. Reid's second marriage took place at Bucyrus, August i6, 1864, to Miss Emily McCracken, who was born at Sulphur Springs, Crawford county, in 1844, a daughter of John and Sarah Marian (David) McCracken. The father was born in Wayne county, O., of Scotch-Irish parentage. He came to Bucyrus and here met and married, his wife having been a school teacher here before any school-house was built, having her classes in a part of her uncle's store. Afterward Mr. and Mrs. Mc- Cracken moved to Sulphur Springs and she died there at the age of 41 years. Mr. Mc- Cracken married (second) Mrs. Huldah (Kent) McCullough, and two children were born: Genetta; who is the widow of Robert Colmary and the mother of two children; and Jay, who died at Fort Wayne, Ind., survived by his widow. To the first marriage of Mr. McCracken the following children were born: Rachel, who died in infancy; Margaret, now deceased, who was the wife of David Lewis, also deceased; and Mrs. Reid. John McCracken died at Bucyrus, when more than 60 years of age.

To Mr. and Mrs. Reid the following children were born: Edward George, Margaret, Lathrop Tracy, William Thane, Charles Talmadge, Robert Scott, Susan Mariman, Lois Emily and James McCracken. Edward George Reid was born May 19, 1867, and was educated at Bucyrus. He succeeded his father in business and is a representative citizen of Bucyrus. On April 26, 1898, he enlisted for service in the war with Spain, becoming sergeant-major in the 8th O. Vol. Inf., the other officers being, Capt. M. A. Charlton, Lieut.-Col. (now Senator) Dick, Col. C. V. Hard, of Wooster, O., and May. Edward Follrath, of Bucyrus, O. While with his regiment at Santiago, Cuba, he was prostrated with the yellow fever and he was sent to a hospital, where, through the efficiency of Miss Anna Wheeler, the noble daughter of General

Wheeler, who was giving her services as a nurse, he recovered his health. He was honorably discharged with his regiment in November, 1898, and resumed business, deaHng in grain, hay, seeds and building materials as before the war. He is past commander of Charles Thoman Camp Spanish American War Veterans and is identified with a number of fraternal organizations. Politically he is a Republican and is serving as a member of the school, public parks and library boards and the Board of Health. In 1909 he was married to Miss Maude E. McCarrell and they have one daughter, Mary Emily. Margaret Reid was born June 26, 1868, and died July 1, 1870. Lathrop Tracy Reid was born April 26, 1870, and is an engineer on the L. N. Railroad, resides at Cloverport, Ky., is married and has seven children. William Thane Reid was born December 4, 1871, and died in promising manhood, in California. Charles Talmadge, who was born November 19, 1873, is a commercial traveler with the Hess, Clark Company, resides at Ashland, O., married Virgie Laughbaum and they have two children, Dorothy and Robert. Robert Scott Reid was born July 16, 1876, and is a physician in practice at Ocean Side, Calif., a graduate of the Columbus Medical College in the class of 1897. He married Millie Hoover and they have one daughter, Elizabeth. Susan M. Reid was born July 27, 1879. She is a graduate of Lewis Institute, in the department of Domestic Science, Chicago. She is the wife of J. H. Norton and they live at Riverside, Calif., and have two sons, Richard and John. Lois Emily Reid was born January 30, 1882. She is a trained nurse, a graduate of the Presbyterian Hospital Training School, Chicago. James McCracken Reid was born October 8, 1885, and is a resident of Los Angeles, Calif., where he is connected with the Wells, Fargo Express Company. He married Gertrude Bean. Mrs. Reid and family are all members of the Presbyterian church. She is vice president of the Foreign Missionary Society at Bucyrus.

As printed in History of Crawford County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1912). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.