Wilmington L. Reed

As printed in 1907

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 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.