Obituary of John Oliver Reed, Shelby County, Illinois Source Unknown Died - about half-past seven o'clock Thursday evening, November 14th, 1872, John Oliver Reed. The deceased was born in Shelby county, Ill., January 30th, 1843, and lived within a few miles of his birth place till death. He always had many good traits, but especially for the last few months of his life he leaves a beautiful record and blessed influence. Before a large congregation at the Basket Meeting at Oak Grove last summer he confessed his faith in the Christian religion and was admitted into the fellowship of the liberal Christian society at Oak Grove Chapel. Mr. Reed made the first and last public speech of his life on that occasion, but it was a speech long to be remembered. All hearts were melted in sympathy, and his relatives and most intimate friends wondered at his freedom and eloquence, and men said, "Surely John Reed could not speak so unless moved by a higher Power". Those of us who heard him then and witnessed the tender and true life he lived thereafter, and the patience and sweetness of spirit with which he bore his bodily affliction and those who stood around his bed heard his sensible, hopeful and affectionate words amid the last agonies of death, will not soon forget his memory. "Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord". --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Susan Reed-Potts (© 1997 Susan Potts ) USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other presentation. Material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material, *and* permission is obtained from the contributor of the file. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------