BIOGRAPHY: Samuel Lemon REED, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 229-31
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SAMUEL LEMON REED, ESQ., a rising and progressive young attorney-at-law of 
Ebensburg, who, from the energy and ability already displayed, is destined to 
figure conspicuously among the attorneys of the State of Pennsylvania, is a son 
of Samuel and Ella (Simpson) Reed, and was born March 13, 1864, in Blacklick 
township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania.
     William Reed (grandfather) was a native of Connecticut, and, like many of 
the New Englanders, was a sailor in early life, but relinquished that 
occupation, and migrated to Cambria county, settling upon a tract of land 
situated on the old Clay Pike, In Cambria township. At that time that section of 
the country was sparsely populated, and the improvements were very slight, 
consisting usually of a patch of cleared land, and there with a log hut or a 
cabin rudely constructed upon it as the habitation of the early settlers. Mr. 
Reed was a pioneer, and set about with that enterprising spirit which is 
characteristic of the New Englanders, to clear up and convert the forests into a 
home, a fit place for the dwelling of man. He passed through the trials and 
hardships incident to a pioneer life, but, by unyielding and indefatigable 
efforts, succeed in clearing up a good farm and establishing a comfortable home. 
He died in 1846, aged fifty-six years, having had the pleasure of witnessing a 
complete metamorphosis of the country. The forest which was originally inhabited 
by wild beasts and wilder men - the savage Indians - was transformed into 
productive farms, yielding up bountiful harvests; and the cabins were supplanted 
by beautiful houses, constructed in modern style of architecture, with 
comfortable and commodious furnishings.
     Mr. Reed served in the war of 1812-15, under the command of General William 
Henry Harrison, and was a valiant soldier. He was a pioneer of Methodism, and 
his home was headquarters not only for the ministers of his own church, but for 
all other denominations as well, and services were frequently held in the house, 
prior to the construction of churches in that section. Politically he was an 
old-line whig, and was looked upon as the leader in his neighborhood in 
religion, politics and business, his neighbors frequently seeking his advice and 
opinion on these and various other subjects.
     Samuel Reed (father) was born upon the old Reed homestead in 1824, the year 
in which Lafayette visited America. He obtained such education as the public 
schools of his day afforded, and then engaged in agricultural pursuits, together 
with stock-raising and droving, his life avocations. Through the purchase of his 
brother's and sister's interest he became the owner of the old homestead, upon 
which he resided all his life, his death occurring March 14, 1890. He was a 
successful business man, acquiring an ample competency for his time. He was a 
consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, of which he was class-
leader, and of whose Sabbath-school he was superintendent. A loyal and staunch 
republican, he always took an active part in the organization and work of his 
party, usually representing his precinct in the county conventions. He was a 
strong advocate for the free-school system, believed in the education of the 
masses, and for many years served as a member of the school board. A man in whom 
the people reposed the most implicit confidence, he filled all the local offices 
of his township, but never sought political preferment. He was a soldier in the 
late war; enlisted in 1864 in company I, Two Hundred and Eleventh regiment, 
Pennsylvania Volunteer infantry; served to the close of that conflict, and was a 
member of John A. Jones Post, G. A. R.
     Mr. Reed married first Christina Orner, and they were the parents of three 
children: Arabella, wedded George W. Strong, of Tyrone, this State; Tillie J., 
deceased, was the wife of Aaron Rishel; and one that died in infancy. His second 
and last matrimonial alliance was with Ellen Simpson and resulted in the birth 
of nine children: Annie, married George Martis, a farmer of Blacklick township, 
Etta E., wedded J. C. Rishel, a merchant, of Punxsutawney, Jefferson county, 
this State; Samuel I., is the subject of this biography; Kate B. became the wife 
of James C. Raulston, a farmer of Indiana county, this State; Sofa E. married 
William Gillispie, a merchant of Strongtown, Indiana county; Lizzie C. is the 
wife of Curtis McDonald, an engineer running on the Pennsylvania railroad, and 
residing at Conemaugh, this county; Aramita died young; and Tillie and Theresa 
are at home.
     Samuel Lemon Reed wedded, October 18, 1893, Elizabeth Evans, a daughter of 
the late John O. Evans, of Ebensburg. He was educated in the public schools, the 
Ebensburg academy, and an academy at Strongtown, Indiana county. Having obtained 
a good academic education, he engaged in teaching for a period of seven years. 
He taught in his native township, where, by reason of his superior talent as an 
instructor, his salary was increased each succeeding year in order to retain his 
valuable services. In 1888 he went before the board of examiners, and passed 
successfully the preliminary law examination, and immediately entered upon the 
study of law, under the preceptorship of the late George M. Reed. Naturally 
possessed of a legal turn of mind and close, studious habits, he made rapid 
progress in his studies, and in July, 1890, was admitted to the bar of Cambria 
county. The two succeeding years he practiced alone; but, upon the death of his 
preceptor, in 1892, formed a partnership with Mathiot Reade, which partnership 
has continued up to the present time, 1896.
     Politically he is a republican; religiously a member of the Methodist 
Episcopal church, and fraternally a member of Lieutenant Hugh Jones Post, No. 
227, Sons of Veterans, at Ebensburg.
     Mr. Reed, in connection with Wm. L. Reed, of Johnstown, has secured a 
patent upon a Railway Gate below described. "This improvement relates to certain 
improvements in railway gates, such as are employed at crossings, etc., to close 
the road on the approach and passing of a train; and the object of the invention 
is to provide a device, simple in character and inexpensive in construction, 
which shall be adapted to be operated automatically by the train as it 
approaches the crossing in such a way as to close the gates, the device being so 
arranged that the gates are also automatically opened when the train has passed 
the crossing.”