BIO: John Bradley Reed, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Abby Bowman

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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Pennsylvania A History - Biographical.  George P. Donehoo, Editor-in-Chief.
Chicago/New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Co., Inc., 1928.
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Page 121

JOHN BRADLEY REED - One of the most prominent coal operators of several counties 
in the richest coal regions of Pennsylvania was John Bradley Reed, a pioneer in 
that industry who set many important enterprises going, and an executive in 
banks and land improvement companies.  John B. Reed was born in Huntingdon 
County, Pennsylvania, January 24, 1857, son of J. J. and Ellen (Bradley) Reed, 
natives of Chester County, in that State, and of good Quaker ancestry.  He 
attended the Dudley schools and the West Chester State Normal.

His education completed, Mr. Reed entered the coal business with his father, in 
the Broad Top Mines, and he was made manager of the furnaces at Saxton.  He then 
operated in Clearfield and in Cambria County.  He was put in charge of the 
Bakerton and South Fork mines of the Powell concern, then made general manager 
of the Sterling Coal Company, a position he held throughout the rest of his 
life.  In all Mr. Reed was instrumental in the opening up of eight large 
producing mines, equipped with the latest appliances, including electric 
machines, and mining coal of a superior quality.  It was he who sent out the 
first shipment of coal over the Susquehanna branch of the New York Central 
Railroad.  His other interests were varied, including a part in the organization 
of the Bakerton Water Company, of which he was a director, and of the Bakerton 
Land and Improvement Company, as well as the Indiana Land and Improvement 
Company, which owned 2,800 acres of coal land in Indiana County and a thousand 
in Cambria County.  He was president of the Cambria Title, Savings and Trust 
Company of Ebensburg and vice-president of the Spangler National Bank.  His 
reputation was widespread as one of the best mine superintendents in the State 
and was very popular with the miners.  His active and successful life came to an 
early end on January 31, 1914, when he was fifty-seven years of age.

He was an active Republican, who used all his influence to further the 
temperance movement Prominent in Masonry, he was a member of the lodge in 
Huntingdon, No. 300, Free and Accepted Masons, of Chapter No. 201, of the same 
place, and the Commandery No. 65, Knights Templar.  Although loyal to the faith 
of the Society of Friends, Mr. Reed was a supporter of the Methodist church in 
his town, helping to erect the commodious new church and parsonage.

In 1883 John Bradley Reed married Ida Black, daughter of John W. and Jane M. 
(Greenland) Black, who survives him, living in Huntingdon.  To them was born a 
daughter, Jessie, July 11, 1888.  She married Rev. Harry F. Babcock, a Methodist 
minister of Lewisburg, and they have two children: John Reed, born 1916; Jean, 
born 1920.

Alert, possessed of initiative, imagination and foresight, John Bradley Reed was 
the ideal type of American business man.  His operations, while they benefited 
his own fortunes, proved stimulating to the general progress of the town and 
brought wealth to other individuals.  He was honorable and unselfish, and so 
well liked by equals and employees that few labor troubles disturbed his 
operations.  Further, he was the devoted head of a family and leader in the 
church and all good works, as well as a forward-looking citizen.