BIO: William REED, Huntingdon County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JO

Copyright 2008.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm 
**********************************************************
__________________________________________________________________  

Commemorative Biographical Encyclopedia of the Juniata Valley: 
Comprising the Counties of Huntingdon, Mifflin, Juniata and Perry, 
Pennsylvania, Containing Sketches of Prominent and Representative 
Citizens and Many of the Early Settlers.  Chambersburg, Pa.: J. M. 
Runk & Co., 1897, pages 260-261.
__________________________________________________________________ 

  WILLIAM REED, Marklesburg (P. O. James Creek), Huntingdon county, 
Pa., was born near Rainsburg, Bedford county, Pa., February 11, 1826. 
He is the son of George and Ellen (Hessiser) Reed. George Reed was of 
German descent; he was a farmer and hotel keeper of Bedford, a native 
of that county, where his wife was also born. William is their only 
child. George Reed died in Bedford county. He was a member of the 
Lutheran church. Mrs. Reed was married again, to Jacob Skyles; they had 
twelve children: Delilah (Mrs. Charles McCalifs), Altoona, Pa.; Mary 
(Mrs. John May), of Martinsburg, Blair county, Pa.; James, residing at 
Martinsburg; Rev. Nehemiah, a pastor of the Reformed church; John, 
farmer, of Blair county; Jane, widow of Z. Richards, of Everett, 
Bedford county; Ellen, deceased; Elizabeth; Calvin, saddler, of 
Martinsburg; three who died in infancy. Mrs. Skyles, now verging on 
four score and ten, still lives in Martinsburg.
  William Reed attended the schools of Martinsburg, Blair county, and 
began business by doing farm work, at the age of seventeen. He learned 
harness-making with his step-father, and worked at that trade until 
April, 1851, in Martinsburg; he then removed to Marklesburg, and began 
business on his own account as a saddler and harness-maker, in which 
occupation he has since continued. He has by diligent attention to 
business and honorable dealing, attained to a very fair measure of 
success. He has built two dwellings in Marklesburg, his own residence, 
which cost $1,600, and is a very desirable house, and another, at a 
cost of $1,000, besides a workshop. Mr. Reed belonged to that patriotic 
band, so largely made up of the hardy youth of Penn township, which 
went from Marklesburg in September, 1861, Company C, of the Fifty-third 
Pennsylvania Volunteers, Colonel Brooke, and Capt. (Dr.) J. H. 
Wintrode, and in which Mr. Reed enlisted on the 17th of that month. He 
took part in the battles of the Wilderness, of Antietam, and of 
Fredericksburg, in the Seven Days Fight, and at Richmond, in short in 
all the engagements fought by the army of the Potomac. He was ill for a 
short time during his period of enlistment, but was not in the 
hospital. After spending three years in the service, he received his 
discharge at Petersburg, in 1864, and returned to continue work at his 
trade. Mr. Reed belongs to George Simpson Post, No. 44, G.A.R., of 
Huntingdon. He was formerly a member of the I.O.O.F. He has served for 
a number of years as councilman; was for nine years a school director; 
supervisor of roads for one term, and burgess for one term, always 
having been elected on the Republican ticket.
  William Reed was married in Blair county, in 1850, to Nancy, daughter 
of B. Young, a farmer of that county, of German descent. Their children 
are: Mary E., deceased; William H., at Harrisburg; George, deceased; 
John, deceased; Annie (Mrs. B. F. Grove), of Saxton, Bedford county, 
Pa.; and Harvey A., of Kansas City, Mo. Mr. Reed is a member of the 
Lutheran church, and was a teacher in the Sunday-school.