Charles Reed Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 510-511

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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CHARLES REED, a retired merchant who has been one of the central 
figures in the upbuilding of Huron, South Dakota, and who now resides 
in that city, was born in Herkimer county, New York, September 8, 1826. 
His parents, Benjamin and Matilda (Hobert) Reed, moved from their 
native state, Massachusetts, and settled in New York soon after their 
marriage, and it was in the Empire state their children, nine in 
number, were born, of whom our subject is the youngest. His father was 
well educated and had taught school and our subject was afforded a good 
education.  

When nineteen years of age Mr. Reed engaged in the grocery business in 
Little Lake, Herkimer county, New York, doing business in the name of a 
chosen guardian, until he reached his majority, when he branched into 
general merchandise and carried on business at Penn Yan, New York, 
afterward at Richfield Springs, New York, and finally settled in 
Rochelle, Illinois, en-joying an extensive retail business for twenty-
five years, and dealing on the board of trade. Meeting with business 
reverses, he went to Dakota, and with the remnants of his fortune, 
located in Huron, May 17, 1880. Huron was then considered a favorable 
contestant for the location of the capital of the new state, and Mr. 
Reed invested in real estate. He filed on a pre-emption, which he sold, 
and in 1881 purchased a relinquishment, and filed a homestead claim on 
the quarter-section to the south of Huron, adjoining the city, and 
during the summer of 1880 erected the frame store building located on 
the corner of Dakota avenue and Third street, and now occupied. by a 
drug store. This was one of the first buildings erected in the city, 
but was rapidly followed by others, of which Mr. Reed and his son-in-
law were the most extensive owners. They purchased town lots and on 
them built small offices and stores for rent, some of which are still 
standing. They were the principal owners of the property on Third 
street. The best hotel in Huron during the early days, was a small 
office, with beds on the floor, but better accommodations were soon 
afforded by more commodious buildings. In 1890 our subject invested in 
real estate in Salt Lake City, Utah, and still retains some interests 
there. His present home in Huron was purchased in 1895 and is one of 
the handsomest residences of the city. He is now -living retired from 
active labors, although engaged in real estate interests to some 
extent. Mr. Reed was married in 1850 to Miss Mary E. Sternberg, a 
native of New York, but of German descent. Mr. and Mrs. Reed have been 
the parents of two children, Ina, deceased, and Fannie Maude, Mrs. H. 
D. Judson, deceased, in 1880.  

He is politically a Democrat, favors high license, and opposes woman's 
suffrage. He is a member of the Masonic fraternity and has taken the 
Masonic degrees up to the Mystic Shrine. He is a public-spirited 
citizen and respected by all, and when actively engaged in business was 
one of the foremost to aid, by money contributions and labor, every 
enterprise for the public welfare.