Source: The Biographical Record of Whiteside County, Illinois
Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company - 1900

Transcribed by: Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society
www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com

Pages

321-322

Benjamin Reed, who after a long and well spent life, is now living retired in Sterling, Illinois, was born in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, September 11, 1822, a son of Michael and Mary (Keyser) Reed, also natives of that state. The father, who was quite a prosperous and successful farmer, never came west, but died in Pennsylvania, in 1852. His wife had passed away a few days previous, both dying of cholera during the epidemic of that year. Of the thirteen children born to them, two died in infancy, and the others being Isaac, Hannah, John, Rebecca, William, Susan, Michael, Reuben, Benjamin, Elizabeth and Franklin. Those still living are Michael, a resident of Chambersburg, Pennsylvania; Elizabeth, widow of Dr. Jacob Benedict and also a resident of Chambersburg; and Benjamin, our subject.

Benjamin Reed is  indebted to the public shcools of his native county for his educational privileges. In early life he learned the cabinet maker's trade with John Bush, and worked at the same for thirteen years. Before leaving Pennsylvania, he was married, February 23, 1842, to Miss Harriet Clark, who was born in Franklin county, December 6, 1822, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret (Grub) Clark, life-long residents of Pennsylvania, where the father followed the occupation of farming. In their family were ten children: Margaret, William, Maria, Catherine, Isabella, Harriet, Angeline, Athlinda, Samuel and Adam. Four of the number are still living, namely: Mrs. Angeline Valentie, of Carroll county, Maryland; Mrs. Athlinda Minters, of Waynesboro, Pennsylvaia; Adam, a resident of Maryland; and Mrs. Reed. The father of these children died in 1840, the mother in 1847.

For twelve years after his marriage, Mr. Reed continued to reside in Pennsylvania, working at his trdde, but in the spring of 1854 started for Illinois. He traveled by railroad to Freeport, this state, and from there by stage to Sterling. On his arrival he purchased one hundred and twenty acres of wild prairie land in Hopkins township, and commenced immediately to erect buildings theron and to otherwise improve his place. At that time there were few settlers between Freeport and Sterling and most of the land was still in its primitive condition. Later Mr. Reed purchased fourteen acres of timber land. He continued to successfully engage in general farming and stock raising until 1884, when he removd to Emerson and four years later to Sterling, where he now lives retired from active labor, enjoying a well-earned rest.

To Mr. and Mrs. Reed were born ten children, as follows: (1) Ellen, born October 27, 1843, is the wife of James McDowell, who is now operating our subject's farm in Hopkins township, and they have five children, Mabel, Edna, Nellie, Mary and Josephine. (2) Emma, born June 1, 1845, is the wife of Joseph Bedner, a grocer of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and they have five children, Eva, Gertrude, Catherine, Alice and Anna. (3) Frank, born May 7, 1847, died at the age of six years and six months. (4) George, born January 25, 1849, died at the age of nine years and six months. (5) Kate, born April 13, 1853, is the wife of Joseph Lockhart, who is extensively engaged in the cattle business in Kansas and there owns seven thousand acres of land in one body, besides a number of good farms elsewhere. (6) John, born May 21, 1855, is engaged in farming in Jordan township, this county. He married Emma Carolus and they have three children, Alice, Ada and Clara. (7) Rueben, born August 23, 1858, is a carpenter of Sterling. He married Barbara Kerr, and they have five children, Ethel, Laura, Harriet, Ralph and Glenn. (8) Frank, born January 20, 1861, is living with his parents in Sterlin. (9) Clara, twin sister of Frank, married Frank Taylor, a tinner and cornice maker of Sterling, and they have two children, Benjamin and Helen. (10) Edna, born September 18, 1864, is at home.

Mr. and Mrs. Reed are members of St. John's Lutheran church, of Sterling, and arehighly respected and esteemed by all who know them. Since casting his first presidential vote for James K. Polk he has been a stanch supporter of the Democratic party, and while living on  his farm he filled the office of school director for nine years in a most efficient and satisfactory manner.