My Genealogy Hound

James H. Reed, superintendent of the United States court-house and post-office, was born in Crawford County, Ark., in 1836, and is a son of Jesse and Sarah (Lloyd) Reed. The former was of Irish descent, and born in McNairy County, Tenn. He was a builder and brick-layer by trade, and in 1839 came to Fort Smith, where he was engaged in building the garrison. In 1883 he, in company with his elder brothers, Hamilton and Stephen, left Memphis and traveled to Little Rock on foot. Gradually journeying west, they came to Fort Smith in the year 1839, as above stated. Passing his youth here, James H. learned his father’s trade, since which time he has erected a large number of buildings, among which are the Arkansas Industrial University, of Fayetteville, the Commercial Bank, the Hotel, Main Block and McKibben Hotel and residence, the Opera House and the Morrison Building. He superintended the building of the United States jail and court-house, and has probably erected more buildings than any other man in Fort Smith. During the war he enlisted in the Confederate service, and for six months served as lieutenant in Reed’s Battery, under Gen. Benjamin McCullough. He afterward joined the infantry, and served until the close of the war. His first battle was at Elk Horn. Mr. Reed has seen Fort Smith grow from a small settlement into a thriving town. He lighted the first gas lamp in the place, and opened the first mail received in the post-office here. He served in the town council some time, and was assistant postmaster two years. He was united in marriage here to Miss Martha Talula Marshall, a native of Georgia, by whom he has one daughter, Elizabeth, wife of George R. Cook. Mrs. and Mrs. Reed belong to the Presbyterian Church, and he is a member of the Blue Lodge in Masonry.