My Genealogy Hound

WILLIAM REED, farmer and proprietor of Reed’s saw-mill; P. O. Greenville; another of our self-made men, born in the county of Antrim, Ireland, Dec. 14, 1831, where he obtained his education in the subscription schools, and followed farming and weaving until 18 years of age, when he emigrated to America, landing in New York in 1849; coming directly West, he followed various persuits for a time in Michigan, and after a few years’ residence in Missouri and Indiana, came to Ohio, and until 1861, was employed in farming and working in saw mills in Hamilton Co.; in 1861, he came to Darke Co. and located in Neave Township; in 1872, he located upon his present place, and purchased 160 acres to which he has since added until he now owns 230 acres, and has brought a large part of the same, which was at the time a howling wilderness, to a good state of cultivation, by his own hard labor; he erected his steam saw-mill in 1872, and has since successfully run the saw-mill in connection with farming; Mr. Reed arrived in New York with very little money, and was robbed of all save one penny; he then borrowed the means to take him to Michigan, and paid the same back from his wages at $15 per month; the writer of this article has been informed by friends of the above gentleman of the misfortunes of Mr. Reed in losing a large part of his hard earnings by the “sharp” (?) practice of a certain professional gentleman; in 1876, he visited the land of his birth; during the voyage, in the steamer Scotland, they ran into and sank another vessel near Sandy Hook; returning in the city of Antwerp, he also experienced another accident of the same nature. Wm. Reed and Sarah Lowery, were married March 18, 1867; she died June 5, 1874; four sons were the fruit of this union, viz. : John R., born March 11, 1868; William H., Nov. 1, 1869; David L., Jan. 7, 1872; Clifford, May 25, 1874; his marriage with Christiana Howard was celebrated Sep. 22, 1876; she was born in Preble Co., Ohio, Aug. 1, 1846; they had two children by this union—Walter H., born March 19, 1878, and an infant born Oct. 22, 1879. Mr. Reed was raised a Presbyterian, his first wife being of the same belief, his present wife being a member of the Christian Church; the mother of Mrs. Reed was a daughter of John Porter, who was born in Pennsylvania and removed to Kentucky in 1830, thence to Darke Co. at a very early day, living here several years, and died in Kentucky in 1846.