Isaac W. Reed

REED, BREWER, JOHNSON, RANDOLPH

Posted By: Marthann Kohl-Fuhs (email)
Date: 5/13/2009 at 15:45:16

1889 BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF
SHELBY AND AUDUBON COUNTIES, IOWA
W. S. DUNBAR & CO., PUBLISHERS
113 ADAMS STREET, CHICAGO

pages 773-774

ISAAC W. REED, of the firm of Reed
Brothers, extensive farmers and dealers in
live-stock, has been a resident of Audubon
County since 1883. He is the second of a
family of eleven children, eight of whom sur-
vive. The father, John Reed, is a native of
Pennsylvania, arid was born in 1812. The
mother, Mary (Brewer) Reed, was born in
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, and
after her marriage to John Reed they came
to Poweshiek County, Iowa, and settled near
Montezuma, where they remained until 1883,
when they came to Audubon County. They
now reside in Leroy Township. Isaac W.
Reed was born in Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania, August 4, 1857, and at the age
of twelve years came to Poweshiek County,
Iowa, with his parents. He received the ad.
vantages of a district school education, and
was thoroughly drilled in the details and
management of a farm. He remained with
his parents until his majority, when he formed
a partnership with his brother, John J. Reed,
under the firm name of Reed Brothers. They
began farming by renting the farm of C. H.
Cross for six years. In the spring of 1889
they rented and moved to the farm of John
C. Bonwell, which covers 720 acres. They
have the farm well stocked, and employ three
men, and run five teams during the busy sea-
son. In the season of 1888 they raised 10,
000 bushels of corn. They fatten from fifty
to 100 head of cattle annually. The Reed
Brothers are very successful farmers, devoting
their whole time to the business. The grand-
father of Isaac W. Reed was Isaac Reed, who
removed from beyond the Alleghany Mount-
ains and settled in Westmoreland County,
Pennsylvania, at an early day. He was de-
scended from an old English family, three
or four generations of whom were born in
America. Isaac Reed married Miss Jannett
Johnson, and reared a family of twelve chil-
dren. The mother of Isaac W. Reed, Mary
(Brewer) Reed, is a daughter of Henry
Brewer, of German descent, and Mary (Ran-
dolph) Brewer, who reared a large family.
Mary (Brewer) Reed was born March 22,
1819, and is the mother of twelve children,
eight of whom are living -- James Z., John J.
and Isaac W. (twins), William, Herman E.,
A. C., Mary E., Harriet M., and four who
died in childhood. Isaac Reed, the grand-
father of Isaac W., was a spy during the
Indian troubles in the early settlement of
Pennsylvania.