Charles L. Reed

REED, POST, STEVENSON, FERGUSON

Posted By: Sharyl Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 3/7/2009 at 11:53:05

Charles L. Reed is one of the most reliable and prominent citizens of Longmont, and has achieved his present standing here entirely by his own efforts and integrity. Coming to the state in 1877, he worked his way from a grocers' clerk to his present honorable position, that of city clerk and superintendent of the water works, and the probity of his public life will admit of no question.

Mr. Reed was born in Clayton County, Iowa, May 17, 1859, his parents being Josiah D. and Lydia (Post) Reed, and his grandfather, Samuel Reed, formerly of Indiana, but later of Iowa, where he died. Josiah D. Reed was born in Indiana, and became a merchant of Clayton County, Iowa, but afterwards followed farming in Dodge County, Minn., where he died in 1873. He married Lydia Post, a native of New York. Her father, Joel Post, came from New York and settled on a farm in Iowa, half way between Prairie du Chien and Fort Atkinson, Iowa. There he kept a government station, which afterwards took the name of Postville, in honor of him, his farm being the present village site. His wife, who was a Miss Stevenson, survived him and continued living in the same place until her death, in 1883, at the advanced age of seventy-six. Mrs. Reed now resides in Longmont. She was the mother of eight children, five of whom, four daughters and one son, grew to adult years.

Of these Mr. Reed was second in order of birth. When four years of age he was taken by his parents to Dodge County, Minn., where he attended public school until he was fourteen. On the death of his father the family returned to Postville. He attended the high school at that place until 1877, when he decided to try his fortune in a more western state, and came to Colorado, locating at first on Ralston Creek, near Golden City, where he spent two years in farming. Not finding this employment congenial to his taste, he moved to Longmont and was clerk in the grocery store of R.M. Hubbard until December, 1883. At that time Mr. Hubbard was appointed postmaster, having the office in his store, and our subject was made his deputy, with such satisfaction to the patrons of the office that he was continued in that capacity under the administration of Dr. J.J. Topliff, from 1886 to 1890, and succeeded the latter as postmaster, serving until 1894, when he in turn was succeeded by A.C. Oviatt.

In 1896 when A.C. Oviatt died, his bondsmen selected Mr. Reed to take charge of the office until a new appointment could be made. He was appointed city clerk and superintendent of the water works in April, 1895, by the board of trustees, and was re-appointed each year until 1898, when Longmont became a city of the second class and the office became elective. He was then elected, without opposition, as city clerk, and the board of aldermen appointed him superintendent of the water works. He has charge of the collection of the water rents and licenses, etc. The works are supplied with over twenty-two miles of mains, two reservoirs and five hundred and seventy-five taps.

In 1886 Mr. Reed married Miss Sallie E. Ferguson, who was born in Missouri. She was a daughter of Horace W. Ferguson, who located in Weld County, this state, in 1871, and was an extensive stock trader. Four children have blessed their home: Louise, Mabel, Charles and Roland.

Mr. Reed has always been prominently identified with the Republican party, and is now a strong silver Republican.

~source: Portrait and Biographical Record of Denver and Vicinity, Colorado: Containing Portraits and Biographies of many well known Citizens of the Past and Present; Together with Biographies and Portraits of all the Presidents of the United States (1898); Chicago: Chapman Pub. Co.; pg. 1168-1169