Reed, Vashti & son Thomas died 1860

REED, READ, WELLS, PREECE

Posted By: Audrey Haught, volunteer
Date: 5/11/2015 at 19:09:48

Died, at Garnavillo, on Sunday September 16th, 1860, Thomas Moore, elder son of Vashti V. and D.M. Reed, aged 3 years, 11 months and 14 days.

Is it said that “misfortunes seldom come single,” and so it seem afflictions. Just two weeks previous to the death of his only child, Dr. Reed consigned to their last resting place, the mortal remains of a lovely and beloved wife, who, by the purity of her life, the sweetness and amiability of her disposition, won the esteem and affections of all who were so fortunate as to make her acquaintance.

The Rev. Mr. Wells, who had been acquainted with her from infancy, said at his discourse at her funeral, that, ‘though an old man, he had never found one to compare with her, in purity of life, and loveliness of character.” And proportionate to her virtues, was the bereavement to her widowed husband, and to the community.

Yet he still had left to him the object of their mutual affections and care – the bright and sweet tempered “Little Moore.” But alas! For yearning hearts! The great change called death, liberated his beautiful spirit from clay tenement, and it was wafted away on wings of love to the arms of its mother, and the bosom of its savior.

Deep and profound is the sympathy felt for Dr. Reed in his double bereavement.

No relatives are here to mingle their tears with his; but many friends – and especially Mr. and Mrs. Preece, by whom ‘Little Moore” was cherished by parental affections-unite their grief with his, and swell the sad throng of mourners.

“Suffer little children to come unto me and forbid them not, for such is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Clayton County Journal: September 20, 1860

Note: the 1856 Iowa State census, Garnavillo twp. enumerates D.M. Read, physician, age 23, born PA; and his wife Vesta, age 19. They are close neighbors of James Preece & his wife Elizabeth.

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Added by S. Ferrall on 1/20/2023:
Reed, Veshti / Vesta died 1860

DIED - At Garnavillo, on Thursday, Aug. 30th, wife of Doctor Reed, aged about 24 years.

We learn from citizens of Garnavillo that the death of this estimable lady was mourned by the whole village and vicinity. All faces were marked with affliction. Mrs. Reed was of Virginia, and had not been many years in Iowa, but her excellence as a neighbor, her kindness as a friend, her ready hand of assistance and her smile of encouragement to the sick and afflicted had bound her to her acquaintances by fluks of love which will remain bright as her pure spirit, to long as memory remains.

~Weekly North Iowa Times, Wednesday, September 5, 1860; pg 2
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Notes: She was the 1st wife of Dr. David M. Reed