REED, Wilbur 1872-1936

REED, DOYEN

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/12/2010 at 11:48:30

W. E. Reed Dies At Daughter's Home In West Virginia

W. E. Reed died at the home of his daughter in Charleston, West Virginia, Sunday night after an illness of but a few weeks. He left Wellsburg about Nov. 1 for West Virginia, expecting to remain at his daughter's home until spring when his plans were to return to Iowa.

The body was sent to Wellsburg for burial and it arrived here Wednesday. The daughter came here with her father's remains. Funeral services will be held at Wellsburg Thursday afternoon. Burial will be by the side of his wife in the Wellsburg cemetery.

Mr. Reed was 65 years old. He came to Wellsburg about 35 years ago and for three years he taught school in the country and in town. He was employed for a year after that with a harvester company. He then built the first telephone exchange in Wellsburg and owned and operated it for several years. It was while he was operating the telephone exchange that he started the Wellsburg Herald. That was some 30 years ago. During the same time he served as postmaster at Wellsburg. After having completed part of his second term as postmaster he resigned. He was succeeded by H. A. Schmitt who completed his term. He served two terms as mayor of Wellsburg. About the time he resigned as postmaster he also sold his paper at Wellsburg and shortly after he and his family moved to West Bend where Mr. Reed entered into the grain and coal business. His wife died three years ago. Shortly after that he came to Wellsburg and has been making his home here with the Doyen family until he left last November to spend the winter with his daughter.

Mr. Reed married Miss Amanda Doyen at Wellsburg about 30 years ago and they began housekeeping here.

There are four surviving children. There were two daughters, both of whom are married. One resides in Storm Lake and the other in West Virginia. The one son, Sheridan, lives in Storm Lake, Sherman lives in Waterloo.

--Feb 1936

Reed Funeral Rites Held at Wellsburg

Funeral services for Wilbur Eugene Reed, 64, who built the first telephone exchange, founded the first newspaper and served as mayor and postmaster of Wellsburg, were conducted here Friday. He came to Wellsburg about 35 years ago and left here for West Bend about 10 years later, then went to Ft Dodge in 1922, later living in Elberon and Belle Plaine. His death occurred in Charleston, W. VA at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Leo Aschenbrenner.

--Waterloo Sunday Courier (Waterloo, Iowa), 1 March 1936

[born Dec. 2, 1872, died Feb. 16, 1936, buried Feb. 20, 1936]