REED, Charles, M.D. - 1890 Bio (1812-1899)

REED, DIVER, GIBBS, CANFIELD, CLARK, ZACHOS, BLICHENSDERFER

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 8/22/2007 at 17:20:45

Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties, Iowa, Printed 1890 by Lake City Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 210-212

Charles REED, M. D., of Fairfield, who for many years engaged in farming in Jefferson County, but is now living a retired life, is a self-made man in every respect, and it is with pleasure that we present to the readers of the 'Album' this brief sketch of his life, which is as follows. He was born in Portage County, Ohio, June 18, 1812, on the day that the United States declared war against Great Britain. The REED family is an old Scotch (sic) family that settled in New England at an early day. His father, Charles REED, was born in Ellington Conn., May 1, 1783, and was reared to farm life, which he ever afterterwards (sic) followed. He wedded Rejoice DIVER, who was born April 30, 1790, in Blandford, Mass., and was of Holland descent. With their respective families both emigrated to the Western Reserve, and settled in Portage County, where, on the 6th of July, 1806, they were married. They began their domestic life upon a farm, and Mr. REED became a successful farmer and stock-raiser, owning considerable tracts of land beside valuable stock. He served his country in the War of 1812, and in political sentiment was a Jackson Democrat, but when his boys grew up they all became Whigs, and he joined them, politically, and afterward supported the Republican party. Both he and his wife were members of the Methodist Church and both died on the old homestead farm in Portage County. The wife was called to her final rest July 12, 1867, and while caring for her grave he contracted a severe cold, which terminated his earthly career on the 4th of September. They were the parents of ten children, but of that once numerous family only two are now living -- the Doctor, and Harriet, wife of Dr. Jonathan GIBBS. One brother, Dr. Silas REED, formerly of St. Louis, Mo., was appointed Surveyor General for Missouri and Iowa, by President W. H. Harrison, subsequently served as a surgeon in the late war and during President Grant's administration was appointed Surveyor for Wyoming.

Our subject was the third child of the family. On his father's farm the days of his boyhood and youth were spent, and until seventeen years of age he attended the common schools, when he entered an academy at Middlebury, Ohio. On the completion of his academic education he began fitting himself for the medical profession by reading for three years in Deerfield and Canton. He then took his first course of lectures at the Medical College of Ohio, in Cincinnati. When he first went to that city he had but a few dollars acquired by teaching school, but cholera broke out, and he had all the practice he could attend to, so that in the fall when college opened he had a nice little sum accumulated. In the spring of 1835 he was graduated from the Cincinnati Medical College, after which he opened an office in New Philadelphia, Ohio, where he practiced successfully for thirteen years. He then removed to Massillon, Ohio, where he continued to engage in professional work until his emigration to Iowa.

In New Philadelphia, on the 3d of February, 1839, Dr. REED was joined in wedlock with Anna C. CANFIELD, who was born in that place, January 8, 1819, and is a daughter of George W. and Kittie A. (CLARK) CANFIELD. Her father was born in Moristown, N. J., November 7, 1793, and her mother in Wellsburg, Va., December 27, 1798. They became acquainted after their emigration to Ohio and were united in marriage March 10, 1818. Mr. CANFIELD was a man who stood high in the community and took a prominent part in all local affairs. He was a Whig in political sentiment and for many years held the offices of Clerk of the Court and Recorder. He died on the 26th of October, 1826, after which his widow was appointed Postmistress of New Philadelphia, by Gen. Jackson, holding the office for twenty-five years, at the expiration of which time she resigned. She spent her last days with her children and departed this life in Erie, Pa., July 11, 1861. The daughters of the family, three in number, still live, but the only son is now deceased. The sisters of Mrs. REED are: Harriet, wife of Prof. J. C. ZACHOS, a native of Greece; and Catherine M., wife of Nathan BLICHENSDERFER.

In 1855, abandoning his profession on account of failing health, Dr. REED sought a new home in Iowa. It was his intention to locate at Des Moines, but, stopping over Sunday with Thomas Mitchell, of Mitchellville, he learned of a good farm within a mile and a half of the city of Fairfield and made purchase of about six hundred acres, for which he paid $10,000. The farm was noted for its many fine improvements of that early time, to which the Doctor also added. In 1856 he located on his purchase, where he made his home until 1881, when he removed to Fairfield, selling the farm for twice what he paid for it, or $20,000.

To Mr. and Mrs. REED were born six children -- Charles J., who was married and died at the age of forty-four years, leaving two children, served some six years as Government Surveyor; Mary H. died at the age of nine years; George C., who is engaged in banking in Yuma, Col.; Frederick P. is a miller of Ashford, Neb.; Frank W. is engaged in the banking business with his brother George; and the Rev. Elmer E. is a minister in the Presbyterian Church. Both the Doctor and his wife are members of that church, and in politics he is now a Republican. He cast his first Presidential vote for the Whig candidate in 1836, and continued to support that party until its dissolution. The career of Dr. REED is in many ways worthy of emulation, especially the exercise of such characteristics as perseverance, energy and zeal, which have marked his entire life. He entered upon manhood with no capital; he made his own way through college; he began his business career without the aid of influential friends and, step by step, he climbed steadily upward until he has reached an enviable position in the esteem of his fellow-citizens. While engaged in the practice of medicine he was ever found in the front rank of his professional brethren, and as a farmer, he was distinguished by an energy and industry which made his home an object of interest and attractiveness to all passers-by.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.