Reed, Jacob A.

REED

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 17:27:30

JACOB A. REED
born Jan 9, 1831, Indiana

Jacob A. Reed, deceased, was for many years an honored resident of Warren county, Iowa. Indeed, there were few men here who were better known or more highly respected than he. Unassuming in manner, industrious and honest, and patriotic through and through, he truly merited the high esteem in which he was held. When this country was in the throes of an awful rebellion and volunteers were called upon to go out in protection of the old flag, he was among those who donned the blue and marched to the front, going out as a member of Company K, One Hundred and Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, he having enlisted at Aledo, Mercer county, Illinois. His bravery in action soon won for him promotion to the rank of Corporal. Stricken with disease, he was an invalid for nearly a year, this time being spent in hospital at Jeffersonville, Indiana. Later he followed Sherman to the sea, and his regiment was the first that crossed the Savannah river. On this march his wisdom and good judgment became manifest. Notwithstanding repeated efforts of the command to construct substantial pontoon bridges, their efforts were futile until Mr. Reed, through information obtained from reliable sources, pointed out a spot where material was obtainable and a place suitable to construct the bridge. The army crossed over in safety, though the credit only in part came to Mr. Reed. He felt, however, that he was only doing his duty, and had not another mentioned this incident of his life, it would have failed of record. He came through the war unscathed as far as powder and ball were concerned, but he never was a well man afterward - that is, not equal to the arduous duties of farm life. He was honorably discharged from his command June 6, 1865, at New Washington. The grandfather of Mr. Reed served in the war of 1812, and an odd coincidence is that grandfather and grandson fought on the same ground and camped in the same field! The grandfather was named Jacob Reed. He was born, reared, and married in South Carolina, and partially brought up his family there. From the South he removed to Indiana at an early period in its history, and in the Hoosier State his son Hardin also settled and lived for many years. Hardin Reed was the father of Jacob A., the subject of this sketch. The latter was born in Rush county, Indiana, January 9, 1831. The Reeds are of Welsh and Scotch origin.
In the year 1867 Jacob A. Reed came to Iowa and made settlement in Warren county, purchasing at that time a farm on section 20 of Virginia township, which place continued to be his home for many years. Soon the people of the community learned his true worth and appreciated him for it. His journey to this State was made with a two- horse wagon, and on this trip his little son Frank, then seven years of age, rode horseback from Mercer county, Illinois, to Warren county, Iowa. In the fall of that same year Mr. Reed's father-in-law, James Turner, joined him here.
November 28, 1857, was consummated the marriage of Mr. Jacob A. Reed and Miss Charlotte Turner. Mrs. Reed was born in Lancashire, England, the only daughter of James and Sarah (Greenwood) Turner, poor but respected people. Her father, with the hope of bettering his condition financially, came to America, landing at South Amboy, on the New Jersey coast, after having been storm-tossed on the deep for six long weeks, and from there directing his course to Massachusetts. In the various towns in that State he worked for three years before he could save enough money to send back to England to his wife and daughter and have them join him in America. Their voyage also was a dangerous and difficult one and was six weeks in being accomplished, but finally the family was united at Boston Dock. Mrs. Reed was then a child, and in the schools of Lowell and other Massachusetts towns and cities where they lived she obtained a good education. She is a lady of pleasing address, has a pretty home in New Virginia, and her genial hospitality is one of her well-known characteristics. In the management of his farming operations and as a financier, her husband was a success. In 1890 he retired from the farm, moved to the home his widow now occupies, and ere he had been here long, death called him to his last home. He died January 23, 1891, and is buried in the New Virginia cemetery. James Turner, Mrs. Reed's father, made his home in Des Moines for some time after coming to Iowa. His life was one of toil, but before his death he was enabled to retire on a comfortable competency.
The children of Mr. and Mrs. Reed are seven in number, namely: Frank, a resident of Ida Grove, Ida county, Iowa; Alice Ervin, Warren county; Edd, who owns and occupies the home farm; Elsie, wife of Dr. R. M. Fee, of New Virginia; Scott, who resides in Ida county, Iowa; and Chett and Fannie, who remain with their mother in New Virginia.
Of Mr. Reed it remains to be said that he was a Republican in his political affiliations and that he was an enthusiastic worker in party ranks, but never sought official preferment. While in Illinois, where he resided for a time, he helped to organize the Republican party. During the year he was an invalid and at Jeffersonville, as above stated, he went over to Louisville and was initiated into the mysteries of Freemasonry, in which order he remained a member in good standing up to the time of his death. At his open grave the Masonic brothers gathered round, the solemn occasion being rendered all the more impressive by their beautiful ceremony. He affiliated with the Baptist Church, while Hrs Reed is an Episcopalian. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.439

History of Warren County, Iowa from Its Earliest Settlement to 1908, by Rev. W. C. Martin, Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1908, p.863
JACOB A. REED
Jacob A. Reed, deceased was for many years one of the leading farmers and an honored citizen of Warren County. He was a native of Indiana, born in Rush County, January 9, 1831, and was of Welsh and Scotch descent. His paternal grandfather, who also bore the name of Jacob Reed, was a native of South Carolina, in which state he partially reared his family, but became a resident of Indiana in an early period in its development. There Hardin Reed, the father of our subject, made his home for many years.
In the Hoosier state Jacob A. Reed grew to manhood and on leaving there went to Mercer County, Illinois, where he made his home for some time. It was during this period that the country became involved in Civil War, and, prompted by the spirit of patriotism he enlisted at Aledo as a private of Company K, One Hundred and Second Illinois Volunteer Infantry, but his bravery soon won for him the rank of corporal. He was taken ill while in the service and for about a year was unfitted for active duty, being confined in a hospital at Jeffersonville, Indiana, the most of that time. Later he was with Sherman on the march to the sea and his regiment was the first to cross the Savannah River. The command had made several unsuccessful attempts to construct a substantial pontoon bridge across that stream until at length Mr. Reed pointed out the spot most suitable for such a structure having ob­tained reliable information as to which was the best place. The army was thus enabled to pass over in safety, though the credit only in part came to Mr. Reed. Several times his clothing was pierced by bullets but fortunately he remained uninjured though he never fully recovered from the effects of his army service. At the close of the war he received an honorable discharge at Illinois, June 6, 1865. His paternal grandfather had served in the war of 1812 and it is an odd coincident that both fought on the same ground and camped on the same field.
Before the war Mr. Reed was married November 28, 1857, to Miss Char­lotte Turner, a native of Lancashire, England, and the only daughter of James and Sarah (Greenwood) Turner. With the hope of bettering his finan­cial condition her father came to America, being six long weeks upon the water, during which time the vessel encountered several severe storms but at length Mr. Turner landed in safety at South Amboy, Massachusetts. He worked in various towns of that state for three years before he was able to save money enough to send to England for his wife and daughter. Their voyage was also a dangerous one and they were six weeks upon the water, finally landing at Boston. Mrs. Reed was then but a child and in the schools of Lowell and other Massachusetts towns she obtained a good education.
It was in 1867 that Mr. Reed removed from Illinois to Iowa, making the journey with a two-horse wagon, while his little son, Frank, then only seven years old, rode horseback the entire distance. Choosing Warren County as his future home, he purchased a farm of one hundred and twenty acres on sec­tion 20, Virginia Township, on which he resided for many years, meeting with success in his farming operations. Having obtained a comfortable competence he retired from active labor in 1890 and located in the village of New Vir­ginia, but was not long permitted to enjoy his new home, however, for death claimed him on the 23d of January, 1891, his remains being interred in the New Virginia Cemetery.
The Republican Party found in Mr. Reed a stalwart supporter of its prin­ciples and he took an active interest in public affairs but cared nothing for the honors or emoluments of office. He assisted in organizing his party in Mercer County, Illinois. While still an invalid in the hospital at Jefferson­ville, Indiana, during the Civil War, he went to Louisville, Kentucky, where he was initiated into the mysteries of Free Masonry and remained a member of that order in good standing throughout the remainder of his life. In religious belief he was a Baptist, while his wife held membership with the Episcopal Church. His useful and well spent life gained him the confidence and high regard of all with whom he came in contact and at his death the community mourned the loss of one of its best citizens.