Harrison County Iowa Genealogy

HISTORY OF HARRISON COUNTY, IOWA, 1891
BIOGRAPHIES
Page 415
WILLIAM REED

William REED, one of the later settlers of Harrison County, located at the village of Persia in the spring of 1882, engaging at blacksmithing. At that time there was nothing to mark a town site, aside from McWilliams' store, the hotel and blacksmith shop -- the latter being run by Mr. Peterson. Mr. REED's family was the second family to locate in the place. He built a shop during that winter, which was 14x20 feet, but subsequently made an addition making his shop 20x44 feet. He also has a good dwelling on the place.

Our subject was born at Waterloo, Canada, March 10, 1837, and when he was twelve years old, his parents removed to Port Huron, Mich., and there remained about eight years, then removed to Saginaw County, Mich., where the family lived until 1862, when our subject came to McHenry County, Ill. Was there five years, at which time he went back to the Wolverine State, remaining until July 1870, then went by team to Kansas and Colorado, but finding nothing to suit him, he came back to Clay County Mo., amid from there to Fort Scott, Kan., where he was laid up two months by illness. We next find him in McDonough County, Ill., working at the blacksmithing trade, at the town of Macomb, where he remained six years, then came to Pottawattamie County, Iowa, lived on a rented farm one year, and from there moved over into Shelby County, where he lived a year, and then became a resident of Persia.

He was first united in marriage at Grand Haven, Mich., July 13, 1868 to Miss Alvira GREENE by whom three children were born -- Mary, Warner and James; the latter is deceased. His wife died in McDonough County, Ill. Mr. REED married for his second wife Vinia HARVEY, of Macomb, Ill., by whom two children were born -- Essie and Charles M. Their mother died in Pottawattamie County, April 9, 1880, and four years later, January 28, 1884, Mr. REED married Miss Lizzie JOHNSON, of Harrison County, who was born in Denmark, August 11, 1854 and came direct to Shelby County, Iowa, May 1881. By this marriage one child was born -- Eddie, born September 5, 1885.

Mr. and Mrs. REED are consistent members of the Church of Latter Day Saints, uniting June 8, 1887. Three of their children -- Essie, Christina, and Charles are also members.

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