Labette County Biographies
From the "Portrait and Biographical Record of Southeastern Kansas"
Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1894
DAVID V. REED. Labette County is peculiarly fortunate in having been settled
by intelligent and enterprising men, who
from the first evidently "came to stay,"
and at once identified themselves with the interests
and progress of this section of the country. They
brought with them their capital and their families,
and have formed the bone and sinew which have
amid dangers and difficulties set in motion the car
of progress and insured the prosperity of one of the
most valuable tracts of country on the western
continent. These thoughts are involuntarily suggested in contemplating the career of the subject
of this sketch.
Mr. Reed is a farmer and stock-raiser of this
county, and resides on section 18, Liberty Township. He was born Union County, Ohio, in 1843,
and was the fourth in a family of five children
born to James and Fannie (McWilliams) Reed,
both natives of Ohio. When David was but a
child his parents removed to the west, locating in
Lucas County, Iowa, and there David grew to
manhood.
At the breaking out of the late war, in August,
1862, Mr. Reed enlisted in the army, and was enrolled as a member of Company K, Thirty-fourth
Iowa Volunteer Infantry, and served until the
close of the war, taking part in the battles of
Vicksburg and Blakely, Ala. He was under the
command of Grant and Sherman, and participated
in the engagements at Ft. Donelson and Ft.
Gaines, besides taking part in many other battles of
a lesser nature. Mr. Reed served valiantly and
was mustered out of service in Texas in 1865.
Returning to Iowa, our subject remained there
until 1867, when, desiring to try the larger opportunities of Kansas,
he came to Labette County,
and settled the claim where he now resides, it
being the first claim taken up on the prairie. He
is the owner of one section of land, and at one
time dealt extensively in stock, but now devotes
almost his entire attention to farming. Mr. Reed
came to the county a poor man, but by close attention to business he has amassed what he now
has.
Mr. Reed was married in this county in 1871,
to Miss Mary, daughter of Theron Collins, who
came to Kansas from New York in the spring of
1868, but has since died. A brother and sister of Mr.
Reed are now residents of this county. Mr. Reed,
politically, votes the straight Republican ticket,
but has never aspired to office. Socially he is
not connected with secret societies.
Return to Labette Co. KHHP
|
This website created September 18, 2011 by Sheryl McClure.
� 2011 Kansas History and Heritage Project
|