Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 306 - 307  

G. L. REED, editor and proprietor of the Mulvane Record, is one of the ablest journalists of the West. He comes of good stock, being a descendant of the gallant Gen. Joseph Reed, of Revolutionary fame, a warm personal friend and confidant of Gen. Washington. Our subject was born in Richland County, Ohio, Oct. 5, 1831, and is the son of Joseph and Nancy Reed, natives of Washington County, Pa. Immediately after their marriage, they moved to Richland County, and spent their entire wedded life on the farm that they then bought, enjoying the full respect and honor of the people among whom they made their home. The mother died in 1844 and the father in 1873. 

     Our subject was reared in the home of his birth, and his father, being in prosperous circumstances, gave him the advantages of a good education, which was conducted at the academy at Monroe, and further supplemented by a good course at Haysville Academy, Ohio. Thus he was eminently fitted by education as well as by temperament for the profession of teacher, which he adopted and pursued with marked success for several years, thirty-three terms in all. Mr. Reed was married in the county of his birth, Sept. 15, 1855, to Miss Mary E. Wigton, daughter of William and Jane Wigton, natives of Mercer County, Pa. Her parents migrated to Ohio in early days, and there remained till death, her father dying in 1865 and her mother in 1843. Her father was of Scotch descent, and always followed the occupation of a farmer. To our subject and his wife have been born six daughters and three sons, as follows: Minnie, born in Ohio; Ellie, born in Iowa; Emma, William F., Eva, Josephine, Lila, John and George. Lila died in October, 1878. 

     Some time after marriage, Mr. Reed moved to Iowa, and for six years was Principal of a select school in Washington County, that State. Finally he abandoned the ranks of teachers for the broader fields of journalism, it being but a step from the professor's chair to that of the editor, and as manager and proprietor of the Keota Eagle he became in a wider sense an instructor of the people, editing and publishing that paper for eight years, attaining high rank among the journalists of Iowa. While a resident of that State he was prominently identified with the public interests of Washington County, as his fellow-citizens recognized his fitness for office, and for three terms he served them as County Supervisor, and was also Justice of the Peace for a number of years. In 1884 Mr. Reed disposed of his paper, the Eagle, and came to Kansas, having shrewdly foreseen in this wonderful State and among this wide awake people, still more brilliant prospects for him in his chosen profession. He immediately purchased the Mulvane Record, and has ever since been successfully engaged in its management. Although he is a Republican and in high standing with the members of that party in this State, his paper is conducted on the broadest and most liberal basis, giving clear and impartial views of the political questions of the day without regard to party. His editorials show deep culture and are marked by virility and sound common sense. 

     Our subject is a member in full standing of the I. O. O. F. Both himself and his wife are communicants of the Presbyterian Church; their genuine social and moral worth gives them a high place in the regard of their fellow-citizens.

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