Bedford County PA Archives Biographies.....Reed, John Philip     
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Judy Banja jbanja@msn.com May 2003


JOHN PHILIP REED, retired attorney-at-law, an esteemed 
citizen of Bedford borough, was born in Schellsburg, Bedford 
County, Pa., January 13, 1817, son of Michael and Elizabeth 
(Schell) Reed.
  His paternal ancestors dwelt in Germany until the early 
part of the last century, when, in the year 1727, his 
great-great-grandfather Reed, John Philip, first, a native 
of the Palatinate, Germany, was compelled to flee on account 
of religious persecution.
  Coming to America with his family, John Philip Reed, 
first, purchased from the Penns land in the northern part of 
Montgomery County and settled there.  His son Michael, the 
eldest of eight children, is the next lineal representative 
of the branch.  He was a tanner and shoemaker by trade, and 
made shoes for soldiers in the Revolutionary army.  John 
Philip Reed, second, son of Michael, is thought to have been 
born in Montgomery County.  He settled in Washington, 
Franklin County, where he followed his trade of a carpenter 
in connection with farming.  He acquired a handsome 
property, and bore an excellent reputation among his 
neighbors for honesty and uprightness.
  Michael, second, son of the second John Philip and father 
of Mr. Reed whose name appears at the head of this sketch, 
was born in Franklin County, Pennsylvania, in 1788.  From 
his father he learned the trade of a carpenter and builder, 
to which he added that of cabinet-maker.  Taking up his 
residence in Schellsburg about 1810, soon after attaining 
his majority, he plied his vocation successfully for a 
number of years, adding new honors to the name which his 
father had borne so well.  When the Bedford and Stoyestown 
pike was proposed, the manager of the company that was to 
build the road selected Mr. Reed as surveyor.  He had no 
knowledge of surveying, but was told that he could learn 
easily.  Consequently he took up the study privately, 
constructed his own quadrant, and laid out the road 
successfully.  It crosses a ridge of the Alleghany 
Mountains.  After that he was frequently called upon to do 
surveying, and at his death was probably better versed in 
the topography of Bedford County than any other man.  In 
politics he was a Democrat, and served in the Pennsylvania 
legislature in 1833 and again in 1836.  He was for many 
years a Justice of the Peace in Schellsburg, and did most of 
the conveyancing in this section.  All in all, he was a man 
of unusual activity and practically a self- made man, having 
had few advantages in his younger days.  His wife, 
Elizabeth, was a daughter of John Schell, formerly of Berks 
County, when he removed to what is now known as Schellsburg, 
of which he was the original proprietor, and laid out the 
town.
  Michael and Elizabeth (Schell) Reed had nine children, of 
whom eight reached mature years.  The following is a brief 
mention: Elizabeth, who married Godfrey Yeager (both 
deceased); John Philip, special subject of this sketch; 
Maria, widow of John Munich, of Bedford; Jacob, a resident 
of Bedford; Michael (deceased); Joseph, living at Oakmont, 
Pa., who was a soldier in the Mexican War; Margaret, wife of 
Reuben R. Colvin, of Napier township; Charlotte, widow of 
Thomas B. McFadden, of Harrison, Pa.; and Peter, in Tyrone, 
Pa.
  John Philip Reed had but meager opportunities for an 
education, his early studies being limited to the branches 
taught in the common school of which he was an attendant.  
In early manhood, when his father was away on surveying 
trips, he had charge of the carpenter shop.  In 1840 he was 
elected Justice of the Peace for a term of five years, being 
re-elected at the expiration o that time; and in 1848 he was 
elected for three years Prothonotary of the Courts of 
Bedford County and Registrar and Recorder.  He was then out 
of office for three years, and at the end o that time was 
elected for another term of three years.  The three years he 
was out of office he studied law, and, being admitted to the 
bar in 1852, he at once engaged in practice.  He made a 
specialty of Orphans' Court practice.  He retired from 
active business in 1887.
  Mr. Reed was married in 1840 to Lucinda, daughter of Isaac 
Mengel, of Berks county.  Six children were born to them, 
namely: John Philip, a lawyer, of Los Angeles, Cal.; Schell 
(deceased); Mengel, a physician (deceased); Joseph A., a 
lawyer in Philadelphia; James B. (deceased) who was a 
resident of Baltimore; and George W., of Philadelphia.  The 
mother of these children died in 1876.  She was a member of 
the German Reformed church.  In 1880 Mr. Reed formed a 
second union with Sarah Allen, daughter of Philip Weisel, of 
Bedford.  She has one son, Paul Reed.
  Mr. Reed is a member of the Reformed church, and has been 
an Elder for many years.  He is secretary and treasurer of 
the Bedford Cemetery Association, and secretary of the Board 
of Trustees of the Job Mann Trust.  He was one of the 
promoters of the Bedford Railroad, and served as secretary 
and treasurer of the company for some years, and was 
secretary and treasurer of the Bedford Mineral Spring 
Company.


Source: Bedford Biographical Review, 1899, Bedford Co., Pa