COLIN M. REED. Alexander Reed, grandfather of the subject of this memoir, was a son of Robert Reed, who had graduated at Edinburgh, Scotland, and was a minister of considerable repute and high standing in that country; but was called to Ireland to preach against the Arian heresy then creeping into the Presbyterian Church. The church Robert Reed established at Manor Cunningham, in County Donegal, Ireland, had at one time, it is said, as many as a thousand communicants, and his children and grandchildren have been the sole occupants of the pulpit for over one hundred and fifty years. Alexander Reed's brother, Thomas, and his mother's brother, Alexander Cunningham, had settled in the town of Washington, Penn., some time before the advent of Alexander Reed, who came in 1794, from Donegal, Ireland. The death of his brother, just mentioned, occurring soon after Alexander's arrival in Washington, he became sole proprietor of the store now occupied by his grandsons, Colin M. and Alexander (brothers), and records show that he was in business in 1794. He became much interested in developing the agricultural resources of the county, and from time to time purchased a considerable amount of real estate. In 1821, he bought a flock of imported Spanish Merino sheep of Alexander Wilson, of Philadelphia, began the business of fine-wool growing, and was the first to send wool to the Eastern market; he lived to see Washington the finest wool-growing county in the United States, with a million sheep on her hills and meadows. He was also among the first to introduce the best breeds of English horses and cattle into this part of the State. In 1826 he sent silkworm eggs to George Rapp, of Economy, the founder of Economite Society, who gave them to his granddaughter, and it was not long before both Mr. Rapp and his granddaughter made their appearance in Washington, on a certain fair day, arrayed in suits of handsome black silk, the manufactured produce of that gift of silkworm eggs. This was in reality the beginning of the silk factory at Economy, which was in operation some thirty or forty years. In the charter of Washington College, Alexander Reed was one of the trustees, as well as the Female Seminary. He aided in establishing, and was president of, the Franklin Bank of Washington (which became, in 1864, the First National Bank) from its foundation in 1836; he was treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church of Washington from its organization, in 1809, till his death, a period of twenty-seven years. He was president of "The Moral Society" of Washington borough, which was formed April 14, 1825, its object being the suppression of vice and immorality. In fact, in all projects and enterprises tending to the advancement of the interest of town or country; in all the institutions devoted to the promotion of the cause of education, morals or religion, he was prominent, active and efficient. His regard for truth, equity and honesty was the foundation of the universal confidence reposed in him. In all the varied and multiplied transactions of nearly fifty years, his truth and integrity were never impeached, and he was never engaged in a lawsuit. Mr. Reed was an A. F. & A. M., and a member of Lodge No. 54, Washington, which dropped out of existence about the time of the war of 1812. In his political sentiments he was a Whig. He died in September, 1842. In 1790 Alexander Reed was united in marriage with Janet, daughter of Rev. Colin McFarquhar, of Inverness, Scotland, who came to this country during the Revolutionary war, and for thirty years preached in an old church that is yet standing in Donegal, Lancaster Co., Penn. The children born to Alexander and Janet (McFarquhar) Reed were: George, Eliza, Colin M., Robert Rentoul, Alexander and Sarah; the last two dying in infancy; George died at the age of twenty-eight years, and many cherished hopes for a brilliant future were buried with him; Eliza was called from earth while on a visit to Philadelphia, just in the bloom of womanhood; Colin M. has special mention further on; Robert Rentoul, also has special mention below; Janet Reed died in 1818, and Alexander Reed married Isabella Lyon, daughter of Samuel Lyon, of Carlisle, widow of William Hoge, of Washington, and a sister of Hon. James G. Blaine's grandmother; she lived until June, 1868; Alexander Reed died in September, 1842. Dr. Robert Rentoul Reed, son of Alexander and Janet (McFarquhar) Reed, was born March 12, 1807. He graduated at Washington College in 1824, studied medicine with Dr. LeMoyne, and graduated from Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. In 1848 he was nominated for Congress in the district then composed of Washington and Beaver, and represented the district in 1849 and 1850. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature in 1863 and 1864. In all benevolent enterprises Dr. Reed was always foremost. For a number of years he acted as vice-president and afterward as agent of the Pennsylvania Colonization Society, in which philanthropic enterprise he rendered most efficient service. For thirty-six years he was a consistent member of the First Presbyterian Church, and during seventeen of these years he was a ruling elder, and for twenty-six years was superintendent of the Sabbath school. In 1830 he married Eleanor, eldest daughter of Judge Thomas H. Baird, and their children were: Ann Eliza, Alexander, Thomas, Janet, George, Eleanor, Isabel, Robert, Colin, William, Joseph and Charles. Only four of these twelve children are living: George, Colin, William and Joseph. Dr. R. R. Reed died December 14, 1864; his widow June 25, 1892. Alexander Reed, born near Washington September 18, 1832, graduated from Washington College in 1851, and Western Theological Seminary in 1856. He was a Presbyterian minister, an eloquent and attractive preacher of the Gospel. Princeton College conferred the degree of D. D. on Dr. Reed in 1865. His first charge was Octorara, one of the long established churches of the Presbytery of Chester, from 1856 to 1864. From there he went to the Central Church of Philadelphia, and remained until 1873. He then went to the South Church of Brooklyn, and resigned this charge on account of ill health. He then went to Europe with his family for a year (having been abroad before for the summer of 1869), and when he returned from Europe he became pastor of the Central Church of Denver, Colo., where he lived until he died, November 18, 1878. He had six children: Elizabeth, Eleanor, James Watson, Robert Rentoul, Mary Morgan and Alexander. Of these, Elizabeth died when an infant, and Alexander in March, 1889, aged eleven years. The widow of Alexander Reed lives in Washington with her daughter, James Watson, in Denver, and Robert in Pittsburgh. Thomas Baird Reed was an eminent physician in Philadelphia. He was born October 23, 1834, graduated at Washington college in 1852; was medical student with Dr. Blackburn, and graduated at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia. He was resident physician in the Pennsylvania Hospital from 1859 to 1861. During the Civil war he was a surgeon in the Pennsylvania Volunteers from 1862 to 1865. On October 23, 1867, he married Mary G., daughter of Archibald Campbell, of Carlisle, Penn., and they had four daughters: Elizabeth, Eleanor, Marie and Janet, three of whom are living; Marie, the third daughter, died February 22, 1893. Dr. Thomas D. Reed died April 1, 1891. George W. Reed is in business in Pittsburgh; he was in the Civil war. He married Matilda McKennan, daughter of Hon. Thomas McKennan, and sister of Judge McKennan. They have had twelve children: Robert, Thomas, Baird, Alexander, George, William, Clark, Eleanor, John, Matilda, Joseph and Frank, all living except Alexander and Frank, who died in infancy. Colin graduated from Washington and Jefferson College in 1869. In 1874 he married Lida Lord, of Mississippi, and they had six children: William, Robert, Richard, Eva, Lida and Colin, of whom Richard died in infancy. Lida Reed died in 1885, and Colin afterward married her sister, Louisa Lord. William was educated at Washington and Lafayette College. He married, in 1875, Mary McKnight, of Pittsburgh, and they had six children: Margaret, Eleanor, Katharine, Thomas, Mary and William, of whom Eleanor, Mary and William are not living. Mary, wife of William B. Reed, died in September, 1889. Robert Reed died in the army at Georgetown, D. C., July 16, 1863, of typhoid fever. Joseph is the editor of Arthur's Home Magazine, and lives in Philadelphia. All the daughters died when quite young, and Charles when an infant. Colin M. Reed, Sr., was born in Washington, Penn., November 28, 1804. He was prominently identified with the business interest of Washington. His father, Alexander Reed, was the first president of the Franklin Bank, which was organized in 1836. Colin M. was elected to the same position in 1852, and held it until the same institution was organized in 1865 as the First National Bank, of which he was elected president, and held the office without intermission until his death. In 1855 he was made a director of the Hempfield Railroad Company, and continued one until it was merged into the Baltimore & Ohio. From 1841 he was a trustee of Washington Female Seminary, and one of the largest stockholders. For many years he was a trustee of Washington and Jefferson College and until his death. He was a member of the first board organized in 1843 for the management of the common schools of Washington. He was for years president of the Washington Gas Company and the board of trustees of the Washington Cemetery. During the Civil war he acted as treasurer and general agent for Washington county in behalf of the Christian Commission. He was also very much interested in the temperance cause, and in the Bible Society. He was a trustee of the First Presbyterian Church, and served as treasurer for twenty-seven years. He was not a politician in the sense that he sought office, but was always very much interested in the success of the Republican party. In 1835 he was united in marriage with Mrs. Ritner, widow of Lieutenant Ritner, U. S. Army. She died in March, 1837, leaving a daughter, Mary, now the wife of Henry Laughlin, of the firm of Jones & Laughlin, of Pittsburgh. In 1842, Mr. Reed married Sarah E. Chapman, of Massachusetts, sister of Maj. William Chapman, and the children of their marriage were Isabella, Laura, Helen, Alexander, Colin M., Jr., Robert, Ethelind and Alice. Of these Isabella married William Copeland, of Pittsburgh, and both have been dead many years; Laura is the wife of James R. Clark, and is now living in Mandan, N. D. (They have three children: Colin, Anne and Isabel). Alexander graduated at Washington and Jefferson College in 1871, and is in business with Colin M. Reed, Jr.; Alice married John L. Dickey, a prominent physician of Wheeling, W. Va.; Alexander and Ethelind are unmarried; Helen and Robert died in early childhood. Colin M. Reed, Sr., died January 12, 1888, his wife August 7, 1892. He served as treasurer of the First Presbyterian Church at Washington twenty-seven years. Colin M. Reed, Jr., was born and educated in Washington. In 1874 he married Ada Brownlee, of Iowa, who was educated at Washington Female Seminary. She was a daughter of Samuel Brownlee and Katharine Clark, and a granddaughter of William Brownlee and Joseph C. Clark - both men prominently identified with the woo-growing industry. Colin M. and Ada B. Reed had six children, five of whom are living: Katharine, Harriet, Charles, Alexander and Colin; the second child in infancy. Colin M. Reed is a director in the First National Bank; a trustee of the Washington Female Seminary, and trustee of the First Presbyterian Church.

Text taken from page 189 of: Beers, J. H. and Co., Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893). Transcribed March 1997 by Bobbi Steele of Indianapolis, IN as part of the Beers Project. Published March 1997 on the Washington County, PA USGenWeb pages at http://www.chartiers.com/.

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