Wayne County Biographies



Part of the Indiana Biographies Project



Daniel Reid

Daniel Reid, deceased, was a son of Daniel Reid, Sr., who was of Scotch-Irish extraction, a native of Virginia, where he matured, lived and died. His wife was Margaret Patterson, of Lancaster County, Pa., but died in Richmond, Ind., at an advanced age. Our subject now in question was born in Rockbridge County, Va., Feb. 5. 1799, and was one of a large family, most of whom settled near New Paris, Preble Co., Ohio, where Daniel settled in 1821. Having acquired a fair education in his minor life and together with his natural ability he commenced teaching school in the pioneer days of Preble County, Ohio. In the fall of 1823 he removed to Richmond, Ind., and became clerk in the store of James McGuire, and later filled the same position in the store of Robert Morrisson. Having had several years' experience and acquired some means, in 1828 he associated himself in business with Joseph P. Strattan and for ten years was a pioneer merchant in Richmond. One year after associating with Strattan he was appointed Postmaster of Richmond, which position he filled in connection with his store, until his appointment in 1838, by President Van Buren, as Register of the Land-office at Fort Wayne, Ind., which position he filled with credit and honor, but about 1843 he settled on a farm, in Allen County, Ind., and in 1855 returned to Richmond, where he engaged in the grocery business with his son, William S., and N. S. Leeds, until the firm changed to Reid & Vannemau, where he was employed, and while thus engaged moved to his farm one and a half miles west of town, and up to the time of his death was living on his farm, but in the employ of Reid & Beeler. His death occurred March 3, 1873. He died as he had lived — happy, having been for many years a member of and Ruling Elder in the United Presbyterian church at Richmond.

He was twice married; first, to Letitia, daughter of William Scott, who was born in the North of Irelaud and came to America when sixteen years old, and died in Allen County, Ind., in 1851. This union had born to them seven children — William Scott, of whom further notice is given; Mary Ann. who died in infancy; Mary Ann, wife of Franklin P.Randall, an attorney of Fort Wayne; James P.; Margaret, unmarried and died February, 1883; Hannah M., who died in 1833, and Robert Morrisson, who emigrated to California in 1852.

Our subject, Daniel, married for his second wife, in October, 1854, Mrs. Ann Dougan, then living in Niles, Mich., and a daughter of Isaac Gray, an early pioneer merchant of Richmond. This union had born to them two children — Daniel Gray, now of the Second National Bank of Richmond, and Emma Virginia, wife of Oliver Bogue, both graduates of Earlham College and now residents of Wabash, Ind., where he is practicing law. William Scott, the elder of the above family, was born in Rockbridge County, Va., Dec. 10, 1818, and was brought by his parents to Preble County, Ohio, when three years old. When five years old his father settled in the village of Richmond, where he matured and acquired a fair education. For a time he was clerk in his father's Land-office at Fort Wayne, Ind., during which time, May 7, 1839, he married Sarah Jane Mansur, by whom he had nine children, of whom two, the fifth and ninth, only, are now living. William S., subsequent to his marriage, devoted twelve years on a farm in Allen County, thence returned to Richmond and was for three years in the drygoods business; then in the grocery and grain trade for many years; subsequently he became one of the prime movers in the establishment of the pork-packing business in Richmond, as is elsewhere seen, in which he is still engaged. He, as was his father before him, is a member of and Ruling Elder in the United Presbyterian church of Richmond, and of him most of the history of that church was obtained. Mr. Reid has been well and favorably known as a business man of honor and integrity for many years. He is willing to assist in all enterprises tending to elevate mankind and the upbuilding of society.

Source:
History of Wayne County, Indiana. Chicago: Inter-State Publishing Co. 1884. Volume 2