Biographical Review: Containing Life Sketches of Leading Citizens of Bedford and Somerset Counties, Pennsylvania, Boston, Biographical Review Pub. Co., 1899, pps. 87, 88) http://www.pa-roots.com/~bedford/ Bedford County Genealogy Project Biography Board Posted By: Martha Cross Sargent Date: August 19 2003.

Reed, John Philip,

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 in this 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 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 obtaining 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 easily learn. 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, whence he moved 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 in

Oakmont, Pa., who was a soldier in the Mexican War; Margaret, wife of Reuben R.

Colvin, of Napier township; Chorlotte, widow of Thomas B. McFadden, of Harrison, Pa.;

and Peter, in Tyrone, Pa.

John Philip Reed had but meagre 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 trip, he had charge

of the carpenter shop. In 1840 he was elected Justice of the Peace for a term of five

years, 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 of 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 Orphan's 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 has served as secretary and treasurer of the company for some years, and

was secretary and treasurer of the Bedford Mineral Spring Company.