Biographical & Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria County Pennsylvania, p.229

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OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. 229

for a short time on the Pennsylvania canal. Afterwards he went into partnership with John Dibert, until 1850, and shortly afterward went to New Florence, Westmoreland county, and engaged in the mercantile business. In 1855 he had purchased a farm of two hundred and forty acres near Johnstown from Abraham Stutzman, paying for all this good land but $7150.00. After his venture at New Florence he moved to Johnstown to his farm, going into partnership at the same time with his son-in-law, J.H. Fisher, in a store. He continued for some time in this partnership, and then retired and devoted his entire time to the care of his real-estate, and to farming and gardening.
    He was a prosperous business man, who lived in the confidence and esteem of all his neighbors and associates. He was a leading member of the Methodist Episcopal church, and was a trustee for a number of years. A donation of $2,000 to the building at the corner of Franklin and Locust streets prove him to have been a liberal man.

SAMUEL LEMON REED, ESQ., a rising and progressive young attorney-at-law of Ebensburg, who, from the energy and ability already displayed, is destined to figure conspicuously among the attorneys of the State of Pennsylvania, is a son of Samuel and Ella (Simpson) Reed, and was born March 13, 1864, in Blacklick township, Cambria county, Pennsylvania.
    William Reed (grandfather) was a native of Connecticut, and, like many of the New Englanders, was a sailor in early life, but relinquished that occupation, and migrated to Cambria county, settling upon a tract of land situated on the old Clay Pike, In Cambria township. At that time that section of
the country was sparsely populated, and the improvements were very slight, consisting usually of a patch of cleared land, and there with a log hut or a cabin rudely constructed upon it as the habitation of the early settlers. Mr. Reed was a pioneer, and set about with that enterprising spirit which is characteristic of the New Englanders, to clear up and convert the forests into a home, a fit place for the dwelling of man. He passed through the trials and hardships incident to a pioneer life, but, by unyielding and indefatigable efforts, succeed in clearing up a good farm and establishing a comfortable home. He died in 1846, aged fifty-six years, having had the pleasure of witnessing a complete metamorphosis of the country. The forest which was originally inhabited by wild beasts and wilder men - the savage Indians - was transformed into productive farms, yielding up bountiful harvests; and the cabins were supplanted by beautiful houses, constructed in modern style of architecture, with comfortable and commodious furnishings.
    Mr. Reed served in the war of 1812-15, under the command of General William Henry Harrision, and was a valiant soldier.. He was a pioneer of Methodism, and his home was headquarters not only for the ministers of his own church, but for all other denominations as well, and services were frequently held in the house, prior to the construction of churches in that section. Politically he was an old-line whig, and was looked upon as the leader in his neighborhood in religion, politics and business, his neighbors frequently seeking his advice and opinion on these and various other subjects.
    Samuel Reed (father) was born upon the old Reed homestead in 1824, the year in which Lafayette visited America. He obtained such

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