Histories

Dr. Daniel Reed, deceased, the pioneer physician of Fulton of 1838, was born in Camillus, Onondaga Co., N.Y., Sept. 4, 1803. His parents were William and Elizabeth (Mix) Reed. His mother was a relative of ex-President Hayes. He was educated at Fairfield College, New York, and studied medicine with Dr. Daniel T. Jones, then a popular physician of Central New York. Having taken his degree, he began practice at Auburn, N.Y.

He was married at Sandy Crek, Oswego Co., N.Y., May 1, 1828, to Miss Cinda T. Meigs, daughter of Dr. Jesse and Hannah (Pritchard) Meigs. Mrs. Reed was born in Bethlehem, Litchfield Co., Conn., May 13, 1801. Dr. Reed pursued the practice of his profession in New York till the fall of 1836, when he removed to Joliet, Ill. Two years later he came to Fulton (in the fall of 1838), and engaged in practice at this place. A great deal of sickness prevailed here the following year, and the Doctor, assisted by his wife, who was also a doctor, had their hands full.

The Doctor had an extensive practice for a few years, when he removed to Galesburg, Ill., in order to afford his children better advantages of education. Five years later he removed to Chicago, where he spent one year. He next went to Belvidere, and after three years spent at that place they returned to Fulton. On his return to Fulton he retired from practice, but made this his home till his death, which occurred Feb. 16, 1882.

Dr. Reed was chosen to fill various public offices. He served as Assessor in 1863, Justice of the Peace in 1866, Coronor of Whiteside County from 1856 to 1858, and held other minor offices. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church and took an active and prominent part in the building of the church at Fulton.

In politics he was a Republican.

Dr. and Mrs. Reed had a family of six children, four girls and two boys: William died April 17, 1872; Helen M. was the wife of Wm. P. Culbertson, and died Nov. 6, 1857; Athalia, wife of J.B. Hall, of Columbus, Ohio; James H. married Annie Pomeroy and is a photographer at Clinton; Cynthia J. is the widow of Wm. E. Baldwin and lives at Lyons; Harriet died Sept. 6, 1841, in childhood.

-- Portrait and Biographical Album of Whiteside County, Ill., 1883