Springfield-Greene
County LibraryEarly and Recent History and Genealogical Records
of Many of the Representative Citizens
SAMUEL A. REED. The people of Greene county have been fortunate in securing such men as Samuel A. Reed as their public servants and it would be difficult to replace the present county officials, clerks of the various courts and those in general who are serving the people here in an official capacity with better men, at least this is in the main true. It seems that they have been chosen for these responsible positions more for their ability and honesty than for political reasons. One of these is Samuel A. Reed, present incumbent of the office of clerk of the circuit court.
Mr. Reed is a scion of a worthy old family of the far Southland and he was born in the fair state of Mississippi while the family was en route to the North, on September 8, 1859. He is a son of Robert S. and Sarah (Goode) Reed, and is one of a family of twelve children, eight sons and four daughters, of which number only four sons now survive. Robert S. Reed, the father, was a native of Tennessee, where he grew to manhood, was educated and married and there he spent his earlier years engaged in farming. His wife was also a native of that state where she grew up and was educated. The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was of English descent, and he was born in Virginia, from which state he removed to Mississippi in a very early day.
The Reed family was desirous of getting out of the South on account of the turmoil there during the Civil war period. The long journey over rough roads to Christian county, Missouri, required over six weeks. It was on this trip that our subject was born. The family located on a farm and made their permanent home in this locality, unlike most of the Southern families who left on account of the war, after which, they returned to their old homes. Robert S. Reed continued farming up to old age and he is now living in Springfield at the advanced age of eighty-four years. He is well known in the sections of Christian and Greene counties in which he has lived and his record is of the best. His wife passed away a quarter of a century ago, dying in 1889.
Samuel A. Reed grew to manhood on the farm and assisted his father with the general work of the same when a boy. He received his education in the common schools of his locality.
On November 3, 1881, he was married to Susie W. Turner, a daughter of John and Edith Turner, an old family of Greene county who spent their active lives on a farm, and here Mrs. Reed was reared to womanhood and was educated in the common schools. She is one of a family of thirteen children.
Five children have been born to our subject and wife, namely: Lulu Maud married R. N. Farren, an electric engineer; they live in Wright county, Missouri, and have three children: Sarah E. married Fred W. Hoover, who is engaged in the lumber business in Tacoma, Washington, where they reside; Elizabeth, born in 1888, is at home; Benton, born in 1892 is a natural artist and at this writing is attending the Chicago Art School, expecting to be a member of the graduating class of that institution in 1915; Nellie, born in 1894, is at home.
Politically Mr. Reed is a Republican and has been more or less active in political affairs. In 1910 he was chosen clerk of the circuit court here, the duties of which he has discharged in an eminently satisfactory manner, being accurate, prompt and courteous. He was re-elected in 1914.
Mr. Reed and family are members of the Grace Methodist Episcopal church on South street.
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