Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-04-14
ANoIHER OF IHE OLDEST.


Mrs. Rachel Reed, rcict Of Alexander u. Reed
is dead. She expired at the residence Of her son,
Geo. l.. Reed, in this borough, on the morning Of
the vth inst, having nearly completed her S3d
year. She was mother-in-law 10 ex -Governor
wm. Bigler and John \. Weaver, Esq.
She was born In Cecil county, Marylan Ia
l'92, from which place her parents emigrited TO
Penb's Valley, Centre county, In the year 1898,
and from thence to ciearheid county (ihen Ly com
Ing and Bediofdl in ls03, having been preceded
to the latter section by ony sixteen families.
Clcarheld was then known as "0ld Town." ~
designated because II bad been On Indian town,
and this section Of Pennsylvania was familiarly
called the ''lssk. woods"
Mrs. Reed, in th,se iiy ing timer, whilst modest
and dfident Ia her bearing, cvincei remarkable
forecast aud moral courage, aud. although quite
young, she had prominent part In the cmigra-
tiOn aud settlement Of the family In their new
home IN the wilderness She distinctly iemem-
bered In her latter days that emigration was not
then as now-by means OF elegant coaches OF
palace cars-but was accomplished by horses aud
pack-saddles, aud ON foot aud also that as to
domestic comforts, the log house, is by 20 feet,
a story and one half high, was accounted the
evidence Of special thriit by the pioneers Of that
day. Mrs. Heed, by reason Of her peculiar quail
ties Of mind, was an effective help-maie TO her
parents, constantly ministering to their comfort
her history will sufficiently reflect her remarkable
character; Ia lSos. Thsa only siriesa years Of
age, she roreisa all the ,ooy from "Oid Tonr" 10
Philadelphia on horseJaek thence TO WILMINGTON,
Deiauore, and across The coaairy 10 Frederick,
Aaryiaad, o1d ret~Hed BY coy cf baltimore and
Harrisbarg 20 Clearfeid, distaRee IF nearly sersR
hundred miiesi Part Of this trip, she had the
company Of one Of her brothers, aud from Dalti-
more 10 Penn's Valley she was accompanied by
Mrs. Wm. Stewart. From Baltimore to Clear
field, shs carried set cf china cups and sauces Ia
her Top and deifrsred them at he family rssidenee
pihonf a Gap.
She was Of Scotch descent, and her parents had
somewhat prominent part In public matters dur
ing and preceding the Revolutionary war. Two
Of her great-uncles, on her mothers side, were
members Of the Mecklenburg convention that as
lemb ed May the 9Th, l77b, TO protest against the
expressions Of the mother country, and two VI her
near relatives lost their lives in the Revolutionary
war.
In 1878, che was married to Alexander u. Reed,
who became one OF the most prominent citizens
Of the county. Her married career was marked
by signal prosperity and felicity. She became
the mother ofihree cons and three daughters, Of
whom Henrietta, X. Alexander aud W. Milton
died in their youth, and Maria j., (now Mrs.
Bglerl, George l.. and Rebecca (now Mrs. joan
Y. Weaver reside in this place.
In the early days Of her married life, she was
In the habit VI going to church on horseback,
travelling from ten 10 eighteen miles over roads,
the condition Of which may be imagined by her
grand children, but not realized.
Mr.. Reed died in the Spring of 1858, in the
9th year Of his age, after protraeied illness.
For hfy-eght years, Mr.. Reed had been a
member vi the Presbyterian church, and for that
long period did she show forth the beauties Of
the Christian life. The humility Of her bearing
was most remarkable, as was also the hrmness OF
her faith in the Saviour and in the doctrines of
her church. Animated by n truo Christian bcneyo-
lence, she never neglected to promote, In her own
quiet way, the well-being Of her neghbors. She
was not a woman Of many words. She taught the
doctrines Of the Saviour by the force Of her ex-
amples, and the influence Of this quiet process was
felt and acknowledged by all. 1t is but Just
expression Of the sentiments OF her relatives aud
neighbors to say, that as wife, mother, neighbor
aud friend, her life made upa high type of Chris
tiAn character. Avoiding all pretencc, she never
failed to perform the pHrt of the Good Samaritan
whenever aud Ms often as The occasion was y. O.
sented to her. Her death was az calm and re-
signed as her lie had been graceful happy and
useful. She leaves TO hcs relatives aud neighbofs
the rich legBcy Of pure and ,leyating example,
applicable to all the relations of life, and in her
death they should be consoed by The reflection
that their loss IA her gain, for "Bessed are the
dead who die In the Lord"
Her remains were followed 10 the tomb on last
Sunday afternoon by very large concOurse
VI citizens.
friend relates to us the following incident in |
her early history which illustrates her character
still more fully Mr. Reed then resided on a
farm or, 10 fact, In the woods, on the bluff over
looking the susquehanna river near Logan's mill,
two miles east OF Curwensylle, and now occupied
by Mr.. Hugh Mullen. Her friend inquired Of
her whether she was not often afraid 10 stay 10 |
the woods at that early day. She remembered
that but once she became awfully alarmed. 1t
was at time when Mr.. Reed was of to Phiadsi- |
phia on horseback. They had hired man, who
behaved so badly soon after Mr.. Reed left home
that she was compelled to turn him of. lie lef, |
but in few days returned, and in rude aud i'm
pudcnt manner wished to know Of her when Mr..
Reed would return. She informed him that she /
did not know. The fellow after considerable de- /
lay left, but In few days returned and became
more inquisitive than before, and she had some
trouble to get him to leave. lie lcft however,
and as night approached, after rejecting over the
Of the man, she became alarmed, sat
ished in her own mind that he had some evil de-
signs on herself or Mr. Reed and was awaiting
his return. The next day she informed two Of
her neighbors Of the mans movements. They at
once co-incided with her, and agreed to 20 TO her
house that night. In the evening, the men came
armed to defend the homestead, occupying the
basement, while Mrs Reed took quarters at an
attic window. She soon saw q man, though quite
dusk, come across the field toward the house, and
so informed the watcbmen, who, with door bolted,
put themselves In readiness for any emergency
that might arise. The man In the distance moved
slowly, and II grew darker and darker. She left
the window, convinced that the enemy was on
hand. Dreadful things would soon occur She
heard him throw the fence down, and wondering
why he did that she creptto the window to see what
he contemplated d.ing. Drawing very 6ne
sight, her astonished eyes gaSed upon the form
Of Mr.. Reed, who had returned from Philadelphia
and had laid the fence down to let his horse into
the yard. The feelings Of the inmates Of the
fortress can better bo imagined than described.
She remarked to her friend, THAT was tho first
and only time was alarmed. That foolish flight
Of my Imagination cured me. The man never
heard Of afterwards'