The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-03-17
HON. JOHN NJ. READ.


For the last four years Mr.. Read sufere,
from i'll health. But few were aware o
the severity of his sufferings as he Dor,
them uncomplainingly and with forti
tude seldom equaied. 1t times it seem
ed rot vain to hope that he would regai1
his health. The natural cheerfulness o.
his disposition and that endurance which
would not allow murmur to escape, al
though the present was fraught with pair
and the future seemed dark, led to hopes
on the part of friends which proved illu
siye. Repining on his part never added
annoyance to the anxiety of friends
Disease could not conquer the manly
spirit with which Nature endowed him
and his death as well as his life gave
! proof of the man. In the early part OF
January he left for southern Georgia,
hoping that a change of climate would
prove beneficial. His friends felt when
they babe him goodbye that the separa-
ton was final one and that John Read,
the man cast in Natures finest mold, had
gone to die in strange land But
though disease had wasted his frame and
cast the dark shadow of death across his
path. those high qualities which adorn
manhood at its brightest, and make re-
greet more poignant at their loss, made
friends of strangers and gained that SYM
pathy which has its source in esteem. -
4 short while ago he left Albany, Geor-
gia, for his home in Kewaunee upon the
advice of his physician. He knew he
| was coming home to die, but letters
written to friends in this city and else
where directly before his departure, bear
no trace of lamentation for the hard fate
that WAS inevitable. Through all his
sickness the generous spirit forbade sell
| tishness, and even when the film of death
was in his eye, his mind was not en-
crossed with his own troubles but had
place for those OF others. He died at
Louisville, Kentucky, the place at which
he was born thirty nine years ago.
The subject of this sketch was born
Nov. 3, 1912, at Louisville, Kentucky,
and shortly after removed with his par
ents to st. Louis, Mo. In 1847 the fam
lily removed to Milwaukee and the fol-
lowing year to Manitowoc. Here young
! Read secured q common school education
and at an early age entered printing
Office. He worked as printer in the
Offices of The Pilot, Tribune and Herald
/ While printer boy he formed friend
ships that have ended only with his life.
Many of his boyhood friends are now far
| from Manitowoc, but all will learn with
regret of the untimely death of him who
| SO well deserved their love. That same
wit and humor which made Read a genial
companion, was also characteristic of the
boy. He lightened the drudgery of the
printing Office by the play of his wit and
occasionally by the product Of his pen.
There were many who predicted brill
liant future for the young type-setter and
had his health continued good, he no
doubt would have fulfilled the promise
of his youth. While quite young, his
father died, and from that time on. he
had TO contribute largely to the support
of his mother and sisters. In 1861 lie
enlisted Us private in Co. E., 14th Wis.
and was promoted to the position of SER
/ geant the same year, and to that of SER
geant major the year following. He was
commissioned regiment adiutant in 1863
He took part in the battles of Shiloh,
| Corinth, Nashville, Vicksburg, in tie
Red River campaign and in the move
ments around Mobile. He was wounded
at Vicksburg and at Spanish Fort and
was captured by the Confederatss at Cor
nth. At the close Of the war he return
ed to Manitowoo, but directly after &C.
companied Captain Smith, founder of
/ The Tribune, to Warsaw, Mo-, and be-
came associated with him in the publica-
! ton Of The Warsaw Times. After short
! time he severed his connection with The
Times and went to Chicago where he
worked in desultory way on The Trib-
une, doing special reporting and reading
proof. He had also some connection
with the Madison State Journal. while
Harrison Reed was one of the proprie-
/ tore I,ataI. la 70 =;
became editor of The Pilot, Jere Crow
ley's failing health rendering him unable
to manage tho paper. During the time
The Pilot felt the impetus received
through the vigorous and graceful style
of Mr.. Read and il was just working into
popularity when he removed to Kewau-
nee in the spring of 1868, he having be-
come the purchaser of The Enterprise
then owned by Edward Decker, Esq.
Kewaunee was too small a place for a
man with John Reads talents, but be
/ succeeded there as he did everywhere he
went, in making the entire community
his friends. He has remained editor
and proprietor Of The Enterprise up to
the time of his death. The paper was a
fair reflection of John's mind, able, re-
spectacle and high toned. 1t was by nc
means such a paper as he was capable OF
editing. but was far superior to many OF
its contemporaries with more pretentions.
better facilities and stronger inducements
to effort.
Mr.. Read held the Office of superinten.
dent OF schools OF Kewaunee county fol
eight years. He was also elected state
senator in 1874, for the district compris-
ing the counties of Brown, Door and
Kewaunee. He took quite prominent
position in legislation and although the
youngest member in the senate, was re
! r,orda6 &c ono of the most in HraptiaI q r