The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-08-20

liTIENRY REED once said: I'm like
LII my grandfather, and l suppose I
should not complain because Yelling
ton Is like his grandfather. He's his
grandfather over again, with some ac-
quired cussedness put in for good meas,
pre."
As Henry Reed was speaking Of his
own son Wellington, II meant that he
had not the best opinion of bis own
father. weliington's grandfather. A
man Is permitted TO be candid in regard
to his own family.
A little information regarding the
family will help the reader TO under
stand.
Jacob Reed. the grandfatherof Henry
Reed, was an early settler in western
Ohio. he drove into new country.
built himself cabin. threw out the
boundaries of his farm. traded with the
shiftless fishers and hunters. built a
sawmill and fiourmill. started store,
helped in the building of canal and
commanded the title, of ..cap'n." His
son, Isaac Reed, was educated at one of
the early backwoods colleges and come
home to marry the prettiest girl in the
settlement that had grown up around
the mills. The town was appropriately
called "Reedville." and here Henry
Reed was born in 1885. When Henry
Reed was seven years old his grand
father died. BE had come to know the
old man. He had toddled after him
from mill to store and had ridden with
him over the country roads that led to
the Reed firms. He remembered his
grandfather as short. stoclsy, sandy
gray man, curt Of speech and quick in
resolution, commanding the respect
and fear of the country for miles
around.
Henry Reeds father was a different
kind Of man. This win be understood
when it is known that. although he was
heir to the Reed fortune and one of the
two college-bred men in Reedville. he
was commonly addressed as Ike" The
father was "Cap'n" Reed and the son
was IKE"
He was tall and loose jointed, grew
dark whiskers at m early age and
showed passion for checkers. While
his father would be arousing trail of
dust along the creek road that led to
the big farm IKE" would be sitting
in the shade of the store trying to
white chain of straight stick.
All the town people liked Ike" He
had not been spoiled by college edu-
cation. He came back home and sat
with the row in front of the store; he
pitched horseshoes and he played
checkers for hours at time with
SQUIRE Fanchett. With the sun at his
back and the water splashing pleasant
" ut the rifle" he could remain mo-
tionless for hours at n time. watching q
cork lie on the water. He was not idle
all the time, however. In 1910, during
the memorable "Tippecanoe and Tyler
too" campaign, he helped to build log
cabin and mount it on wheels. BE &C
companied the cnbin to rallies" fur
and near and sang campaign sopgS.
Henry Reed can remember that
and how his father would wave BIS
orn,s; Il, urging the crowd 70. joinSt the
chorus.
In 1912 .'1ke- came into the proper
ty. Doubtless he had the lazy resolve
10 hold to 1t and live well. BE did not
understand that q man must either
make money or lose money. Hewanted
a new house that he might dazzle his
wife's relatives, so he assembled the
country builders and told them to do
something magnificent. He sat in his
shirt sleeves and watched them attempt
wooden palace with corinthian col
umns in front and gables at all avail
able points. In the meantime the store
was coveted by two ambitious clerks
who had just married, the mill ran
itself. and the farms were being in
voiced by tenants who knew that IKE"
would give them easy terms for old
friendships sake.
- ..on,. ,rhen Henry Reed