My Genealogy Hound

William H. Reid, one of Grant County’s prominent citizens, was born in Caswell County, N. C., May 21, 1844, his parents being Thomas J. and Fanny L. (Edwards) Reid. The father was also born in Caswell County, and is of English descent; his wife’s birth occurring in Person County, of Scotch parentage. He died at Tulip, on June 11, 1880, but Mrs. Reid is still living, with her son, Dr. Thomas Reid, of Chicago. His parents were married in North Carolina, February 5, 1833, and lived there until 1854, coming thence to Tulip, Dallas County, Ark., which was their home until death separated them. Before coming to this State, Mr. Reid held the office of justice of the peace for several years, but after locating here, aspired to no official prominence. During his life he followed planting exclusively, owning at one time large tracts of valuable land. Both he and his wife were well educated, he instructing himself, and she receiving a collegiate education, at Salem, N. C. Their older children received the same advantage. Dr. T. J. Reid, the oldest son, obtained his medical learning at Philadelphia and Richmond, Va., and in 1861 joined the Twelfth Arkansas Confederate Infantry, becoming its colonel. There were born to the marriage of the elder Thomas Reid and wife, a family of twelve children, the following of whom survive: Mariah C. (wife of John A. Baird, farmer of Person County, N. C.), Margaret K. (widow of E. W. Gantt, who was a leading attorney of this State), Thomas J. (leading physician of Chicago), William H. (the principal in this sketch), James I. (farmer of Grant County), Cora (wife of George H. Sanders, an attorney of Little Rock, Ark.) and Alice E. (wife of J. J. Robertson, of Malvern, Ark.) William was pursuing his studies under the tutorship of Mr. W. D. Leiper, at Tulip, when the first gun of the late war was fired. Dropping all his books, in June, 1861, he cast his lot with the Confederacy, and joined Company I, of the Third Arkansas Infantry. At the close of the first year he became identified with the regiment commanded by his brother, soon rising to the rank of first lieutenant, and served bravely until taken prisoner at Port Hudson. He was confined at Johnson’s Island nearly two years, when he was taken to Fort Delaware, and pardoned by President Johnson, through the influence of E. W. Gantt. While in service he participated in many battles, among them being Greenbrier River and Capon’s Bridge, W. Va., and the siege of Port Hudson. When the war closed he returned home, and directed his attention to farming. For a while he studied law, under his brother-in-law, E. W. Gantt, but never applied for admission to the bar, though he acted as secretary to Mr. Gantt in helping him prepare his digest. Mr. Reid has also taught school to some extent. While living in Dallas County, in 1874, he served his county as assessor. In February, 1879, he moved to his present location, where he now owns a farm, well improved and stocked, also being the possessor of a good farm below Little Rock, on the Arkansas River. On May 1, 1872, Mr. Reid married Alice Beckham, daughter of George and Elizabeth Beckham, of Little Rock. The fruit of this marriage was a family of five children, all living: Gantt, Thomas J., William D., Maud and Alice. Mrs. Reid is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Church, while her husband is a believer in the principles of Democracy.