My Genealogy Hound

JOSIAH REED, physician and surgeon, Troy. Samuel C. Reed and Catharine (Browning) Reed, the parents of Dr. J. Reed, were natives of New Jersey, and married March 19, 1812; they had eight children, as follows: Louisa and Benjamin B., born in New Jersey; Israel M., George Browning, Samuel F., Catharine, Egbert S. and Josiah, the latter six born in Ohio. Samuel C. Reed, with his wife and two children, emigrated from Burlington Co., N. J., to Warren Co., about 1816, where they settled on a farm near Springboro, and resided there until the other six children were born; from there they moved to Franklin, same county, and about 1834, to a farm near Greenville, Darke Co., Ohio, where they lived until their decease. Samuel C. Reed died March 6, 1848, aged 68 years; Catharine (Browning) Reed died Jan. 28, 1862, aged 71 years. Previous to his marriage to Miss Catharine Browning, Samuel C. Reed was married to Miss Mary Stokes, Sept. 6, 1803, also of Burlington, Co., N. J.; the issue of this marriage was three children, viz., Sarah Ann, Abigail and William Stokes, making Mr. Reed the father of eleven children, all of whom grew up to vigorous adult age. Of the above children, William Stokes, Catharine, Benjamin B. and George Browning are at this writing (July 7, 1880) deceased; the balance all living, as far as known to the writer. Josiah Reed was born Sept. 8, 1831, as above stated, in Warren Co., Ohio; from childhood up to 18 years of age, he was reared on the farm near Greenville, Ohio, and until that time received such an education as the common schools of that day afforded. Being of studious habits and having a desire for a better education, his winters were occupied in attending the higher schools, and in teaching, from 18 to 31 years of age; the summer months were spent at the mason’s trade. Soon after his mother’s death, he enlisted in Co. I, 94th O. V. I., to help put down the rebellion; toward the latter part of August (enlisted Aug. 15), 1862, he had his first introduction into the realities of war, in a skirmish at Tate’s Ferry, Ky., in which two of his comrades were killed. The next engagement was at Perryville, Ky., Oct. 8, 1862, and the last battle was Stone River, Dec. 30, 1862, in which he was wounded in the right arm; he was ordered back with the provision train to Nashville. Tenn., where he entered Hospital No. 2; here he was put on light duty in the dispensary, instead of occupying a bed in the ward, and, by diligence and perseverance, soon acquired a thorough knowledge of the duties of that department. Having some leisure, and the opportunities for studying medicine and surgery being excellent, he devoted all his spare time to a systematic course of study. He remained on duty in this hospital two and a half years, during which time he took the usual course of reading, besides attending one full course and part of another course of lectures in the medical department of the University of Nashville. May 15,1865, he was honorably discharged from the service, and on returning home, continued his studies until September, when he went to New York and took a six-months course in the Bellevue Hospital Medical College, and graduated with honors-March 5, 1866. In April, he commenced practice at Woodington, Darke Co., Ohio, and continued until March 1, 1868, when he formed a co-partnership with Dr. J. H. Green, Troy, Ohio. This partnership was continued until April 10, 1878, since which time he has been in active practice at his present location, corner of Cherry and Canal streets, Troy, Ohio. On Oct. 24, 1867, he was married to Mrs. Elizabeth (Freeman) Woodard, the eldest daughter of Robert Freeman, of Bethel Township, whose sketch appears in this work; the first child, Gertrude Woodard, was born Oct. 21, 1868; the second, Mary Blanche, Feb. 20, 1870; the third, Minnie Pearl, March 12, 1872; and the fourth, Robert Browning, March 9, 1874. Dr. J. Reed is the inventor of an improved gas machine to make illuminting gas from the lighter products of petroleum; the invention consists in a carburetter of such a shape as to combine a large amount of carburetting surface, with the greatest possible amount of surface of contact with the surrounding earth, in which it is buried in order to utilize the heat. There are many of these machines in successful operation, one of which lights the Knoop Children’s Home, Miami Co., Ohio.