My Genealogy Hound

HON. WILLIAM REID, who for thirty years has been Police Magistrate of Du Quoin, and is one of its influential and representative citizens, was born within six miles of his present home, on the 14th of August, 1826. He was one of a family of two sons and three daughters, but is now the only survivor. His father, John Reid, was a Virginian by birth, and on leaving the Old Dominion removed to Kentucky, whence he came to Illinois, before its admission into the Union.

The grandfather of our subject was born in Ireland and became quite prominent. John Reid was also one of the leading men of southern Illinois during the early days. He served as County Commissioner, Justice of the Peace, and held other local offices. He was a man of considerable force of character, honorable and upright, and was highly respected by all. The year 1846 he spent in Iowa, but after a few months returned to Illinois, where he died May 10, 1860. His only brother, William Reid, was a leading, and well known Methodist preacher. The mother of ‘Squire Reid was in her maidenhood Susan Washburn. She was born in Georgia, and was a daughter of Paul Washburn, a pioneer farmer of Kaskaskia, Ill. She had two brothers, John Washburn, who served in the Black Hawk War, and Noah, who was a soldier in the late war. Her parents came to Illinois when she was only four years of age. The mother’s death occurred in Du Quoin in 1868.

In the usual manner of farmer lads William Reid spent his boyhood days. He acquired his education in the old-time log school house of the frontier. When he had attained to man’s estate, he began dealing in stock, and became one of the most extensive stock dealers in the southern part of this state, but his health failed him, and he was forced to lay aside business cares. Since that time his attention has been given to his official duties.

In 1850 Mr. Reid married Miss Artemisia Estes, a native of Franklin County, Ill., where her parents were early settlers. To Mr. and Mrs. Reid were born eleven children, ten of whom grew to mature years, while eight are yet living. John died in infancy. Isham died at the age of twenty-one, and Hiram died of small-pox at the age of twenty-one. Lurinda is the wife of Corydon McElvain, of Du Quoin. Mary A. is the wife of P. J. Saunders, who won notoriety by shooting the train robbers on the Illinois Central Railroad near Centralia, for which act of bravery the railroad company presented him with a gold medal, properly inscribed, and a block of the Illinois Central Railroad stock. William F. resides in Du Quoin. Letitia J. is the wife of N. A. Graig, of Tuscola, Ill. Asenath A. is the wife of H. C. Jones, a conductor on an elevated railroad in Chicago. Nellie is living with her parents. George W. is a graduate of the Northern Normal School, and is an able and popular educator, now teaching in Shawneetown, Ill. Silas H. is a graduate of the State Normal School of Bloomington, and is now a very able young attorney of Du Quoin.

While living on his father’s farm, Mr. Reid served as a Justice of the Peace for several years, and was Police Judge. Since the city was first organized he has also been overseer of the poor, and has been United States Commissioner for the past twelve years. His rulings in court are always fair, and when he makes a decision it is usually sustained by the higher courts. All respect him for his plain, honest way of doing business and the honorable, upright life he has led. Both he and his wife are members of the Christian Church, and are numbered among the best citizens of Du Quoin and Perry County, where for many years they have made their home.