Newspaper article dated September 13, 1901 (paper unnamed)
THE OLDEST VETERAN
Bearing his 103 years with still a trace of military erectness, the oldest living
soldier of the civil war, John H. Reed, of Decatur, Ind., marched on the day of the great
parade of the Grand Army. He is the oldest soldier who ever marched in one of these
parades. Mr. Reed's son F. T. Reed, of No. 20
Hazel street, this city, was a soldier, too, and is a member of Memorial Post of
Cleveland. The old soldier was not strong enough to make the whole of the march with his
comrades, and because of his advanced age, it was arranged for him to take his place in
the line of veterans as Memorial Post passed Erie street, and march from there.
This aged veteran is really a Cleveland soldier, having enlisted in the 124 Ohio
Volunteer Infantry, in 1862, his name being one of those inscribed in the monument in the
Public Square.
Before and after the war, Mr. Reed was a mason and stone contractor in Cleveland,
moving to Indiana some years after the war. He is able to read without glasses, and still
attends to his business affairs. The day that he was 100 years old the people of Decatur,
and those who live near him in the country, five miles from that city, where he has a
farm, gave him a big birthday party. The next day the venerable veteran walked the five
miles to Decatur, and a photographer who saw him persuaded him to have his picture taken
just as he was. It is a copy of this picture, sent to the daughters of his son in this
city, that is reproduced. (There is a picture of ol' John in the paper.)
Decatur Daily Democrat, Thursday, April 10, 1902
Last Thursday Johnny Reed celebrated his 103 birthday. In the forenoon many friends
and relatives gathered at his home each bringinga a well filled basket with them. At noon
all were invited to seat themselves at a large table with everything imaginable to eat.
After dinner the guests were entertained by L. N. Grandstaff, John Wolford, W. E. Smith
and Roy Wolford. They then gathered in a group and had their picture taken by Joe
Cartwright of Poe. In the latter part of the day they all departed for their homes all
wishing that Uncle Johnny may live to see another birthday. Those present were V. S. Reed
and family, Sam Reed and wife, Mrs. J. Roop, Roy Wolford, W. E. Smith, John Sargant and
family, Joe Cartwright, Frank Small and family, Mrs. John Stewart, Mrs. E. Reed, L. N.
Grandstaff. Charles Ford, John Wolford, Joseh Mann and wife Coat Cook, Wm. Singleton,
Mrs. A. J. Garboden and children, Mrs. Wm. Butler, Thos. F. Fisher, Mrs. Samuel Spangler,
Mrs. A. A. and Be!
n Butler, Edward Spanlger and wife, Jesse Butler, Wm. Ruckman, Dollas Butler, Dale Sphar,
Chas. Fuhrman, James Hoagland, Miss Bessie Fisher, Laura Pierce, Warren Reed, Chas. Reed,
John Reed, of the surrounding neighborhood.
Obituary of John H. Reed, Decatur Daily Democrat, Decatur, Indiana (Wed., Jan. 6, 1904, p.
1, col. 1)
Uncle Johnny Reed, nearly 103 years old, died at ten o'clock this morning at his home
five miles northwest of the city. He was the oldest person in the county and perhaps in
the state, having been born April 3, 1799. He served with great credit in both the Civil
and Mexican was and many have oft listened to his interesting stories of the many
experiences and narrow escapes. In the Civil war his eldest son, Samuel, also served.
Uncle John enlisted in Company H, 124 regiment, Ohio Volunteer infantry and served just
three years. His Colonel was the famous Oliver H. Payne now known as "Coal Oil
Payne." John H. Reed was born in Plattsburg, Vermont, and lived there until a young
man, when he moved to Cleveland, Ohio. There he learned the trade of a brick mason and
remained there until about thirty years ago when he came to Adams county and purchased a
farm in Root township and which he owned until time of his death. He was married in 1842
to Calterine (sic) Spangler of Cleveland a!
nd to them were born four children, three of whom still live. They are Samuel and Fraklin
(sic) and Mrs. Sargeah of Williamsport. The wife died in 1849 and afterwards he married
her sister Matilda Spangler and to them were born six children as follows: Charles, Dick
and John, Polly Reed, Mrs. Ella Small, of Hoagland and Mrs. Dave Showers of Chicago. Uncle
Johnny was a familiar character about here and for years has been pointed out as a sturdy
man for his years. He would often walk to town and back home again in a day..a distance of
ten miles, even since his hundreth (sic) birthday. Joval (sic) and kind it was good to
meet him. In September 1901 he attended at G.A.R. national reunion at Cleveland, Ohio, and
was greatly honored, he being then the oldest veteran in the United States, his age at
that time 102. The funeral services will be held at the Mt. Pleasant church Friday
afternoon at one o'clock, interment at Reynolds cemetery.
His body was interred January 8, 1904 in Root Twp., Adams Co., Indiana, Reynolds
Cemetery.
Margie Roop Pearce
Ponchatoula, LA
----- Original Message -----
From: Sarah
To: Margie Pearce
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 10:18 PM
Subject: Re: Reynolds Cemetery obituaries
Margie;
Write them as a text file (Like I am doing now) and send them to me.
Oh, BTW; the file you sent me on the Roop family was great, except it was much too big
to upload to the server.
Sarah
Margie Pearce <mpearce(a)charter.net> wrote:
Sarah,
I recently received a copy of the obituaries of people buried in Reynolds Cemetery in
Adams Co. I would be happy to transcribe them and have permission from Nola Rains to do
so. How do I go about it?
Margie Roop Pearce
Ponchatoula, LA
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