WILLIAM REEDER, M D

For nearly three decades Dr. William Reeder has been identified with Troy, Kansas, and for some years past has been retired from the active practice of his profession. A review of his life gives the following facts: William Reeder was born near Rockville, the county seat of Parke county, Indiana, April 3, 1826, a son of David and Nancy (McNeal) Reeder, both natives of Montgomery county, Ohio. Soon after their marriage his parents moved to Indiana and located in Parke county, where they spent the rest of their days and died. Jacob Reeder, the Doctor's grandfather, was of Scotch descent and was one of the early pioneers of Montgomery county, Ohio, where he passed the greater part of his life and died. The McNeal family were among the early settlers of Virginia and from that state moved to Ohio and located in Montgomery county during the early history of the Western Reserve.

In his native county William Reeder passed his boyhood days on a farm, assisting in the farm work and during the winter months attending the district school. Leaving the farm in early manhood, he attended Asbury University at Greencastle and afterward began the study of medicine under the instructions of Dr. P. J. Stryker at Rockville. He attended lectures at the Ohio Medical College, at Cincinnati, in 1852. Returning to his old home in Parke county, he entered upon his professional career there and soon built up a good practice, which he successfully conducted until 1871. In the meantime, in 1865, he took a course in his old college at Cincinnati, completing the course, but not graduating on account of sickness. In 1871 circumstances seemed to favor a removal to Kansas, and he came to Troy, Doniphan county, where he continued the active practice of his profession until 1889. Since then he has been practically retired, giving his attention only to looking after his farm and other property. He owns three hundred and twenty acres of fine land in Center township, Doniphan county, Which is nicely improved and well cultivated.

During the dark days of the civil war Dr. Reeder went to the front and fought for the preservation of the Union. He recruited a company, Company B, of the Eighty-fifth Indiana Volunteers, of which he was commissioned captain, and with it went to the front and took part in the battle of Franklin, Tennessee, and a number of smaller engagements, making a record for bravery and faithful service. The following year he resigned his position on account of ill health and returned home.

In 1852 Dr. Reeder married Miss Mary Sunderland, a daughter of John Sunderland, of Parke county, Indiana. She died in 1860, leaving three children: Nancy E., the wife of S. S. Byers; Edward T., who died in 1898, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and John S., a farmer of Doniphan county, Kansas. The Doctor's second marriage occurred October 29, 1863, the lady of his choice being Miss Laura Beade, of Rockville, Indiana, a daughter of James W. and Elizabeth (Bright) Beade, natives of Virginia. The children of this marriage are two: Charles W., an attorney-at-law in Troy, Kansas, a graduate of Baker University, at Baldwin, Kansas, and of the State University Law School at Lawrence; and Mary, an accomplished young lady, a graduate of the music school of the State University.