John A. Reed Sr. (Kemmerer, WY)
John A. Reed Sr. (~1892 – November 16, 1975)
Biography
- Name: John A. Reed Sr.
- Birth: July 17, 1892, Kansas (near Holton or Frankfurt)
- Death: November 16, 1975, Kemmerer, Wyoming
Early life and family
Mr. Reed was born in Kansas in 1892. He attended Campbell College in Holton, majoring in accounting and business administration. He married Agnes F. in Circleville, Kansas, on January 5, 1911. She was born in Circleville on May 3, 1893. Following their marriage they moved to Encampment where they lived for five years and then moved to Glenrock for a time. They later moved to Cheyenne where he was appointed a state bank examiner in 1927. They lived in Cheyenne until 1930, moving to Kemmerer. The Reeds were the parents of two sons, John A., Jr. of Cokeville, and Fred of Casper, and one daughter, Julianna, Mrs. John Biggane of Mill Valley, California.
Banking career
John Reed was active in finance and banking in Wyoming for 47 years (1960). For the past 28 years, Mr. Reed was chairman of the board and president of the First National Bank of Kemmerer and president and director of the Continental Livestock Company. During the past 30 years he served as director of the Kemmerer Chemical Company, State Bank of Big Piney, Kemmerer Coal Company, Frontier Supply Company of Kemmerer, Lincoln Service Corporation and Uinta Improvement Company of Frontier, and the Gunn-Quealy Coal Company of Rock Springs. He was president of the Wyoming Bankers' Association in 1952.
He was a state bank examiner from 1927-1932.
Other career highlights
Mr. Reed was a member of the governor's committee of five which co-operated with the Wyoming delegation in Washington in the organization of a state committee to work with the Reconstruction Finance Corporation to adjust and coordinate state demands to the agency. He served as president of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association since 1947, was a past vice president and a member of the executive council of the National Wool Growers Association. He was elected president of the Wyoming Pioneer Association in 1959. He was a member of the Wyoming Consistory No. 1, Korein Temple Shrine, Knights Templar, Lion's Club and Newcomen Society of the United States.
On May 30, 1960, John A. Reed along with Governor Joe Hickey and Tracy S. McCraken, received honorary law degrees from the University of Wyoming during graduation exercises. All three were members of the Board of Trustees for the university, with Reed first appointed in 1949. In 1967 he was made president of the University of Wyoming governors board, having previously served as treasurer of the UW Board of Trustees.
Later life and death
John A. Reed, 83, died Sunday, November 16, 1975, at South Lincoln Hospital in Kemmerer after a long illness. Funeral services were Thursday, November 20th, in Kemmerer. He was preceeded in death by John Reed, Jr., who died earlier that year in April.
Bank Officer Summary
During his banking career, J. A. Reed was involved with the following bank:
- First National Bank, Kemmerer, WY (Charter 5480): President 1932-1935
- State Bank of Big Piney: Director 1964
Sources
- Banks & Bankers Historical Database (1782-1935), https://spmc.org/bank-note-history-project
- Casper Star-Tribune, Casper, WY, Sun., Aug. 28, 1932.
- Casper Morning Star, Casper, WY, Fri., May 6, 1960.
- Jackson's Hole Courier, Jackson, WY, Thu., May 12, 1960.
- Casper Morning Star, Casper, WY, Wed., Jan. 11, 1967.
- Casper Star-Tribune, Casper, WY, Mon., Dec. 8, 1975.
- Casper Star-Tribune, Casper, Wyoming, Thursday, May 27, 1982.