Version 6.01

11 February 2025

David March © 2014

William P Reed was born on 25 August 1869 in Elyria, Ohio, United States to William Reed (b 1834) & Bridget Rady (b 1843). William had two sisters, Maggie (b 1858) & Anna (b 1867). William married Edith Merritt on 6 January 1897 in Centerville, Appanoose, Iowa. Edith was born in 1876 in Centerville to James Merritt (b 1849) & Flora Chatterton (b 1854). Edith had one brother, James Roy (b 1860).

William & Edith came to Canada in 1909.In 1916 they were living at 308 25th St E and William was listed as a traveling salesman. This address appears to have had more than one family living at it - perhaps it was a boarding house. In 1916, John and Florence Reed were enumerated at that address. John was a printer born in Ontario in 1880 and Florence was born in the same place in 1883. John and Florence could not be located in other census records and no association with a William Reed could be determined. From 1919-1920, William was listed at the same address and was a salesman for Prairie City Oil Co. From 1922-1923, he was listed at 314 25th St E and was a salesman or traveler for North Star Oil. In the directories he was always listed as William P or Wm P. The person living at this address at the time of the 1921 census was not him.

William & Edith returned to the US on 21 March 1924. By 1930, they were living at 547 Grand Ave, Des Moines, Polk, Iowa and William was still a salesman in the oil business. William was still living at Grand Ave, Des Moines in 1940. No further information about William & Edith has been found.

This family tree can be found on Ancestry under the title 3rd Ave Reed Tree.

WILLIAM P REED and Mrs W P REED née MERRITT

William’s signature from a US consular record of 1917
Courtesy of Ancestry.com