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Jefferson County Biographies
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Reed & Foster, masons, contractors and builders, masons' supplies and all kinds of coal. The firm of Reed
& Foster is well known, haviag been engaged in their present line of trade too long to need an introduction
to the majority of the readers of this work. Their success in business and the wide range of their operations is
an evidence of the sterling worth, honesty, good workmanship and fair dealings which has from the first characterized
all their operations. The industrial members of this firm are both skilled mechanics and it can be truthfully said
of them that (their coal business excepted) neither has ever been engaged in any other pursuit since his boyhood
days. The present copartnership was entered into in 1880; the business though worthy of a local nature reaches
at times over a large extent of territory and commands the services of many skilled workmen. Of the copartners,
Willis P. Reed was born in 1849 and his early years were spent on a farm in the town of Hounsfleld. His mother
dying while he was very young, he was brought up by Mr. and Mrs. 0. W. Baker of Stowell's Corners. He learned the
trade of a mason while a young man, and removed to Dexter in 1878, where he has since resided. He has served several
terms as trustee of the village and one year as village president. He is a member of the village fire department
and served six years as chief engineer. The formation of the Jefferson County Volunteer Firemen's Association greatly
interested him and he was made its first vice-president and is now its president. When Court Dexter, I. O. F.,
was instituted he was a charter member and is now filling the chair of chief ranger for the second term. Upon the
institution of Konoskioni Tribe, 296, I. O. R. M., he was made the first prophet of the tribe; in less than a year
after becoming a Red Man he was honored with the appointment of district deputy great sachem and has served two
years in this position. He is one of the charter members of the recently instituted Dexter Lodge, 767, I. O. O.
F. In 1870 Mr. Reed married Emogene Jeffers, of Copenhagen, Lewis county, and they have three children: Harry,
Orville and Edith, all residing at home. Mr. Foster is also a native of Jefferson county, born in the town of Brownville
in 1843, and is his partner's senior by some six years. His early education was evolved from the public schoolsof
the neighborhood until he reached his eighteenth year, when the first shot at Fort Moultrie aroused his youthful
patriotism, and in 1861 be enlisted in Co. K, 35th N. Y. Vols., and served in McDowell's corps in the early operations
of the Army of the Potomac, and was wounded at second Bull Run and discharged by reason of his term of service
expiring, in June, 1863. He immediately re-enlisted in troop M, 18th N. Y. Cavalry, served in the department of
Louisiana until June, 1865, was in the Red River expedition and finally brought up in Texas with headquarters at
San Antonio. Here the regiment remained until May, 1866, when it was mustered out. Upon receiving his final discharge
Mr. Foster's actual time in the service was five and onehalf years. He participated in many of the prominent battles
of the war, and has an army record of which he may well feel proud. In 1871 he married Josephine Moffatt of Dexter,
and they have one son who resides at home. Mr. Foster is held in high esteem at his home in Dexter. He has served
the village as president, being elected in 1890, and has served three terms on the Board of Trustees. He is a member
of Dexter Lodge No. 888, I. O. G. T.; of Court Dexter, 490, I. O. Foresters and has been for five terms chief ranger
of the lodge. He is also a Mason and holds membership in Brownville Lodge No. 53, F. & A. M. Mr. Foster was
among the earliest to help institute the G. A. R. in 1867. He is a member of Broadbent Post No. 188 of Dexter and
has occupied the chair of commander four terms and holds the position of county inspector on the staff of department
commander A. D. Shaw.
Source:
Our County and it's people
a descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York
Edited by: Edgar C. Emerson
The Boston History Co., Publishers, Syracuse, N. Y. 1898
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