1907 History of Allegan County, Michigan Illustrated Compiled under the Editorial Supervison of Dr. Henry F. Thomas Allegan Lewis Publishing Company Transcribed by Sue Baroski

Edwy Campbell Reid

Edwy Campbell Reid, whose energy reaches out to many fields of activity wherein the general public has benefited, while at the same time he has promoted individual success, is now editor and proprietor of the Allegan Gazette, and is recognized as a man of influence, who has had much to do with molding public thought and opinion. He has been particularly prominent in local political circles and at the present writing is serving as postmaster of Allegan. Born in Brantford, Ontario, Canada, he is descended in the paternal line from ancestors who through several generations had lived in New Jersey. His mother was a native of Norfolkshir! e, England. The parents of Mr. Reid removed from Canada to Michigan when he was eighteen months old, so that his education was acquired in the Peninsular state, which has been the scene of all of his business experience. He attended the schools of Otsego, Allegan county, to the age of sixteen years, when he put aside his text books and entered upon an apprenticeship at the Otsego Herald. Since that time his work has been mainly in the newspaper field, in which he has been successively part owner and publisher of the Otsego Record, compositor on the Kalamazoo Telegraph, foreman in the office of the Allegan Democrat, foreman of the Allegan Journal, and finally partner and publisher, with Don C. Henderson of the last named paper. Thus he made consecutive advancement, becoming well know in the field of journalism, as each forward step brought him a broader outlook and great opportunities, which he has greatly improved. On the first of April, 1882, the partnership with Mr. Henderso! n was dissolved and with the aid of friends Mr. Reid established the Allegan Gazette, which he has since built up into a prosperous and influential journal. Allegan is near enough the center of the Michigan southern fruit belt to make horticulture an important interest here, and Mr. Reid has been closely identified with the industry. He has given much attention in his paper to the subject of fruit growing and marketing, and has thus disseminated many useful ideas among the horticulturists of this part of the state. He is, moreover, personally deeply interested in the subject and was for many years secretary of the State Horticulture Society, and has been one of the most efficient promoters of the fine exhibits made by that society at the state fairs and the Detroit Exposition.

In politics Mr. Reid has always been a Republican. He has been active in committee and convention work in his vicinity and his opinions have frequently been decisive factors in the settlement of! some important questions. He has also been a frequent attendant at state conventions, either as a delegate or in his newspaper capacity. His fellow townsmen have called him to various positions of public trust and honor. He was for eight years a member of the board of trustees of the state asylum for the insane at Ionia and acted as president of the board a portion of that time. In June, 1898, he was appointed by President McKinley postmaster at Allegan and by re-appointment of President Roosevelt still fills the position to the entire satisfaction of the general public. He is the censor of the county political boss in the Republican party and is a man of much prominence whose influence is widely felt and who always stands for public improvement and progress.

Mr. Reid was married, in 1876, to Miss M. A. Borradaile, of Sodus, New York, who died June 10, 1906, leaving two children, Mr. Reid is an active and helpful member of the Congregational church of Allegan, and af! filiates with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the Foresters, the Maccabees, and the United Workmen. He is likewise a member of the executive committee of the Michigan Republican Press Association. His clear views and sound judgment, his thorough understanding of existing conditions in business and political circles, and his desire for permanent improvement and development, supplemented by untiring effort along those lines have made Mr. Reid one of the influential and representative men of Allegan county, while a cordial disposition and social nature have rendered him popular with his fellow townsmen.





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