James Hay Reed

James Hay Reed
September 10, 1853 – June 17, 1927

Born in Allegheny City (now the North Side), James Hay Reed was the son of Dr. Joseph Allison Reed and Eliza Hay Reed. He was educated in the public schools and the Western University of Pittsburgh (now the University of Pittsburgh) graduating in 1872. He studied law with his uncle, David Reed, a leading Pittsburgh lawyer, and was admitted to the Allegheny County Bar on July 17, 1875. Soon thereafter, he became a member of he firm Knox and Reed, the senior member being Philander Chase Knox, later Attorney General of the United States, Secretary of State and United States Senator from Pennsylvania. Reed succeeded the Hon. Marcus W. Acheson as Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, appointed by President Harrison, on February 20, 1891. Within a year he resigned this office, resuming his membership in Knox and Reed.

The firm was dissolved on the acceptance of Mr. Knox of the above-mentioned Federal offices, and a new firm was formed, Reed, Smith, Shaw & Beal, later, Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay. Judge Reed was for many years the General Counsel and Vice President of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company. He was the organizer and President of the Pittsburgh, Bessemer & lake Erie Railroad Company, financed by Andrew Carnegie. In 1899 he prepared the charter for the Consolidated as Company of Pittsburgh of which he became President. He retired from that position in 1919 but continued his connections wit the company as Senior Vice President and Director.

Reed handled the various legal and other technicalities incident to the sale of the Carnegie interests to the Morgan interests and on the organization of the United States Steel Corporation, he became a Director.

Age 45 at the time of the Johnstown Flood, it was Reed along with Philander Knox, whose firm successfully defended the S F F & H Club after the Flood.

Reed’s other activities included the following:
- Chairman, Board of Directors, Farmers Deposit National Bank
- Director, Farmers Deposit Savings Bank
- Director, Farmers Deposit Trust Company
- Director, Fidelity Title and Trust Company
- Director, Gulf Oil Corporation.
- President and Director, Reliance Insurance Company of Pittsburgh.

Reed entered into Carnegie service January 1, 1887 as General Counsel, he also occupied the positions of:
- President of the Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Co.
- President of the Union Railroad Co.
- Director of the Carnegie Steel Co.
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A member of the Duquesne, Oakmont Country, Allegheny Country, Fox Chapel Golf and Longue Vue Clubs, Reed was involved in many benevolent activities in Pittsburgh and was Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Shadyside Presbyterian Church.

He received two LL.D’s, from Princeton in 1902 and from Pitt in 1919.

Reed was married to the former Kate J Aiken. Their children were:
- David A Reed – husband of Adele Wilcox - US Senator from Pennsylvania
- James H Reed – husband of Anica B. Humbird
- Katherine Reed – wife of John G Frazer.

James H. Reed was 36 at the time of the Johnstown Flood.

Many of the Reed family are buried in Allegheny Cemetery:

REED, Anica B. Humbird, 1885-1965, w/o James Hay Reed, Jr.

REED, Annie, 58, b: 04 Aug 1853 in Virginia, d: 09 Mar 1912

REED, James Hay II, 1884-1930

REED, James Hay III, 1914-1962

REED, James Hay, 1853-1927

REED, Jerry, Nov 26, 1942, s/o Louise Snowden and James Hay Reed III

REED, Joseph Hay, 1879-1881

REED, Joseph P., Apr 13, 1853-Feb 23, 1925

REED, Kate Jones Aiken, 1857-1945, wife of James Hay Reed

REED, Louise Snowden, 1916-1961, wife of James Hay Reed, III

REED, Margaret Anshutz, 1861-1955, wife of Joseph P.