Cedarville native was prominent journalist, politician

After his high school graduation, Reid attended Miami University in Oxford, Ohio. He completed his education with honors in 1856.

Reid’s family then bought the Xenia News and he began a career as a journalist.

The Cincinnati Gazette hired him during the Civil War as a correspondent. He covered the battles of Shiloh and Gettysburg using “Agate” as his byline.

Horace Greely, impressed by Reid’s Civil War reporting, hired him as an editorial writer for the New York Tribune. After Greely’s death in 1872, Reid advanced to editor in chief and publisher of the Tribune.

Reid also wrote several books. His “Ohio in the War,” published in 1868, is considered the ultimate account of Ohio in the Civil War.

On April 26, 1881, Reid married Elisabeth Mills, the daughter of D. O. Mills, a California millionaire.

In 1887 they bought Ophir Farm, an estate near Purchase, N.Y. The house was in disrepair and, as they were restoring it, a fire destroyed most of the structure. They built a new house on the foundations of the original building. Here they raised their two children, Ogden and Jean. The house is now listed on the National Register of Historic places. It is called Reid Hall and is on the campus of Manhattanville College.

The couple were philanthropists supporting Mills Hospital for Poor Folk in New York City, Mills Hospital in San Mateo, Calif., Columbia University and the American Red Cross.

Soon after their marriage, Reid became interested in a political career. He served as Ambassador to France from 1889 to 1892. He was the Republican vice presidential nominee in 1892, along with presidential incumbent, Benjamin Harrison. Harrison failed to be re-elected. In 1898, following the Spanish-American War, Reid was appointed to the United States Peace Commission. He urged the acquiring of the Philippines. From 1905 to 1912 he again served as an ambassador, this time to Great Britain.

Reid died on Dec. 15, 1912 in England. The Archbishop of Canterbury led his funeral Mass at Westminster Abbey. The King had a British ship escort his body back to the United States. Reid was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Westchester County, N.Y.