David Reed was an American Unitarian clergyman and editor.
Background
David Reed, the son of Rev. William and Olive (Pool) Reed, was born on Feburary 6, 1790 in Easton, Massachussets, in which town his father was for twenty-five years the Congregational minister. He was a descendant of William Reade who came from England to Boston in 1635 and was one of the early settlers of Weymouth.
Education
David graduated from Brown University in 1810. In 1813 he went to Cambridge and continued his theological studies at Harvard.
Career
For two years he was principal of Plymouth Academy, Bridgewater, Massachussets, at the same time studying theology under Rev. Dr. Sanger of South Bridgewater.
In 1814 he was licensed to preach.
From 1814 to 1821 he served churches in Maine, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and elsewhere, but declined to be permanently settled.
Traveling about and coming into contact with conditions in different states, he became convinced that the liberal movement needed a weekly paper to disseminate information and to further the purification and greater effectiveness of the Christian faith. Accordingly, with the indorsement of William Ellery Channing and others, he founded the Christian Register, the first number of which appeared on April 20, 1821.
The venture succeeded and in the issue of April 28, 1921, the paper commemorated the one hundredth anniversary of its first appearance. For some forty-five years Reed was its proprietor and for a considerable portion of this time, its editor, securing for its columns contributions from the leading Unitarians of the day.
The period was marked by dissension in the Unitarian body, and also by extension in its organization and work, while the anti-slavery and other reforms were agitating the country at large. Living until after the Civil War, Reed exerted an influence which touched all these matters.
Achievements
Personality
He thought clearly, wrote with vigor, and was courageous in the support of the beliefs and measures of which he approved, thereby rendering service of value both to Unitarianism and to the cause of moral and civic welfare in general.
Connections
On May 2, 1836, he was married at Providence, Rhode Island, to Mary Ann, daughter of Capt. Howell Williams, by whom he had three children.