Duncan Reed

July 2, 1815 (age 75)

Shelburn, Vermont

He served briefly as an officer in the American Civil War, then went to work as a boiler inspector. He became a marine engineer, and had visited Milwaukee at least as early as 1834. He moved to Milwaukee permanently on July 8, 1841, arriving as chief engineer of the steamship City of Milwaukee or Milwaukee (reputedly "the fastest boat on the lakes at that time"), which he had helped to sneak out of the harbor of Buffalo, New York at the instigation of Solomon Juneau, part-owner thereof, who claimed that the boat was being retained in Buffalo unjustly by the other owners. He remained in the engineering trade, serving on lake steamers such as the Creative Commons Trowbridge, the Andromeda and the Nucleus. In 1851, he was one of a group (including Alexander Mitchell, George H Walker, Increase Lapham and others) which petitioned the state legislature for a charter for the Milwaukee and Fond du Lac Railroad, one of the short-lived railroad companies which would eventually become part of the Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad system. As of 1853, he was 37 years of age. His biographical listing showed that he was an "engineer", was born in Vermont and had lived in Wisconsin for 12 years. During the 1853 session, he served as President pro tempore of the Senate. He was succeeded in the Senate by fellow Democrat Edward McGarry He served four years as a deputy United States Marshal. And in 1858 was elected coroner for Milwaukee County. In 1853 Reed was a Colonel of the First Regiment, First Division of the Wisconsin Militia under Major General Rufus King. On August 21, 1862, he was commissioned a Captain of the 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment (which "Cam" had helped organize) commanding Company "East". But he was discharged in January 1863. After the war, he worked as a professional boiler inspector, billing various state agencies for that service. He was appointed a boiler inspector for the Steamboat Inspection Service of the United States government during the Grant administration, a position he would hold until his death.

Duncan Reed

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engineer politician

Background

Reed was born in Shelburn, Vermont on July 2, 1815.

Career

He served briefly as an officer in the American Civil War, then went to work as a boiler inspector. He became a marine engineer, and had visited Milwaukee at least as early as 1834. He moved to Milwaukee permanently on July 8, 1841, arriving as chief engineer of the steamship City of Milwaukee or Milwaukee (reputedly "the fastest boat on the lakes at that time"), which he had helped to sneak out of the harbor of Buffalo, New York at the instigation of Solomon Juneau, part-owner thereof, who claimed that the boat was being retained in Buffalo unjustly by the other owners.

He remained in the engineering trade, serving on lake steamers such as the Creative Commons Trowbridge, the Andromeda and the Nucleus.

In 1851, he was one of a group (including Alexander Mitchell, George H Walker, Increase Lapham and others) which petitioned the state legislature for a charter for the Milwaukee and Fond du Lac Railroad, one of the short-lived railroad companies which would eventually become part of the Chicago, Milwaukee, Saint Paul and Pacific Railroad system. As of 1853, he was 37 years of age.

His biographical listing showed that he was an "engineer", was born in Vermont and had lived in Wisconsin for 12 years. During the 1853 session, he served as President pro tempore of the Senate.

He was succeeded in the Senate by fellow Democrat Edward McGarry

He served four years as a deputy United States Marshal.

And in 1858 was elected coroner for Milwaukee County. In 1853 Reed was a Colonel of the First Regiment, First Division of the Wisconsin Militia under Major General Rufus King. On August 21, 1862, he was commissioned a Captain of the 24th Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry Regiment (which "Cam" had helped organize) commanding Company "East".

But he was discharged in January 1863.

After the war, he worked as a professional boiler inspector, billing various state agencies for that service. He was appointed a boiler inspector for the Steamboat Inspection Service of the United States government during the Grant administration, a position he would hold until his death.

Membership

He served two terms as a Democratic member of the Wisconsin State Senate, and as coroner of Milwaukee County. Reed served four years (1850-1853) as a Democratic member of the State Senate, first from the Eighteenth District, then (after a redistricting) from the Sixth.

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Duncan Reed

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