Reed’s: A Tale of the American Spirit

Title: Reed's: A Tale of the American Spirit
Author: Douglas Cook
First Published: July 11, 1976
Publisher: Harlo Printing Company
Pages: 48
Genre: Biography, History, Non-Fiction
Format: Paperback
Source: Gift
Rating:


Synopsis:

Tells the story of the entrepenurial Reed family who came to Mansfield, Ohio in a booming Civil War economy and set up shop. They were still thriving when the booklet was written in 1976.

Get the Book: Amazon

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Review

I came upon this book in an unexpected way. I had picked up family genealogy and research as a hobby in the last two years. Through my research I’ve learned a lot about American life through the decades, and have enjoyed getting a glimpse into the lives of people from times past. One of my favorite parts of doing research is when I can put together a timeline that forms the story of a person’s life, or discover a family history lovingly recorded.

As I started delving into family research, I shared some of my findings with a colleague and mentor at work, and learned that our families have roots in the great state of Ohio. While talking, he pulled out this small booklet from his shelf and handed it to me, telling me it was a little family history that he had written back in the 70’s that I might enjoy.

That book of course was Reed’s: A Tale of the American Spirit. It’s a little book that catalogues the history of the H. L. Reed Company, a department store that had become a downtown staple for generations in Mansfield, Ohio. The store remained in operation from the 1860’s all the way until 1993. The book memorializes not just the store’s founders, but the men and women that carried the store well past it’s humble beginnings into a thriving business for decades.

The book is well researched and contained photographs and interviews from the families that owned the store, and I enjoyed learning a little bit of Ohio history. The writing was simple and approachable, making it a quick read. It’s a bit of a rare book that’s hard to find nowadays, so I’m thankful to have received the book as a gift.

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