Sacramento County
Biographies
EDWARD E. REESE
Three generations of the Reese family
have been identified with American history and have contributed their quota to
the material upbuilding of the west. When David Reese
was a child six years of age he accompanied his parents from Wales, their native
land, to the new world, landing in New Orleans, from which point they went to
St. Joseph, and from there traveled overland to Utah and settled on raw land in
the vicinity of Salt Lake. The next removal was made in 1862, when the family
came to California in a
"prairie schooner" drawn by oxen. As the years passed by David Reese
became one of the most prominent citizens of Sacramento
county and wherever known he was honored for those
sterling traits of character that attracted all. Every avenue of frontier activity
reaped the benefit of his tireless enthusiasm and intelligent interest. Largely
through his instrumentality was effected the organization of the California
Fruit Union, in which he served as a director and which had as its aim the
direct shipment of fruit from grower to eastern consumers. Later he organized
the Florin Fruit Growers' Association, this being the first concern of the kind
organized in or near Florin.
Business
activities and personal friendships cemented by years of intimate association
brought also to David Reese their share of political prominence and local
leadership in the Republican party. During 1902 he was
elected sheriff of Sacramento county on the Republican ticket. At the expiration of the
first term he was re-elected, this time on an independent ticket. Prior to the
expiration of the second term his death occurred in February of 1910. In
fraternal affairs he had been prominent, holding an influential position with
the Elks, Improved Order of Red Men, Independent Order of Odd Fellows, the
Grange and the Fraternal Brotherhood. Crowned with success in his personal
affairs, he left at his death a valuable estate, which included twelve hundred
acres of land located in various parts of California.
At the time of his removal to the state David
Reese was unmarried and later he was united with Miss Mira Kilgore, a native
daughter of California, and now a
resident of Sacramento. They became
the parents of four sons and two daughters, the youngest of whom,
Miss Nellie, remains at the old home with her mother. The other daughter,
Ethel, is the wife of Frank Didion, who holds a
position in the D. O. Mills bank in Sacramento.
Percy D. is associated with the Palm iron works in the capital city. John K.,
also a resident here, is engaged in the real-estate business. Frank L. is a
veterinary surgeon in
Colusa. Edward E., who was the oldest child of the family, was born in
Sacramento county August 2, 1880. He entered the University
of California and completed his
educational preparation for the business responsibilities, graduating in 1903
with the degree of LL. B. He then returned to Sacramento
to serve as a deputy sheriff under his father. After three years in that
capacity he was made under-sheriff and continued as such until the death of his
father, whom he succeeded by appointment, filling out the unexpired term of one
year. Since his father's death he has managed the estate. During the session of
the state legislature in the thirty-ninth general assembly and the special
session following he was employed as a bookkeeper to the sergeant-at-arms. Like
his father he is staunchly Republican in political views and like him also he
has membership with the Fraternal Brotherhood, Benevolent Protective Order of
Elks and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. In addition he is connected with
Sunset Parlor No. 26, N. S. G. W.
The
marriage of Edward E. Reese was solemnized April 29, 1906, and united him with Miss Pearl Howard, a
native of Sacramento and a daughter
of M. A. and Annie Howard, the former an influential citizen, a leading
politician and for thirty years or more a well-known hotel man of the capital
city. Mr. and Mrs. Reese are the parents of two children, namely: Dorothy, born
February 5, 1907; and Howard
E., November 18, 1910. For
three years Mr. Reese was a member of the Hospital Corps of the Second
Regiment, N. G. C. At the time of the disastrous San
Francisco fire Mr. Reese served for thirty-one days as
a member of the hospital corps of the California National Guard and his
services were distinctly helpful in aiding to bring order out of chaos as well
as civic and personal hope out of the general gloom.
Transcribed by Sande Beach.
Source: Willis,
William L., History of Sacramento
County, California, Pages 603-605. Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, CA. 1913.
© 2005 Sande Beach.