Notes for James Gearl Reid
Known as Gearl Reid
1900 census Blakely, Gage Co., NE Sheet 4B
Household #65
James M. Reed, head, Oct 1857, age 42, md 15 yrs, IA/PA/PA, Farmer
Osta E., wife, Oct 1866, age 33, md 15 yrs, 7 births, 7 surviving, NE/KY/VA
Myrl A., daughter, Aug 1885, age 14, NE/IA/NE, at school
Hattie P., daughter, March 1888, age 12, NE/IA/NE, at school
Andrew F., son, Dec 1889, age 10, NE/IA/NE, at school
Raymon L., son, Sept 1891, age 8, NE/IA/NE, at school
Gearl J., son, Dec 1893, age 6, NE/IA/NE, at school
Edward D., son, Dec 1895, age 4, KS/IA/NE
Dale W., son, Aug 1897, age 2, KS/IA/NE
William E., brother, Oct 1865, age 34, IA/IA/NE, Farmer
Charlie Rossiter, laborer, Aug 1883, NE/NE/NE, farm labor
1910 census Swanton, Saline Co., NE
James M. Read, head, age 52, md 25 yrs, IA/PA/PA, Farmer
Osta E., wife, age 42, md 25 yrs, 11 births, 11 surviving, NE/KY/VA
Flem A., son, age 20, NE/IA/NE
Ramond L., son, age 18, NE/IA/NE
Gerald J., son, age 16, NE/IA/NE
Edward D., son, age 14, KS/IA/NE
Dale W., son, age 11, KS/IA/NE
Evlyn, daughter, age 9, NE/IA/NE
Ruth, daughter, age 7, NE/IA/NE
Lucille, daughter, age 4, NE/IA/NE
Esther M., daughter, age 1-1/2, NE/IA/NE
1920 census Swanton, Saline Co., NE Sheet 7A
James Reid, head, age 62, IA/PA/PA, Farmer
Osta, wife, age 53, NE/NY/NY
Gerald, son, age 25, NE/IA/NE, laborer
Edward, son, age 23, KS/IA/NE, laborer
Dale, son, age 21, NE/IA/NE, laborer
Eylven, daughter, age 19, NE/IA/NE
Ruth, daughter, age 17, NE/IA/NE
Lousil, daughter, age 14, NE/IA/NE
Esther, daughter, age 11, NE/IA/NE
1930 census Swan Creek Pct, Swanton, Saline Co., NE April 1930
Household #108/109
James G. Reid, age 36, age at first marriage - 27, NE/IA/NE, farmer
Mildred A, wife, age 32, age at first marriage - 23, NE/KS/MI
Warren E., son, age 8, NE/NE/NE
Harold W. son, age 4 - 5/12, NE/NE/NE
William P. Thomas, grandfather, age 89, widowed, MO/KY/England
Excerpt from "History and Genealogical Record of the REIDS, EELL'S, THOMPSON'S
and Their Related Families of The United States of America" By WARREN E.
REID. LtCol USAF (Retd), Everett, PA 15537, May 1998
212 JAMES GEARL REID, bom Dec 15, 1893 Hoag, Gage County, Neb., mar. Mildred
Avis Thomas, daughter of George William and Dora Beatrice (Vetter) Thomas, Feb
15, 1921 at the Thomas residence 1511 Grant Street, Beatrice, Neb.. Gearl died
of an acute coronary occlusion Apr 17, 1964 in Alvin (Brazoria County), Texas,
while visiting his daughter Marilyn Louise Worley and her family. Gearl and
Mildred are buried in the Southeast Quarter and Southwest Quarter of Lot 55,
in Block 31, Evergreen Home Cemetery, Beatrice, Neb., next to their son Harold
Wayne. The Deed to Lot #295 is dated 24 June 1944. After high school in Swanton
Gearl attended a business college in Beatrice. During World War I, Gearl served
in the United States Navy from December 13th, 1917 to September 16th, 1919,
at the Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, 111, the Philadelphia Naval Station
and as a Fireman 2nd Class, aboard the Battleship Delaware on submarine patrol
duty in the North Atlantic and aboard the USS Nebraska in the Atlantic. He was
discharged from the Navy at the Recruiting Office, Denver, Colorado, under War
Service Certificate No: 126975, with an Honorable Discharge Document No: 88298.
Following his discharge Gearl farmed for many years in Nebraska's, Gage and
Saline Counties. During the depression of the 1930's, in addition to farming,
he blood tested poultry flocks and operated a small hatchery for several years
in Swanton. In the spring of 1938 Gearl moved the family from the farm near
Swanton and rented a farm two miles south of Beatrice along highway Route Six.
After the farm sale in October 1944, Gearl moved the family in December to Pharr,
Tex., where he was soon employed at the John Cabot Corporation, Valley Vitamins
Corp plant to extract Carotene from alfalfa for the production of vitamin A.
To satisfy the need for fresh poultry products in the Rio Grande Valley Gearl
established a wholesale business in 1945, which he operated from his residence
at 221 West Jones Avenue, Pharr until retirement in 1961. Gearl and Mildred
were active members in the Methodist churches of Swanton, Beatrice and Pharr.
Three children were bom of this marriage: Warren Edward, Harold Wayne and Marilyn
Louise Reid. 158/159
213 MILDRED AVIS (Thomas) REID, born Aug 5, 1897, Auburn, Neb., mar. James Gearl
Reid, son of James Madison and Osta Emmer (Thompson) Reid, of Swanton, Neb.,
Feb 15, 1921, at her parents residence 1511 Grant Street, Beatrice. Rev. J.
Franklin Haas officiated the marriage ceremony, utilizing a prayer book printed
in 1711 which had been the property of the brides great grand mother, Emma Bridger
of Highgate, a suburb of London, England. The bride was attended by Lauretta
Ladner of Swanton, while Dale Wallace Reid the groom's brother was the best
man. The newly weds set up housekeeping in Swanton, (about twenty miles from
Beatrice) on March First. Mildred graduated from Beatrice High School in 1917
and Peru Normal School, Peru, NE in 1919, then taught school in Gage County,
NE, and also a number of years later in Pharr, Texas. Mildred the mother of
the author, took an active part in community affairs, by teaching ceramics in
addition to teaching school before marrying Gearl; teaching 4H cooking classes
and participating in different ladies organizations. During the early part of
the 1930's depression Mildred and Gearl sold baby chicks for a hatchery in lola,
Kan., to farm families in Saline, Jefferson and Gage counties. This led to Geari
establishing the hatchery in Swanton. Mildred was well known for her preparation
of fine food and pastries. Mildred died January 11, 1970 in Weslaco, TX. 195/196
