A leading citizen of Albany County and one who is also prominent in the public affairs of the state of Wyoming, Is the Hon John Reid whose address is Hatton, Wyoming. A native of Scotland he was born in the city of Glasgow in 1846 and is the son of George and Jeanette (Kellie) Reid both natives of that country. His father was born in 1819 and was engaged in the business of contracting in Scotland following that occupation in the city of Glasgow down to 1882, when he disposed of his property in his native country and removed his residence to America, where he located in the city of Laramie and there remained up to the time of his decease in May 1884. The mother passed away in Scotland in 1879 at the age of fifty-eight years. She was the mother of five sons and three daughters and a woman of great strength of character. John Reid grew to man’s estate in his native country, and received his early education in the public schools of Glasgow. When he had completed his school life he engaged in business with his father and remained at home until he had arrived at the age of twenty-three years. He then set sail for the New World. Upon his arrival in America he proceeded to the state of Wisconsin where he established his home in Milwaukee and secured employment in the rolling mills operating at that place. He here continued in this employment until 1875 and in February of that year he removed his residence to the city of Laramie, Wyoming. Here he again entered into the service of a rolling-mills company and remained in that business until 1884 when he resigned his position for the purpose of engaging in ranching and stock raising. Purchasing a ranch on the Little Laramie River in Albany County where he now resides he entered into the stockgrowing industry in which he has from that time been continuously engaged. He has met with great success having steadily added to his holdings both of land and cattle until now he is the owner of a fine ranch of over 1,700 acres of land well fenced and improved and with all the necessary buildings and conveniences of the carrying on of an extensive stockraising business. In 1869 Mr. Reid was united in marriage with Miss Margaret Bailey a native of Scotland and the daughter of William and Agnes (Chapman) Bailey, both natives of that country and highly respected citizens of the city of Glasgow. No children have been born to them but they have reared and given a good home to not less than six adopted children and their home is noted for the generous and very gracious hospitality which they take pleasure in dispensing to a large circle of friends and acquaintances. Mr. Reid is affiliated with the Masonic order and takes a deep interest in the fraternal life of the community where he resides, being especially active in all work of charity and helpfulness to those less fortunate than himself. Politically he is a stanch member of the Republican Party and for many years has been active and prominent in the councils and leadership of that political organization in both county and state. Oftentimes he has been urged by his fellow citizens to become a candidate for public office but has usually declined to do so, preferring to devote his entire time and attention to the care and management of his extensive private business affairs but recognizing the fact that under our system of popular government it is the duty of every citizen to interest himself to some extent in public affairs at least to the extent of perceiving that its legitimate business is carried on with honesty and with efficiency he consented to became during a period of four year an active member of the board of county Commissioners of Albany county and also as member of State Legislative Assembly for a period of four years. To the public service he brought the ability integrity and painstaking care that have ever characterized his business career and gave to the public business the attention and fidelity that have made him so conspicuously successful in his own business transactions. Many measurers of legislation useful to all the people of Wyoming and especially so to the live stock interests of the state owe their origin to the ability industry and patriotism of Mr. Reid and to the conscientious manner in which he discharged the duties of his public trust. He is one of the foremost citizens of his state both in business and in public life always prominent in the advocacy of every measure calculated to benefit the people of his county or to promote the best interests of the state or to serve the welfare of the people for he is progressive popular and always actuated by patriotic motives.
