Preceded by James Todd Parents Joseph Reed Role Journalist | Name William Reed Preceded by Peter Parker Succeeded by Ovid F. Johnson | |
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Born June 30, 1806
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania ( 1806-06-30 ) Spouse(s) Louisa Whelan
Mary Love Ralston Alma mater University of Pennsylvania Died February 18, 1876, New York City, New York, United States Education University of Pennsylvania Grandparents Joseph Reed, Esther de Berdt Books The Life of Esther De Berdt: Aft, A President Reed of Pennsylv, The Acadian Exiles - Or, Reprint of the Original Letters fro, Speech of the Hon William B | ||
William Bradford Reed (June 30, 1806 – February 18, 1876) was an American attorney, diplomat, academic and journalist. He is best known for his biography of his grandfather, General Joseph Reed.
Biography and career
Reed was born the son of Joseph Reed and Maria Ellis Watmough. After graduating at the University of Pennsylvania in 1825 he went to Mexico as private secretary of Joel R. Poinsett, studied law, was appointed Pennsylvania Attorney-General (1838), and was made professor of American history at the University of Pennsylvania (1850).
In 1857, Reed became Minister to China, where he negotiated the Treaty of June, 1858, and on his return (1860) was active in Democratic Party politics and in New York journalism. For a time he was an American correspondent of The Times.
Reed published many controversial and historical pamphlets and contributed essays chiefly to the American Quarterly and the North American Review. He wrote the Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed, his grandfather (1847), and Life of Esther de Berdt, afterward Esther Reed, his grandmother (1853).
His brother was educator Henry Hope Reed.