Biography

06/30/1806 - 02/18/1876

William Bradford Reed (Whig1) Philadelphia City 1841

Early Life:

William Bradford Reed, born June 30, 1806, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania; son of Joseph and Maria Ellis Watmaugh Reed; University of Pennsylvania, 1825; travelled to Mexico, private secretary of Joel R. Poinsett; studied law; elected National Republicans, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1834-1835; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1835-1836; elected, Pennsylvania State Attorney-General, 1838-1839; vice-president, Law Academy of Philadelphia, 1840-1841; elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1841; married, Louisa Whelan, 1833 (d. 1847) son, William A. Reed; American history, professor, University of Pennsylvania, 1850; married, Helen Seymour Reed, 1850, children, Robert Ralston Reed, Emily De Berdt Reed, Helen Seymour Reed; District Attorney of Philadelphia, 1851-1856; appointed, President, James Buchanan, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, China, 1857-1858, negotiated, Treaty of Tientsin; American correspondent, Times of London; contributing essays, American Quarterly, North American Review; died, February 18, 1876, New York, New York County (Manhattan), New York; interment, Saint James the Less Episcopal Churchyard, Philadelphia, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania.

Authored: 

Life and Correspondence of Joseph Reed (his grandfather) 1847. 

Life of Esther de Berdt, (afterward, Esther Reed, his grandmother) 1853. 

Pennsylvania Politics:

Elected, National Republicans, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1834-1835.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, 1835-1836.  

Elected, Pennsylvania State Attorney-General, 1838-1839. 

Elected, Whig, Pennsylvania State Senate, 1st district, Philadelphia City 1841; replaced, Frederick Fraley, who resigned prior to the beginning of the session.

District Attorney of Philadelphia, 1851-1856.

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Appointed, President, James Buchanan, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary, China, appointed: April 18, 1857, presentation of credentials: May 3, 1858; negotiated, Treaty of Tientsin; termination of mission: left China, November 11, 1858. 

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Not currently available 

Legacy:

The Treaty of Tientsin, granted American diplomats the right to reside in Peking, reduced tariff levels for American goods, and guaranteed the free exercise of religion by foreigners in China, 1858.

Hired to defend Confederate president Jefferson Davis in court after the United States Civil War was over, however Davis never went to trial.

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members "R"". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University. 

Cox, Harold. Senate1790-1869 (wilkes.edu). Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

William Bradford Reed (1806-1876) - Find a Grave Memorial