Transcribed from Goodspeed’s History of  Tennessee from the Earliest Time to the Present; Together with an Historical and a Biographical Sketches of from Twenty-Five to Thirty Counties of East Tennessee, Besides a Valuable Fund of Notes, Original Observations, Reminiscences, etc., etc. (Chicago and Nashville:  The Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887), pp. 962-987.  See footnote below for on-line access.

Samuel REESE, general trader of Cleveland, is the son of John and Ellen (SMITH) REESE. His father was a native of Wales. When young the father came to America and located at Wheeling, W. Va. He was a man of limited means but of industrious habits, being a furnance-man by trade. While at Wheeling he married Miss SMITH, a native of England. By her he had four children. Our subject was born in Wheeling in 1843. While growing up he had poor educational advantages. During the day he worked with his father in the iron business, and at night and leisure moments he studied telegraphy, becoming master of that science. At the age of seventeen years, both parents having died, he found himself thrown upon his own resources. His first money was made by sewing bags for a nominal sum per week. Soon, however, his telegraphic knowledge was in demand, and for twenty-two years he was an operator and station agent for the East Tennessee, Virginia & Georgia Railway. Finding his physical powers waning he resigned his position as agent. In 1866 he married Miss Sallie HUFF, a native of East Tennessee, by whom one daughter, Ella May, was born. For some time Mr. REESE has been dealing in real estate. As a business man he has been prompt, honorable, and as a result successful.

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This biography was transcribed by Sherry Pollard. We thank her for transcribing all the Goodspeed’s biographical sketches.

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