John Reed Sr. (November 11, 1751 – February 17, 1831) was a Representative from

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

. Born in Framingham in the

Province of Massachusetts Bay The Province of Massachusetts Bay was a colony in New England which became one of the thirteen original states of the United States. It was chartered on October 7, 1691, by William III and Mary II, the joint monarchs of the kingdoms of Eng ...

, Reed moved with his parents to Titicut Parish, in the northwestern part of Middleboro in 1756. He graduated from

Yale College Yale College is the undergraduate college of Yale University. Founded in 1701, it is the original school of the university. Although other Yale schools were founded as early as 1810, all of Yale was officially known as Yale College until 1887, ...

in 1772, studied

theology Theology is the study of religious belief from a Religion, religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an Discipline (academia), academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itse ...

, and was

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are Consecration in Christianity, consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the religious denomination, denominationa ...

as a

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

minister in 1780. He served as a

chaplain A chaplain is, traditionally, a cleric (such as a minister, priest, pastor, rabbi, purohit, or imam), or a lay representative of a religious tradition, attached to a secular institution (such as a hospital, prison, military unit, intellige ...

in the United States Navy for two years, then moved to West Bridgewater, Massachusetts in 1780, where he became pastor of the First Congregational Society, which position he retained until his death. He was elected as a

Federalist The term ''federalist'' describes several political beliefs around the world. It may also refer to the concept of parties, whose members or supporters call themselves ''Federalists''. History Europe federation In Europe, proponents of deep ...

to the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Congresses (March 4, 1795 – March 3, 1801). He was not a candidate for renomination in 1800. He again resumed his ministerial duties, and died in West Bridgewater, Plymouth County,

. Interment was in the Old Graveyard. He was the father of John Reed Jr. (1781–1860), a Representative from Massachusetts.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Reed, John Sr. Yale College alumni 1751 births 1831 deaths People from West Bridgewater, Massachusetts United States Navy chaplains Federalist Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Massachusetts Military personnel from Massachusetts 18th-century members of the United States House of Representatives