Ernest Edward Reid, who had inherited many of the salesmanship qualities of his honored father, and is vice president of the Fort Scott Wholesale Grocery Company, was born in Chicago, Illinois, October 8, 1865. He was educated in the public schools of Fort Scott, in the State Normal School and was still a boy when he began his business career as a utility worker in a Fort Scott book store. Three years later he found a position more to his liking in the local postoffice, and after two years there became express messenger for the Adams Express Company.
For nearly thirty years Mr. Reid had concentrated all his energies and interests upon the wholesale grocery business. In 1887 he was made shipping and bill clerk for the Stadden Grocery Company. When that company retired in 1890, he and his father and Grant Hornady and A. J. McLaughlin organized the Southwestern Wholesale Grocery Company of Fort Scott. Several years later this was consolidated with the Fort Scott Wholesale Grocery Company, of which he is now vice president and had full charge of the local business as city salesman. Twenty-seven years of his life he had devoted to salesmanship, and is a past master of the art.
Mr. Reid is also a director of the Western Automobile Indemnity Company of Fort Scott, is a member of the Chamber of Commerce, had passed all the chairs and is now senior counsel of the United Commercial Travelers, is past eminent commander of the Knights Templar Commandery, and stands high in the Scottish Rite bodies of Masonry. He is also a member of the Elks and in politics is a democrat. His wife is an active worker in the Eastern Star.
On June 22, 1900, at Fort Scott he married Miss Nettie Prager. Mrs. Reid is a daughter of David and Hattie (Briggs) Prager, of an old and well known family of Fort Scott, referred to on other pages.