DIGS HIS OWN GRAVE
WILLIAM REID OF RED BANK ALSO BUILDS HIS CASKET.
He Hasn't Any Idea that He is Going to Die Very Soon, But He Wants to be Prepared for His Funeral--Bricked the Walls of His Grave.
William Reid, an aged colored man of Mechanic street, Red Bank, has nearly completed arrangements for his own funeral. Mr. Reid is about seventy years old. He looks as if he were good for many more years of life on this globe, as he is remarkably vigorous for a man of his advanced age. Mr. Reid, himself, doesn't think he is going to die very soon. He simply wants to have everything arranged so that when he does die the funeral and the burial will be in accordance with his ideas.
He has dug his own grave in White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. He is a sort of Jack of all-trades, and he laid the bricks on the bottom and on the sidewalls of the grave himself. He also put a slab over the grave. Mr. Reid has just about completed a casket, which will be used at his funeral. He built this casket at Charles Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown.
Mr. Breese told him how to start the work, and as soon as Mr. Reid got the hang of it, it did not take him long to finish the job. He told Mr. Breese that he wanted his funeral to be carried out according to his own ideas, and that he was going to make every possible arrangement for it before he dies.
Mrs. Reid is a veteran of the civil war. He is well fixed financially and is the owner of three houses on Beech street. He has lived at Red Bank a long time, and is one of the most respected colored residents of the town. Mr. Reid was for many years sexton of the Second National Bank.
Red Bank Register, Wed., Feb. 19, 1913
VETERAN MUSTERED OUT.
BURIED IN COFFIN AND GRAVE WHICH HE MADE.
William H. Reid Passed Away Last Wednesday in His 87th Year at His Home on Mechanic Street--Served in Two Armies.
William H. Reid of Mechanic street, Red Bank, a veteran of the civil war and one of the best known colored men of Red Bank, died last Wednesday of paralysis. Had he lived until February 28th he would have been 87 years old.
In a casket which he made himself and in a grave which he dug and lined with brick, all that was earthly of the aged veteran was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. The casket was completed by Mr. Reid in 1913 at Charles G. Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown and it had since been kept there. It was made of choice walnut wood. Mr. Reid used much care in making it and it required many days for the work. In addition to lining the sides and bottom of the grave with brick Mr. Reid had a slab over it. This slab was removed for the body to be lowered and then was made a permanent part of the grave with the use of concrete. The casket was of unusually fine workmanship. Mr. Reid said he made it and made his grave because he did not want to bother or make trouble for anyone after he was dead.
Mr. Reid was born a free citizen at Summerton, Virginia, in Nancemon county, on February 28th, 1840. He had the unusual distinction of having served in both the Confederate and the Union armies during the civil war. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the southern army and served in the Black Horse Cavalry under General Longstreet. His feeling as to the justice of the southern cause underwent a change, and after the battle Newbern (sic), North Carolina, he deserted. He came North and served as a sailor for a time on coastwise vessels.
On February 2d, 1864, he enlisted at New York in Company I of the 26th regiment of the Union army. The battles in which he fought were John's Island, Battery Pringle, Burden's Causeway, Honey Hill, Devaux's Neck, Fillifenny Station and McKay's Point.
Mr. Reid was mustered out of service at the close of the war and he located at Red Bank. Soon after coming here he bought the house on Mechanic street, where he died, living there more than sixty years. He married Hannah VanBreckle of Red Bank, who died in 1899. The couple had twelve children, of whom four are living. They are Robert Reid of Lakewood, Percy Reid and Mrs. Hessie Brown of Red Bank and Mrs. Hattie Terrell of New York. Mr. Reid also leaves a sister, Mrs. Ella Bowe of Red Bank, and several grandchildren. His sister made her home with him.
Mr. Reid was a member of D. B. Birney post of the Grand Army and at one time he was its commander. No meetings of the post have been held for some time due to reduced membership. This post, which at one time had a large membership, now has only three members of whom only one lives at Red Bank. The sole Red Bank survivor is Samuel Berry. The other two members are Walter Richardson of Eatontown and Alfred Barber of Lakewood.
For fifty years Mr. Reid was employed by the late Isaac H. Adlem as caretaker of his residence grounds on Broad street. He also did work for other people, such as looking after lawns and tending furnaces. He was faithful, industrious and frugal. Mrs. Adlem was among those who attended the funeral. In speaking about her husband's former employee she said he was the most conscientious worker she had ever known. She said that occasionally, when Mr. Reid was working, men would stop to talk with him. Mr. Reid would not stop work to converse with them, but he politely informed them that he had no right to use his employer's time to talk. "You know this is Mr. Adlem's time, not my time," he would say.
Mr. Reid retired from active work ten years ago, he having saved a modest competence from his earnings. For many years he made a practice of taking long walks on his birthday. He discontinued this practice five years ago, when he was 82 years old. This last walking trip was from Red Bank to Freehold and return. His health was so good that he never required a doctor from the time he moved to Red Bank, more than sixty years ago until his fatal sickness. There was a large attendance Saturday afternoon at the funeral which was held at the house.
Thanks to Ruth Ryan (#46967971)
WILLIAM REID OF RED BANK ALSO BUILDS HIS CASKET.
He Hasn't Any Idea that He is Going to Die Very Soon, But He Wants to be Prepared for His Funeral--Bricked the Walls of His Grave.
William Reid, an aged colored man of Mechanic street, Red Bank, has nearly completed arrangements for his own funeral. Mr. Reid is about seventy years old. He looks as if he were good for many more years of life on this globe, as he is remarkably vigorous for a man of his advanced age. Mr. Reid, himself, doesn't think he is going to die very soon. He simply wants to have everything arranged so that when he does die the funeral and the burial will be in accordance with his ideas.
He has dug his own grave in White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. He is a sort of Jack of all-trades, and he laid the bricks on the bottom and on the sidewalls of the grave himself. He also put a slab over the grave. Mr. Reid has just about completed a casket, which will be used at his funeral. He built this casket at Charles Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown.
Mr. Breese told him how to start the work, and as soon as Mr. Reid got the hang of it, it did not take him long to finish the job. He told Mr. Breese that he wanted his funeral to be carried out according to his own ideas, and that he was going to make every possible arrangement for it before he dies.
Mrs. Reid is a veteran of the civil war. He is well fixed financially and is the owner of three houses on Beech street. He has lived at Red Bank a long time, and is one of the most respected colored residents of the town. Mr. Reid was for many years sexton of the Second National Bank.
Red Bank Register, Wed., Feb. 19, 1913
VETERAN MUSTERED OUT.
BURIED IN COFFIN AND GRAVE WHICH HE MADE.
William H. Reid Passed Away Last Wednesday in His 87th Year at His Home on Mechanic Street--Served in Two Armies.
William H. Reid of Mechanic street, Red Bank, a veteran of the civil war and one of the best known colored men of Red Bank, died last Wednesday of paralysis. Had he lived until February 28th he would have been 87 years old.
In a casket which he made himself and in a grave which he dug and lined with brick, all that was earthly of the aged veteran was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. The casket was completed by Mr. Reid in 1913 at Charles G. Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown and it had since been kept there. It was made of choice walnut wood. Mr. Reid used much care in making it and it required many days for the work. In addition to lining the sides and bottom of the grave with brick Mr. Reid had a slab over it. This slab was removed for the body to be lowered and then was made a permanent part of the grave with the use of concrete. The casket was of unusually fine workmanship. Mr. Reid said he made it and made his grave because he did not want to bother or make trouble for anyone after he was dead.
Mr. Reid was born a free citizen at Summerton, Virginia, in Nancemon county, on February 28th, 1840. He had the unusual distinction of having served in both the Confederate and the Union armies during the civil war. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the southern army and served in the Black Horse Cavalry under General Longstreet. His feeling as to the justice of the southern cause underwent a change, and after the battle Newbern (sic), North Carolina, he deserted. He came North and served as a sailor for a time on coastwise vessels.
On February 2d, 1864, he enlisted at New York in Company I of the 26th regiment of the Union army. The battles in which he fought were John's Island, Battery Pringle, Burden's Causeway, Honey Hill, Devaux's Neck, Fillifenny Station and McKay's Point.
Mr. Reid was mustered out of service at the close of the war and he located at Red Bank. Soon after coming here he bought the house on Mechanic street, where he died, living there more than sixty years. He married Hannah VanBreckle of Red Bank, who died in 1899. The couple had twelve children, of whom four are living. They are Robert Reid of Lakewood, Percy Reid and Mrs. Hessie Brown of Red Bank and Mrs. Hattie Terrell of New York. Mr. Reid also leaves a sister, Mrs. Ella Bowe of Red Bank, and several grandchildren. His sister made her home with him.
Mr. Reid was a member of D. B. Birney post of the Grand Army and at one time he was its commander. No meetings of the post have been held for some time due to reduced membership. This post, which at one time had a large membership, now has only three members of whom only one lives at Red Bank. The sole Red Bank survivor is Samuel Berry. The other two members are Walter Richardson of Eatontown and Alfred Barber of Lakewood.
For fifty years Mr. Reid was employed by the late Isaac H. Adlem as caretaker of his residence grounds on Broad street. He also did work for other people, such as looking after lawns and tending furnaces. He was faithful, industrious and frugal. Mrs. Adlem was among those who attended the funeral. In speaking about her husband's former employee she said he was the most conscientious worker she had ever known. She said that occasionally, when Mr. Reid was working, men would stop to talk with him. Mr. Reid would not stop work to converse with them, but he politely informed them that he had no right to use his employer's time to talk. "You know this is Mr. Adlem's time, not my time," he would say.
Mr. Reid retired from active work ten years ago, he having saved a modest competence from his earnings. For many years he made a practice of taking long walks on his birthday. He discontinued this practice five years ago, when he was 82 years old. This last walking trip was from Red Bank to Freehold and return. His health was so good that he never required a doctor from the time he moved to Red Bank, more than sixty years ago until his fatal sickness. There was a large attendance Saturday afternoon at the funeral which was held at the house.
Thanks to Ruth Ryan (#46967971)
DIGS HIS OWN GRAVE
WILLIAM REID OF RED BANK ALSO BUILDS HIS CASKET.
He Hasn't Any Idea that He is Going to Die Very Soon, But He Wants to be Prepared for His Funeral--Bricked the Walls of His Grave.
William Reid, an aged colored man of Mechanic street, Red Bank, has nearly completed arrangements for his own funeral. Mr. Reid is about seventy years old. He looks as if he were good for many more years of life on this globe, as he is remarkably vigorous for a man of his advanced age. Mr. Reid, himself, doesn't think he is going to die very soon. He simply wants to have everything arranged so that when he does die the funeral and the burial will be in accordance with his ideas.
He has dug his own grave in White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. He is a sort of Jack of all-trades, and he laid the bricks on the bottom and on the sidewalls of the grave himself. He also put a slab over the grave. Mr. Reid has just about completed a casket, which will be used at his funeral. He built this casket at Charles Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown.
Mr. Breese told him how to start the work, and as soon as Mr. Reid got the hang of it, it did not take him long to finish the job. He told Mr. Breese that he wanted his funeral to be carried out according to his own ideas, and that he was going to make every possible arrangement for it before he dies.
Mrs. Reid is a veteran of the civil war. He is well fixed financially and is the owner of three houses on Beech street. He has lived at Red Bank a long time, and is one of the most respected colored residents of the town. Mr. Reid was for many years sexton of the Second National Bank.
Red Bank Register, Wed., Feb. 19, 1913
VETERAN MUSTERED OUT.
BURIED IN COFFIN AND GRAVE WHICH HE MADE.
William H. Reid Passed Away Last Wednesday in His 87th Year at His Home on Mechanic Street--Served in Two Armies.
William H. Reid of Mechanic street, Red Bank, a veteran of the civil war and one of the best known colored men of Red Bank, died last Wednesday of paralysis. Had he lived until February 28th he would have been 87 years old.
In a casket which he made himself and in a grave which he dug and lined with brick, all that was earthly of the aged veteran was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. The casket was completed by Mr. Reid in 1913 at Charles G. Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown and it had since been kept there. It was made of choice walnut wood. Mr. Reid used much care in making it and it required many days for the work. In addition to lining the sides and bottom of the grave with brick Mr. Reid had a slab over it. This slab was removed for the body to be lowered and then was made a permanent part of the grave with the use of concrete. The casket was of unusually fine workmanship. Mr. Reid said he made it and made his grave because he did not want to bother or make trouble for anyone after he was dead.
Mr. Reid was born a free citizen at Summerton, Virginia, in Nancemon county, on February 28th, 1840. He had the unusual distinction of having served in both the Confederate and the Union armies during the civil war. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the southern army and served in the Black Horse Cavalry under General Longstreet. His feeling as to the justice of the southern cause underwent a change, and after the battle Newbern (sic), North Carolina, he deserted. He came North and served as a sailor for a time on coastwise vessels.
On February 2d, 1864, he enlisted at New York in Company I of the 26th regiment of the Union army. The battles in which he fought were John's Island, Battery Pringle, Burden's Causeway, Honey Hill, Devaux's Neck, Fillifenny Station and McKay's Point.
Mr. Reid was mustered out of service at the close of the war and he located at Red Bank. Soon after coming here he bought the house on Mechanic street, where he died, living there more than sixty years. He married Hannah VanBreckle of Red Bank, who died in 1899. The couple had twelve children, of whom four are living. They are Robert Reid of Lakewood, Percy Reid and Mrs. Hessie Brown of Red Bank and Mrs. Hattie Terrell of New York. Mr. Reid also leaves a sister, Mrs. Ella Bowe of Red Bank, and several grandchildren. His sister made her home with him.
Mr. Reid was a member of D. B. Birney post of the Grand Army and at one time he was its commander. No meetings of the post have been held for some time due to reduced membership. This post, which at one time had a large membership, now has only three members of whom only one lives at Red Bank. The sole Red Bank survivor is Samuel Berry. The other two members are Walter Richardson of Eatontown and Alfred Barber of Lakewood.
For fifty years Mr. Reid was employed by the late Isaac H. Adlem as caretaker of his residence grounds on Broad street. He also did work for other people, such as looking after lawns and tending furnaces. He was faithful, industrious and frugal. Mrs. Adlem was among those who attended the funeral. In speaking about her husband's former employee she said he was the most conscientious worker she had ever known. She said that occasionally, when Mr. Reid was working, men would stop to talk with him. Mr. Reid would not stop work to converse with them, but he politely informed them that he had no right to use his employer's time to talk. "You know this is Mr. Adlem's time, not my time," he would say.
Mr. Reid retired from active work ten years ago, he having saved a modest competence from his earnings. For many years he made a practice of taking long walks on his birthday. He discontinued this practice five years ago, when he was 82 years old. This last walking trip was from Red Bank to Freehold and return. His health was so good that he never required a doctor from the time he moved to Red Bank, more than sixty years ago until his fatal sickness. There was a large attendance Saturday afternoon at the funeral which was held at the house.
Thanks to Ruth Ryan (#46967971)
WILLIAM REID OF RED BANK ALSO BUILDS HIS CASKET.
He Hasn't Any Idea that He is Going to Die Very Soon, But He Wants to be Prepared for His Funeral--Bricked the Walls of His Grave.
William Reid, an aged colored man of Mechanic street, Red Bank, has nearly completed arrangements for his own funeral. Mr. Reid is about seventy years old. He looks as if he were good for many more years of life on this globe, as he is remarkably vigorous for a man of his advanced age. Mr. Reid, himself, doesn't think he is going to die very soon. He simply wants to have everything arranged so that when he does die the funeral and the burial will be in accordance with his ideas.
He has dug his own grave in White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. He is a sort of Jack of all-trades, and he laid the bricks on the bottom and on the sidewalls of the grave himself. He also put a slab over the grave. Mr. Reid has just about completed a casket, which will be used at his funeral. He built this casket at Charles Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown.
Mr. Breese told him how to start the work, and as soon as Mr. Reid got the hang of it, it did not take him long to finish the job. He told Mr. Breese that he wanted his funeral to be carried out according to his own ideas, and that he was going to make every possible arrangement for it before he dies.
Mrs. Reid is a veteran of the civil war. He is well fixed financially and is the owner of three houses on Beech street. He has lived at Red Bank a long time, and is one of the most respected colored residents of the town. Mr. Reid was for many years sexton of the Second National Bank.
Red Bank Register, Wed., Feb. 19, 1913
VETERAN MUSTERED OUT.
BURIED IN COFFIN AND GRAVE WHICH HE MADE.
William H. Reid Passed Away Last Wednesday in His 87th Year at His Home on Mechanic Street--Served in Two Armies.
William H. Reid of Mechanic street, Red Bank, a veteran of the civil war and one of the best known colored men of Red Bank, died last Wednesday of paralysis. Had he lived until February 28th he would have been 87 years old.
In a casket which he made himself and in a grave which he dug and lined with brick, all that was earthly of the aged veteran was laid to rest Saturday afternoon at White Ridge cemetery at South Eatontown. The casket was completed by Mr. Reid in 1913 at Charles G. Breese's undertaking shop at Eatontown and it had since been kept there. It was made of choice walnut wood. Mr. Reid used much care in making it and it required many days for the work. In addition to lining the sides and bottom of the grave with brick Mr. Reid had a slab over it. This slab was removed for the body to be lowered and then was made a permanent part of the grave with the use of concrete. The casket was of unusually fine workmanship. Mr. Reid said he made it and made his grave because he did not want to bother or make trouble for anyone after he was dead.
Mr. Reid was born a free citizen at Summerton, Virginia, in Nancemon county, on February 28th, 1840. He had the unusual distinction of having served in both the Confederate and the Union armies during the civil war. At the outbreak of the war he enlisted in the southern army and served in the Black Horse Cavalry under General Longstreet. His feeling as to the justice of the southern cause underwent a change, and after the battle Newbern (sic), North Carolina, he deserted. He came North and served as a sailor for a time on coastwise vessels.
On February 2d, 1864, he enlisted at New York in Company I of the 26th regiment of the Union army. The battles in which he fought were John's Island, Battery Pringle, Burden's Causeway, Honey Hill, Devaux's Neck, Fillifenny Station and McKay's Point.
Mr. Reid was mustered out of service at the close of the war and he located at Red Bank. Soon after coming here he bought the house on Mechanic street, where he died, living there more than sixty years. He married Hannah VanBreckle of Red Bank, who died in 1899. The couple had twelve children, of whom four are living. They are Robert Reid of Lakewood, Percy Reid and Mrs. Hessie Brown of Red Bank and Mrs. Hattie Terrell of New York. Mr. Reid also leaves a sister, Mrs. Ella Bowe of Red Bank, and several grandchildren. His sister made her home with him.
Mr. Reid was a member of D. B. Birney post of the Grand Army and at one time he was its commander. No meetings of the post have been held for some time due to reduced membership. This post, which at one time had a large membership, now has only three members of whom only one lives at Red Bank. The sole Red Bank survivor is Samuel Berry. The other two members are Walter Richardson of Eatontown and Alfred Barber of Lakewood.
For fifty years Mr. Reid was employed by the late Isaac H. Adlem as caretaker of his residence grounds on Broad street. He also did work for other people, such as looking after lawns and tending furnaces. He was faithful, industrious and frugal. Mrs. Adlem was among those who attended the funeral. In speaking about her husband's former employee she said he was the most conscientious worker she had ever known. She said that occasionally, when Mr. Reid was working, men would stop to talk with him. Mr. Reid would not stop work to converse with them, but he politely informed them that he had no right to use his employer's time to talk. "You know this is Mr. Adlem's time, not my time," he would say.
Mr. Reid retired from active work ten years ago, he having saved a modest competence from his earnings. For many years he made a practice of taking long walks on his birthday. He discontinued this practice five years ago, when he was 82 years old. This last walking trip was from Red Bank to Freehold and return. His health was so good that he never required a doctor from the time he moved to Red Bank, more than sixty years ago until his fatal sickness. There was a large attendance Saturday afternoon at the funeral which was held at the house.
Thanks to Ruth Ryan (#46967971)
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