"A brilliant youth, he began serious practice of the law in 1865 with his brother J Davis Reid. In 1870 he joined in a practice with Richard Apperson, Jr. After Apperson's death, Reid joined Henry L Stone. In 1882 he was elected judge on the new Superior Court of the state and in the brief two years that he served he won a wide reputation for his legal knowledge and ability. In 1884 he entered the contest for the vacant Court of Appeals seat, and it was during this campaign that tragedy struck. For reasons unrelated to the campaign, Reid was attacked by a fellow Mt Sterling attorney, John Jay Cornelison, who beat him severely with a cane and a whip.
Cornelison was furious over what he regarded as Reid's part in a court suit which had discredited Cornelison, he attacked him. He hit the unsuspecting and defenseless Reid a number of times with a heavy cane. As Reid stumbled away and out into the street, Cornelison pursued and attacked-in order to humiliate Reid with a bullwhip, continuing to hit him until people in John Bean's store seperated them. Although Reid was urged by many to take revenge on Cornelison, he refused to do so and attempted to carry on his election campaign.
The combined effect of the physical injury from the attack and the rather severe criticism of those who felt Reid had not lived up to the "code of honor" put Reid under a great strain and on May 15, 1884 he shot himself at the age of 45. Although there were some supporters of Cornelison, the general reaction was one of outrage, shock and great grief over Reid's death. A battery of local lawyers pursued the matter until Cornelison was finally convicted of assault ans served three years in jail.
After Judge Reid's death, the public reaction was so great, not only against Cornelison but also against Reid's opponet in the election that William H Holt of Mt Sterling was elected to the Appellate seat. A Republican, Holt had lost a close fight for the seat in 1879, but could not have defeated Reid in normal times.
Mr Reid had no children, but his stepson, Richard Reid Rogers practiced briefly in Mt Sterling in the 1890's before building a lucrative practice in New York City."
(Information obtained from the book A History of Mt Sterling, Kentucky, 1792-1918 written by Carl B Boyd Jr and Hazel Mason Boyd)
Cornelison was furious over what he regarded as Reid's part in a court suit which had discredited Cornelison, he attacked him. He hit the unsuspecting and defenseless Reid a number of times with a heavy cane. As Reid stumbled away and out into the street, Cornelison pursued and attacked-in order to humiliate Reid with a bullwhip, continuing to hit him until people in John Bean's store seperated them. Although Reid was urged by many to take revenge on Cornelison, he refused to do so and attempted to carry on his election campaign.
The combined effect of the physical injury from the attack and the rather severe criticism of those who felt Reid had not lived up to the "code of honor" put Reid under a great strain and on May 15, 1884 he shot himself at the age of 45. Although there were some supporters of Cornelison, the general reaction was one of outrage, shock and great grief over Reid's death. A battery of local lawyers pursued the matter until Cornelison was finally convicted of assault ans served three years in jail.
After Judge Reid's death, the public reaction was so great, not only against Cornelison but also against Reid's opponet in the election that William H Holt of Mt Sterling was elected to the Appellate seat. A Republican, Holt had lost a close fight for the seat in 1879, but could not have defeated Reid in normal times.
Mr Reid had no children, but his stepson, Richard Reid Rogers practiced briefly in Mt Sterling in the 1890's before building a lucrative practice in New York City."
(Information obtained from the book A History of Mt Sterling, Kentucky, 1792-1918 written by Carl B Boyd Jr and Hazel Mason Boyd)
"A brilliant youth, he began serious practice of the law in 1865 with his brother J Davis Reid. In 1870 he joined in a practice with Richard Apperson, Jr. After Apperson's death, Reid joined Henry L Stone. In 1882 he was elected judge on the new Superior Court of the state and in the brief two years that he served he won a wide reputation for his legal knowledge and ability. In 1884 he entered the contest for the vacant Court of Appeals seat, and it was during this campaign that tragedy struck. For reasons unrelated to the campaign, Reid was attacked by a fellow Mt Sterling attorney, John Jay Cornelison, who beat him severely with a cane and a whip.
Cornelison was furious over what he regarded as Reid's part in a court suit which had discredited Cornelison, he attacked him. He hit the unsuspecting and defenseless Reid a number of times with a heavy cane. As Reid stumbled away and out into the street, Cornelison pursued and attacked-in order to humiliate Reid with a bullwhip, continuing to hit him until people in John Bean's store seperated them. Although Reid was urged by many to take revenge on Cornelison, he refused to do so and attempted to carry on his election campaign.
The combined effect of the physical injury from the attack and the rather severe criticism of those who felt Reid had not lived up to the "code of honor" put Reid under a great strain and on May 15, 1884 he shot himself at the age of 45. Although there were some supporters of Cornelison, the general reaction was one of outrage, shock and great grief over Reid's death. A battery of local lawyers pursued the matter until Cornelison was finally convicted of assault ans served three years in jail.
After Judge Reid's death, the public reaction was so great, not only against Cornelison but also against Reid's opponet in the election that William H Holt of Mt Sterling was elected to the Appellate seat. A Republican, Holt had lost a close fight for the seat in 1879, but could not have defeated Reid in normal times.
Mr Reid had no children, but his stepson, Richard Reid Rogers practiced briefly in Mt Sterling in the 1890's before building a lucrative practice in New York City."
(Information obtained from the book A History of Mt Sterling, Kentucky, 1792-1918 written by Carl B Boyd Jr and Hazel Mason Boyd)
Cornelison was furious over what he regarded as Reid's part in a court suit which had discredited Cornelison, he attacked him. He hit the unsuspecting and defenseless Reid a number of times with a heavy cane. As Reid stumbled away and out into the street, Cornelison pursued and attacked-in order to humiliate Reid with a bullwhip, continuing to hit him until people in John Bean's store seperated them. Although Reid was urged by many to take revenge on Cornelison, he refused to do so and attempted to carry on his election campaign.
The combined effect of the physical injury from the attack and the rather severe criticism of those who felt Reid had not lived up to the "code of honor" put Reid under a great strain and on May 15, 1884 he shot himself at the age of 45. Although there were some supporters of Cornelison, the general reaction was one of outrage, shock and great grief over Reid's death. A battery of local lawyers pursued the matter until Cornelison was finally convicted of assault ans served three years in jail.
After Judge Reid's death, the public reaction was so great, not only against Cornelison but also against Reid's opponet in the election that William H Holt of Mt Sterling was elected to the Appellate seat. A Republican, Holt had lost a close fight for the seat in 1879, but could not have defeated Reid in normal times.
Mr Reid had no children, but his stepson, Richard Reid Rogers practiced briefly in Mt Sterling in the 1890's before building a lucrative practice in New York City."
(Information obtained from the book A History of Mt Sterling, Kentucky, 1792-1918 written by Carl B Boyd Jr and Hazel Mason Boyd)
Family Members
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
