Clyde M. Reed

Clyde Martin Reed (October 19, 1871 – November 8, 1949) was an American politician who served as the 24th governor of Kansas from 1929 to 1931 and as a United States senator from 1939 until his death in 1949.

Biography Born in Champaign County, Illinois, Reed moved to Kansas with his family when he was four years old. After completing a basic education, he taught school for a single year then began work as a federal employee. He served in different capacities for the next thirty years. He first worked for the railroad mail carrier service, rising to be superintendent of several areas throughout the Midwest and then to the Railway Adjustment Division, Post Office Department superintendent. He married Minnie E. Hart in 1891 and they had ten children.

Career In 1919, Reed became personal secretary to Governor Henry J. Allen in Topeka, who was also owner and publisher of the Wichita Beacon. Four years later, he purchased controlling interest in the Parsons Sun newspaper of Parsons, Kansas, and continued as publisher until his death in 1949. He served on the Kansas Industrial Court from 1920 to 1921, and was a member of the Public Utilities Commission from 1921 to 1924. While in the Senate, his fellow Kansas Senator was also a former governor, Arthur Capper. Reed attempted to obtain the 1942 Republican nomination for governor of Kansas but failed.

Death Reed died in 1949 while on a visit home from the Senate. He is interred at Oakwood Cemetery in Parsons.