Seth Read

Seth Read (March 6, 1746 – March 19, 1797) was born in Uxbridge in Worcester County, Massachusetts, and died at Erie, Pennsylvania, as "Seth Reed", at age 51.

Biography

Early life He was the son of Lieutenant John Read, and Lucy Read. John Read had received his military title through active service in the French and Indian War. Seth Read also was the town clerk at Uxbridge from 1777 to 1778. Seth and his brother Joseph attended every meeting in the area having to do with preparing for the revolution.

Revolutionary war service Lieutenant Colonel Seth Read was commissioned in the Revolutionary War, served in the Battle of Lexington and Concord "Alarm", and commanded a regiment of troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill, the Massachusetts 26th regiment, under Col. John Patterson on June 17, 1775. Two years later, Seth Reed is referred to as having received a written vote by the Town of Uxbridge for particular duties related to public safety in the town. "the town chose "by written votes," Seth Read, "to procure and Lay before the court the Evidence that may be had of the Inimical dispositions of any Inhabitant of this town towards this or any of the United States who shall be charged by the freeholders and other Inhabitants of said town, or if their residence within this State is looked upon to be dangerous to the public peace and Safety." Read also served as a member of the Constitutional Convention in 1779.

Postwar service Read helped place the motto "E pluribus unum" on U.S. coins. After the war we find references to Seth Read in the early records of Worcester County and the Town of Uxbridge. He remained active in the local political life. Colonel Seth Read served in the Massachusetts General Court, or State Legislature from 1784 to 1786. In March 1786, Seth Reed petitioned the Massachusetts General Court, both the House and the Senate, for a franchise to mint coins, both copper and silver, and "it was concurred" (Massachusetts Coppers). According to the U.S. Treasury Colonel Reed of Uxbridge, Massachusetts was said to be instrumental in having E Pluribus Unum placed on United States coins. The phrase is placed on all U.S. coins. The phrase "E Pluribus unum", "Out of Many, One,", is now considered the traditional motto of the United States. The United States Treasury was first organized in 1789. The first official U.S. money with printing which included E Pluribus Unum was in 1795, and possibly as early as 1791. The first use of e pluribus unum on any U.S. coins was trace"d to copper coins minted at Newburg New York in 1786. The text which cites these earlier printings, again attributes use of e pluribus unum on US coins to Colonel Read of Uxbridge, Mass. Modern US coins have the phrase on the reverse side of the coin, (see the infobox of the one cent coin below where the inscription "E Pluribus Unum" appears above the Lincoln Memorial). The inaugural journey of President George Washington through New England in 1789 mentions the President's intent to visit his friend Colonel Read on passing through Uxbridge. But Colonel Reed was out of town reportedly moving his family to upstate Geneva, New York. Colonel Reed was reported to be a great landowner in Uxbridge. Another indicator of Seth Read's prominence in early Uxbridge was this citation. Referring to the Capron house in Uxbridge, "This house was built by Col. Seth Read, who once owned most of the real estate in this village" At the conclusion of the war he moved from Massachusetts into Ontario County, where by trade with the Indians he became owner of a tract of land eighteen miles in extent. This occurred in 1787, while Hannah stayed in Uxbridge with the family.