Reed, Joseph, 1741-1785

Joseph Reed (August 27, 1741 – March 5, 1785) was a Founding Father of the United States and a lawyer, military officer, and statesman of the American Revolutionary Era who lived the majority of his life in Pennsylvania. He served as a delegate to the Continental Congress and, while in Congress, signed the Articles of Confederation. He also served as President of Pennsylvania's Supreme Executive Council, a position analogous to the modern office of Governor.

Reed was born in Trenton in the Province of New Jersey in 1741. Shortly after his birth, his family moved to Philadelphia. As a boy, Reed was enrolled at Philadelphia Academy (later to be known as the University of Pennsylvania). He received his bachelor's degree from the College of New Jersey (later known as Princeton University) in 1757 and, soon after, began his professional education under Richard Stockton. In the summer of 1763, Reed sailed for England, where, for two years, he continued his studies in law at Middle Temple in London. At the beginning of the Revolutionary War, Reed ran a successful Philadelphia law practice, from which he resigned at the request of George Washington. In 1775, Reed held the rank of colonel and he subsequently served in the capacity of secretary and aide-de-camp to Washington.

In 1778, Reed was one of the five delegates from Pennsylvania to sign the Articles of Confederation. On December 1, 1778, he was elected President of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania, a position analogous to the modern office of governor. Reed received 61 of the 63 votes and assumed office immediately. During Reed's tenure as president, in addition to prosecuting Benedict Arnold, Reed oversaw the abolition of slavery in Pennsylvania and the awarding of Revolutionary soldiers with lifelong "half-pay". Pennsylvania passed a law for the gradual abolition of slavery in 1780.

In 1784, Reed visited England with the hope of improving his health but was not successful. He returned to Pennsylvania and died in Philadelphia on March 5, 1785, at the age of 43. Reed was buried in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery in 1868.