John Harry Reeder (Jan. 20, 1887 - Mar. 13, 1974) was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of John T. and Margaret Reeder. The family moved to Michigan's Copper Country in 1889, residing initially in Osceola, but then moving to Dollar Bay, Tamarack Location, and Calumet. John Harry Reeder (who preferred to be called Harry), was a graduate of Calumet High School (1905) and graduated from the Michigan College of Mines (now Michigan Technological University) with the Bachelor of Science and Mining Engineer's degrees. Reeder worked initially in the Michigan copper mines, including positions as a machinist with the Isle Royale Copper Company (ca. 1910), assistant engineer with the Tamarack Mining Company (ca. 1910-1911), mining engineer with the Isle Royale Copper Company (ca. 1914-1916), and an unknown position with the Naumkeg Mining Company. He worked for the Houghton County Road Commission (ca. 1921), and his obituary indicates other work experience in the manganese mining area of Nevada, as superintendent of the Murray Mine at Sudbury, Ontario, and as superintendent of mines in the iron mining district of northern New York State. In 1925, Reeder was hired as superintendent of the Hiawatha Mine of the M.A. Hanna Iron Ore Company in Iron River, Michigan, where he remained for twenty-one years. Harry Reeder retired from Hanna in 1946, returning to live in his father's home at 1608 College Avenue in Houghton, then moving to a house at 913 Quincy St. in Hancock. From 1947 to 1958, Reeder was project engineer for the State of Michigan, representing Michigan Tech on campus construction projects during a critical growth period for the campus (additions to McNair and Douglass Houghton Hall, construction of Sherman Gym, Central Heating and Central Stores, Wadsworth Hall, and the Benedict Lab). It is apparent from this collection of photographs that Harry inherited his father's love of history and photography, spending a considerable amount of time in his retirement on amateur photography.
From the description of John Harry Reeder Photograph Collection, 1954-1967. (Michigan Technological University). WorldCat record id: 759112477
