Reed, Henry E., 1866-1947.

Henry E. Reed was a journalist, public official, and realtor who lived most of his life in Portland, Or. He is best known for his service as Secretary and Director of Exploitation for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition, held in Portland in 1905; and as Director of Exploitation for the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition held in Seattle in 1909 (a post from which he resigned over a pay dispute). Prior to his exposition work he was employed at the Oregonian in Portland. Later he served as Multnomah County Assessor in 1912 and 1916 and vice president of the Portland City Planning Commission (1923-1933), among many other civic posts. He was a nationally-recognized expert on taxation and real property valuation, and was also an avid local historian.

From the description of Henry E. Reed papers, 1855-1947 (bulk 1893-1943). (Oregon Historical Society Research Library). WorldCat record id: 60602718

Henry E. Reed was born on September 14, 1866 in Brooklyn, New York, to Phillip and Catherine (Sexton) Reed. The Reed family left New York and, after a brief stay in San Francisco, settled in Portland, Oregon, on March 1, 1871. Henry Reed attended Portland public schools and in his final year of high school, he accepted work as a printer’s apprentice. This position served as a stepping stone into what would become a significant career in journalism. Reed was employed by the Northwest Daily News in 1883, and aggressively worked his way up through the ranks. In 1887, he brought attention to himself by scooping the Oregonian on a lead story. Subsequently, the Oregonian offered him a significant pay raise, and Reed accepted. He would stay with the paper until 1901.

After leaving journalism, Reed entered public service by becoming the Assistant Secretary of the Portland Chamber of Commerce (1901-1903). In 1903, he became Director of Exploitation (head of public relations) for the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial Exposition, and also served as Secretary of the fair corporation. This experience led to employment as director of the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition in Seattle, from which Reed eventually resigned over a pay dispute in 1909. In 1906, he was a founding member of the Portland Realty Board, and would remain a member for the duration of his life. Reed also served two terms as the Multnomah County Assessor (1912 and 1916), a position which ultimately qualified him as a nationally recognized expert on taxation and real estate value assessment.

Other positions held by Reed included: manager of the Red Cross and Liberty Loans campaigns (1917-1919), director of the Portland Chamber of Commerce (1915-1917), director of the 1919 Rose Festival, and Vice President of the Portland City Planning Commission (1923-1933). He was also a life long lover of history and was considered a valuable resource on the history of regional development and geography. In his later years, he served as Secretary of the Oregon Historical Society from 1938-1945. Reed died of prostate cancer on September 22, 1947, at the Physicians and Surgeons Hospital. He was 81 years old.

From the guide to the Henry E. Reed Papers, 1855-1943, 1893-1943, (Oregon Historical Society Research Library)