Amanda Wood

From History of Portland: Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens

"Mr. Reed was married in October, 1850 to Amanda Wood, of Quincy, Massachusetts. Their home on First street is one of the finest residences in the city, where he delights to entertain his friends and where his chief comforts and happiness are to be found."

Notes

From Reed College Magazine: Comrades of the Quest

"Reed showed his wife the utmost devotion and respect. Such treatment was partly engendered by her fiery disposition. Despite the appearance of a prim and docile wife, Amanda was strong willed. If the situation warranted it, she was capable of displaying a temper that her husband described as “swearing mad.” She also possessed an astute and capable mind that Simeon trusted in both domestic and business problems. It is an irony of fate that in the midst of all the luxury and plenty that money could produce, the only barren things were Reed and his wife. Undoubtedly it was this frustrated desire for children that prompted Reed’s interest in the education of young people."

From Guide to the Simeon Gannett Reed Papers

"As Reed's health declined, he and his wife moved from Oregon to Pasadena, Calif. in 1892. He planned to build a large house there at Carmelita, but died in 1895 before it was completed. His wife, Amanda Reed, lived in the house until her death in 1904. Reed had wanted the bulk of his estate to be used in establishing a college in Portland, however, after the death of Mrs. Reed, the couple's legacy became entangled in litigation. It was only through the efforts of Mrs. Reed's nephew, Martin Winch (who had managed the Reeds' finances for many years), that funds were finally secured for the building of what is now Reed College."

Last Will and Testament of Amanda Reed:

It is my desire and intention that the institution so founded and established shall be a means of general enlightenment, intellectual and moral culture, the cultivation and development of fine arts, and manual training and education for the people. And I desire and direct that it forever be and remain free from sectarian influence, regulation, or control, permitting those who may seek its benefits to affiliate with such religious societies as their consciences may dictate.

Links

• Reed Centennial Archive