Harrison Jackson Reed (August 26, 1813 – May 25, 1899) was an American editor and politician who had most of his political career in Florida.

Born in Littleton, Massachusetts, he moved as a youth with his family to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where he had a grocery store and started farming.

Reed became active in the Republican Party and in 1861 he began his political career, moving to Washington, DC for a patronage job in the Treasury Department.

In 1863 he was appointed as the Tax Commissioner of Florida, to oversee confiscation and sales of Confederate properties in Union-occupied areas.

He served one term, with challenges by factions of the Republican Party resulting in two attempts in the state senate at impeachment.

The Reed family moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1836, where his siblings contributed to the newly developing areas and two brothers became politicians.

In 1863, Reed was appointed by President Abraham Lincoln to be the Tax Commissioner in Florida to deal with sales and disposition of confiscated Confederate property.

[1] While working as Tax Commissioner, Reed traveled to Fernandina Beach on Amelia Island, which was occupied by Union forces, to oversee use of Confederate properties.

[2] In 1869, Reed encountered Chloe Merrick again, who had moved to North Carolina for her health and was again teaching freed children.

It was not until July 4, 1868, that the federal commander of military forces in Florida for Reconstruction recognized the constitution and the election as valid.

The state adjutant general and the sheriff of Leon County, Alvin B. Munger, a former US Army officer, supported Reed and organized an effort to deny Gleason access to the Capitol.

On November 24, 1868, the Florida Supreme Court held that the Senate had lacked a quorum at their vote and could not have impeached Reed.

While Day was in Jacksonville for a party caucus, Reed returned to Tallahassee, declared himself Governor, and appointed a new Attorney General.