Reed was born in Versailles in Darke County, Ohio on February 8, 1825; he received an academic education and became a physician by trade.
He served as an examining surgeon for the draft of 1863; and was once more elected to his old Assembly district for the 1866 and 1867 sessions, being succeeded by Democrat Jonas Folts.
He was a member of the State Board of Charities and Reform for multiple terms, beginning in 1874, in which role he was instrumental in fostering the idea of establishing county insane asylums.
In 1882 he was elected again to the 23rd Senate District (now simply Jefferson County), this time as a Democrat, receiving 2,940 votes to 1,953 for Republican Jesse Stone and 418 for Prohibitionist Robert Fargo.
In December 1903, he was elected the first President of the newly organized Jefferson County medical society.