Levi Branson Reeder

Infobox Politician
name = Levi Branson Reeder


imagesize = 150px
caption = Reeder circa 1910
office = Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives
termstart = 1901
termend = 1903
nominator =
appointer =
predecessor = E. V. Carter
successor = Lawrence T. Harris
office2 =
termstart2 =
termend2 =
nominator2 =
appointer2 =
predecessor2 =
successor2 =
birthdate = September 7 1865
birthplace = Eureka, Illinois
deathdate =
deathplace =
party = Republican
spouse = Laura L. Zeigler

Levi Branson Reeder (September 7 1865-?) was an attorney and Republican politician from Pendleton in the U.S. state of Oregon. A native of Illinois, he served as Speaker of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1901–1903.

Early life

Levi Reeder was born in Eureka, Woodford County, Illinois, to Daniel A. and Eliza Reeder (nee Kelsay) on September 7 1865.Colmer, Montagu, and Charles Erskine Scott Wood. 1910. "History of the Bench and Bar of Oregon". Portland, Or: Historical Pub. Co. p. 209-210.] At the age of nine the family immigrated to Oregon, settling in Eastern Oregon. Reeder attended school in Athena and Weston before enrolling in college at Christian College (now Western Oregon University) in Monmouth. He graduated with a bachelor's of science degree in 1887, and then earned a B.S.D. degree at the institution. On July 3 1890, he married Laura L. Zeigler. After a year of course work and the University of Michigan, Reeder then earned a Bachelor of Laws degree from the school in 1891. He was admitted to the bar in Washington on August 1 1891.

Career

After passing the bar, Reeder entered private legal practice in Stevens County, Washington, remaining there until 1895. From 1893 to 1895 he served as a prosecuting attorney in the county. In 1895, he returned to Oregon where he passed the bar and began practicing in Pendleton until 1904. In 1898, Reeder was elected as a Republican to the Oregon House of Representatives from Umatilla County. [ [http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/legislative/histleg/statehood/1899reg.htm 1899 Regular Session (20th).] Oregon State Archives. Retrieved on June 9 2008.] He was re-elected in 1900, and served as the Speaker of the Oregon House during the 1901 legislative session. [ [http://bluebook.state.or.us/state/elections/elections34.htm Oregon Blue Book: Speakers of the House of Representatives of Oregon.] Oregon Secretary of State. Retrieved on June 9 2008.] In 1904, Reeder relocated to Portland.

Reeder advocated for opening a shipping channel on the Columbia River from Pendleton to the Pacific Ocean. [cite news
last=Reeder
first=Lee B.
title=Open the Columbia to the sea
date=1902
work=Pendleton Daily Tribune
publisher=E. P. Dodd
url=http://www.ccrh.org/comm/umatilla/primary/opensea.htm]

References