Eastburn Reeder – 2003 Honored Citizen

STHS_Reeder_EastburnEastburn Reeder was born in Solebury in 1828. He married Ellen Kenderdine in 1853, and shortly thereafter took charge of the family farm, which was east of the intersection of Sugan and Chapel roads. In 1872 he became interested in the breeding of Jersey cattle, and his herds were the pride of the county for many years. He took an active interest in the elevation of the calling of a farmer and the improvement of methods of tilling and utilizing the soil. He was one of the original twenty members of the Solebury Farmers Club and its first secretary.

Eastburn was the representative of Bucks County to the State Board of Agriculture from 1877 to 1893 and the first Pennsylvania Dairy and Food Commissioner. He was active in the prosecution of the manufacturers of oleomargarine and other imitations of pure food. Eastburn was the author of numerous papers on farming and dairying, and he did much to influence legislation for the protection and betterment of the farmer.

Eastburn was a member of the Solebury school board for nine years and its secretary for six years. He was an active and earnest member of the Solebury Meeting of Friends, as were his ancestors, and he served as clerk of their Monthly Meeting.

After retirement from the active management of his farms, he devoted himself to literary pursuits, publishing a book called Early Settlers of Solebury Township, which recorded much of the area’s early history. He also wrote History of the Eastburn Family.