Honoring Sergeant Edgar Reed: A Veterans Day Remembrance
This photo of Edgar was taken around 1918 by Lewis Reed.
Veterans Day, observed annually on November 11th, is a time to honor all who have served in the United States Armed Forces. It is a day to reflect on the sacrifices made by these brave individuals and to express gratitude for their dedication to protecting our nation’s freedoms. This special tribute commemorates the dedication and contributions of Sergeant Edgar Reed, who served his nation with honor during World War I.
Military Service in World War I
The United States initiated a draft for World War I on September 28, 1917. On this day, the first 40 draftees from Montgomery County reported for duty at the Montgomery County Court House in Rockville, Maryland. Following speeches, dinner, and a parade, these recruits, including Rockville resident Edgar Reed, departed by train for Camp Meade, Maryland. Approximately 160 men from Rockville served in the eighteen-month war.
Edgar Reed enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Private on February 26, 1918, at the age of 27. At the time, he resided on Montgomery Avenue in Rockville and had been employed for eight years by R.W. Vinson, a Rockville druggist. His military career saw rapid advancement; he was promoted to Private First Class on April 27, 1918, and subsequently to Sergeant on February 14, 1919.
According to “Maryland Military Men, 1917-1918,” Edgar Reed served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from February 1918 to August 1919. During his service, he was posted to General Hospital No. 16 in New Haven, Connecticut, and later to General Hospital No. 11 in Cape May, New Jersey.
Edgar at Hotel Cape May, New Jersey. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1918
General Hospital No. 11, Cape May, New Jersey
The establishment of military hospitals during World War I often involved converting existing structures. The War Department, upon the recommendation of the Surgeon General, leased the Hotel Cape May in New Jersey for use as a general hospital on December 18, 1917. Initially designated as General Hospital No. 16, its name was changed to General Hospital No. 11 on March 14, 1918. This facility, located on Ocean Drive near the Atlantic Ocean, quartered enlisted personnel in tents behind the main building.
Post-War Life and Legacy
World War I officially concluded with an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations on November 11, 1918, at 11:00 AM. Edgar Reed was transferred to the Demobilization Center at Camp Lee, Virginia, on August 4, 1919, and received an honorable discharge on August 6, 1919.
Edgar Reed and friends returning home on the train after the war ended wearing the World War I “Victory Medal” on their lapels. Photo taken by Lewis Reed.
After returning from the war, Edgar joined his brother, Lewis, in the automobile business and became an active member of the Henderson-Smith-Edmonds American Legion Post 86 in Rockville. Through this organization, he continued his commitment to service by supporting fellow veterans, participating in community events, and helping preserve the legacy of those who served. This engagement not only reinforced his personal sense of duty but also strengthened the ties between his family’s business and the local community.
The Founding of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce
In the summer of 1925, Rockville’s business leaders came together with a shared vision: to strengthen their growing community. About sixty local merchants and professionals gathered at the Montgomery County Country Club to form what would become the Rockville Chamber of Commerce.
Among the founding members was Edgar Reed, co-owner of Reed Brothers Dodge. At that first meeting, officers were elected, and Reed was chosen to serve on the Executive Board, where he also chaired the Better Business Bureau committee.
According to the Montgomery County Sentinel (September 25, 1925), the Chamber’s mission was clear:
To advance the commercial, industrial, and civic interests of Rockville and vicinity, and to promote integrity and good faith in matters of business.
Montgomery County Sentinel. September 25, 1925
From the beginning, the Chamber focused on real, local issues: improving schools and playgrounds, addressing sanitation and public utilities, and supporting public projects. Members also partnered with county organizations to plan the 150th anniversary celebration of Montgomery County in 1926.
The new group didn’t shy away from tackling tough topics, either. They investigated questionable business practices, promoted honest advertising, and even began collecting data to help plan Rockville’s growth.
By 1926, the Chamber had taken civic pride a step further by sponsoring a short promotional film about Rockville. The movie featured local businesses, the brand-new firehouse, and the area’s thriving farms, complete with the memorable slogan:
Clean cows — clean udders — clean milk.
The creation of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce marked an important moment in the city’s history. It gave Rockville’s business community a unified voice; one that continues to shape and support the city’s growth nearly a century later.
Sources of Information:
Montgomery County Sentinel
Rockville Portrait of a City by Eileen S. McGuckian
A Special Veterans Day Tribute to Edgar Reed
Veterans Day is a time to recognize the veterans in our lives — to honor their service for our country and show them that we appreciate their sacrifices made in our behalf. World War I began on July 28, 1914 and later ended on November 11, 1918. In commemoration of Veterans Day, this very special post is in honor of the contributions Sergeant Edgar Reed made for our country during World War I.
Edgar Reed, partner with brother Lewis, in Reed Brothers Dodge. Photo taken ca. 1918 by Lewis Reed.
Edgar was a partner with his brother Lewis Reed, in Reed Brothers Dodge. I never got to know my great uncle Edgar like the rest of the Reed family, because he passed away the year after I was born. My mother told me she took me to the hospital right after I was born to meet Edgar, but of course, I have no recollection of that. I do, however, feel like I know him through all of the family stories and photographs I have spent archiving over the last 10+ years.
Edgar, center. Photo taken ca. 1918 by Lewis Reed.
Edgar at Hotel Cape May, New Jersey. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1918
On September 28, 1917 a draft for World War I began and the first 40 men reported for duty at the Montgomery County Court House in Rockville, Maryland. In the photograph below, cars are parked around the court house during the speech-making in the court room to drafted men. Montgomery County’s first recruits left Rockville by train for Camp Meade, Maryland on this same day. They each received a package of smoking tobacco and a rousing send-off from two thousand people after speeches at the courthouse, dinner at the Montgomery House Hotel, and a parade to the depot. About 160 Rockville men served in the eighteen-month war. One of those men was Rockville resident, Edgar Reed.
Montgomery County Court House. Note two tags on the cars; it was necessary to have DC as well as Maryland tags if the car was to be driven in DC. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1917.
Edgar Reed (1890–1951) was born in Darnestown, Maryland on October 17, 1890. On February 26, 1918 at the age of 27 years old, Edgar was enlisted into the U.S. Army as a Private. At this time, he lived on Montgomery Avenue in Rockville. He had been employed by R.W. Vinson, Rockville druggist for eight years.
On April 27, 1918, Edgar was promoted to the rank of Private First Class, and on February 14, 1919, he was promoted to Sergeant. According to “Maryland Military Men, 1917-1918”, Edgar served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from February 1918 to August 1919. He had been posted to GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 16, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT and GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 11, CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY.
The spirit of patriotic service which swept the country prompted many persons to offer their properties to the War Department for hospital purposes. These offers included buildings of every conceivable kind, such as department stores, private establishments, hospitals, and properties in large cities. It was found that many of these could be obtained and converted into hospitals much more expeditiously than barrack hospitals could be constructed, and at less cost.
The Surgeon General recommended that the War Department authorize the leasing of the Hotel Cape May in New Jersey for use as a general hospital on December 18, 1917. The Hotel Cape May was located on the Ocean Drive, at the eastern end of the city, and within 100 feet of the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. Opened first as GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 16, the designation was changed to GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 11, March 14, 1918. The enlisted personnel were quartered in tents which were located to the rear of the building.
At eleven o’clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, World War I fighting came to an end when an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations went into effect. On August 4, 1919, Edgar was transferred to the Demobilization Center at Camp Lee, Virginia and was honorably discharged on August 6, 1919.
Pictured below is Edgar Reed’s World War I draft card, signed and dated June 5, 1917.
Below is Edgar Reed and friends returning home on the train after the war ended wearing the World War I “Victory Medal” on their lapels.
Edgar Reed, right. Photo by Lewis Reed.
This photo captures the moment Edgar Reed (left) and friends arrived home from World War I. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Edgar was fortunate enough to survive World War I and to settle back in Rockville and enjoy a successful life and career in the automobile business. After returning from the war in 1919, Edgar joined his brother in the business and the name changed to Reed Brothers Dodge. Edgar was in the automobile business with his brother, Lewis, for 35 years until his death in 1951.
So while we honor all who served this Veterans Day, on this day, I salute you Edgar Reed, and thank you for your service to our country.
Sources:
U.S. Army Office of Medical History
Ancestry.com
Maryland Military Men, 1917-1918
A Special Veterans Day Tribute to Edgar Reed
Veterans Day is a time to recognize the veterans in our lives — to honor their service for our country and show them that we appreciate their sacrifices made in our behalf. World War I began on July 28, 1914 and later ended on November 11, 1918. In commemoration of Veterans Day, this very special post is in honor of the contributions Sergeant Edgar Reed made for our country during World War I.
Edgar Reed, partner with brother Lewis, in Reed Brothers Dodge. Photo taken ca. 1918 by Lewis Reed.
Edgar was a partner with his brother Lewis Reed, in Reed Brothers Dodge. I never got to know my great uncle Edgar like the rest of the Reed family, because he passed away the year after I was born. My mother told me she took me to the hospital right after I was born to meet Edgar, but of course, I have no recollection of that. I do, however, feel like I know him through all of the family stories and photographs I have spent archiving over the last 10+ years.
Edgar, center. Photo taken ca. 1918 by Lewis Reed.
Edgar at Hotel Cape May, New Jersey. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1918
On September 28, 1917 a draft for World War I began and the first 40 men reported for duty at the Montgomery County Court House in Rockville, Maryland. In the photograph below, cars are parked around the court house during the speech-making in the court room to drafted men. Montgomery County’s first recruits left Rockville by train for Camp Meade, Maryland on this same day. They each received a package of smoking tobacco and a rousing send-off from two thousand people after speeches at the courthouse, dinner at the Montgomery House Hotel, and a parade to the depot. About 160 Rockville men served in the eighteen-month war. One of those men was Rockville resident, Edgar Reed.
Montgomery County Court House. Note two tags on the cars; it was necessary to have DC as well as Maryland tags if the car was to be driven in DC. Photo by Lewis Reed, 1917.
Edgar Reed (1890–1951) was born in Darnestown, Maryland on October 17, 1890. On February 26, 1918 at the age of 27 years old, Edgar was enlisted into the U.S. Army as a Private. At this time, he lived on Montgomery Avenue in Rockville. He had been employed by R.W. Vinson, Rockville druggist for eight years.
On April 27, 1918, Edgar was promoted to the rank of Private First Class, and on February 14, 1919, he was promoted to Sergeant. According to “Maryland Military Men, 1917-1918”, Edgar served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army Medical Corps from February 1918 to August 1919. He had been posted to GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 16, NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT and GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 11, CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY.
The spirit of patriotic service which swept the country prompted many persons to offer their properties to the War Department for hospital purposes. These offers included buildings of every conceivable kind, such as department stores, private establishments, hospitals, and properties in large cities. It was found that many of these could be obtained and converted into hospitals much more expeditiously than barrack hospitals could be constructed, and at less cost.
The Surgeon General recommended that the War Department authorize the leasing of the Hotel Cape May in New Jersey for use as a general hospital on December 18, 1917. The Hotel Cape May was located on the Ocean Drive, at the eastern end of the city, and within 100 feet of the beach of the Atlantic Ocean. Opened first as GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 16, the designation was changed to GENERAL HOSPITAL NO. 11, March 14, 1918. The enlisted personnel were quartered in tents which were located to the rear of the building.
At eleven o’clock on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918, World War I fighting came to an end when an armistice between Germany and the Allied nations went into effect. On August 4, 1919, Edgar was transferred to the Demobilization Center at Camp Lee, Virginia and was honorably discharged on August 6, 1919.
Pictured below is Edgar Reed’s World War I draft card, signed and dated June 5, 1917.
Below is Edgar Reed and friends returning home on the train after the war ended wearing the World War I “Victory Medal” on their lapels.
Edgar Reed, right. Photo by Lewis Reed.
This photo captures the moment Edgar Reed (left) and friends arrived home from World War I. Photo by Lewis Reed.
Edgar was fortunate enough to survive World War I and to settle back in Rockville and enjoy a successful life and career in the automobile business. After returning from the war in 1919, Edgar joined his brother in the business and the name changed to Reed Brothers Dodge. Edgar was in the automobile business with his brother, Lewis, for 35 years until his death in 1951.
So while we honor all who served this Veterans Day, on this day, I salute you Edgar Reed, and thank you for your service to our country.
Sources:
U.S. Army Office of Medical History
Ancestry.com
Maryland Military Men, 1917-1918
Short History: Formation of Rockville Chamber of Commerce
Edgar Reed was one of the first members of the Rockville Chamber of Commerce when it was formed in August 1925. Sixty business and professional men of Rockville and vicinity gathered at the Montgomery County Country Club and elected officers for the Rockville Chamber of Commerce. Edgar was elected to the Executive Board and as Chairman of the Better Business Bureau committee.
The Montgomery County Sentinel. Sept 25, 1925
From The Montgomery County Sentinel, September 25, 1925:
The purpose of the organization is set forth as “advancing the commercial, industrial and civic interests of Rockville and vicinity and to promote integrity and good faith in matters of business.”
The President was authorized to appoint committees on sanitation, public utilities, perks and playgrounds, schools, program and publicity, and the appointment of committees to cooperate with various organizations of the county for the celebration on October 2, 1926, of the 150th anniversary of the creation of Montgomery County; to investigate all stock selling schemes in the county, and to collect and invoice statistics concerning Rockville and possibilities for its future development.
The group attempted to resolve traffic and parking problems, advocate public improvements, and generally upgrade the town. Members served on the town council and generously supported the Rockville Volunteer Fore Department. Under the leadership of W. Valentine Wilson and others, the group espoused progressive ideas on behalf of improved education, economic development, and civic improvement. In 1926, Wilson commissioned a twelve-minute long movie featuring the best of Rockville—its business establishments, new firehouse, and dairy production, boasting “clean cows—clean udders—clean milk.” Organizing the Chamber marked a coming of age of Rockville’s business community. Common ground for the merchants further bonded the small town.
An integral part of the Rockville area’s past, present and future, the Rockville Chamber of Commerce is the voice of the thousands of businesses that proudly call Rockville their home.
Sources of Information:
Montgomery County Sentinel
Rockville Portrait of a City by Eileen S. McGuckian
Books
Related Resources
Copyright Notice
Reed Brothers Dodge History (1915-2012) by Jeanne Gartner is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License.
Reed Brothers Dodge History 1915 – 2012 
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