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The Story of Reuben Reed—A Legend in the Ledger
It’s rare that the Shippensburg University Magazine goes to print without a call or an e-mail to the Shippensburg University Archives. From important dates, photos, or documents to a simple fact check, the Archives is the keeper of the story of Shippensburg University. But beyond institutional history, it holds the stories of the people who have worked, lived, and learned on the campus. The story of Reuben Reed is one of those stories and one that has fascinated archives director Melanie Reed for some time.
The Shippensburg University Archives is dedicated to collecting, organizing, preserving, and providing access to historical records that represent the university’s origins and development.
“Our mission is not to simply store ‘old stuff,’ but to share it with scholars, students, and the community,” explained Reed.
Efforts to provide formal archival preservation began in 1969. Today, the Archives is home to roughly 1,200 linear feet of archival materials and thousands of rare books and special collections. Just as vast as the collection itself is the variety of items it contains, including catalogs, campus newspapers, reports, minutes, manuscripts, oral histories, student organizations records, budget and curriculum records, an extensive photograph collection, and more.
Beyond the collection, organization, and preservation of these items, Reed supports a variety of researchers. As she spends her days processing requests for archival material, she has developed a unique and specialized understanding of Shippensburg University.
It’s through this work, that she stumbled upon former university employee Reuben.
Reed noticed an African American man in nearly every early athletic team photo. She then found references to him while helping a patron with research questions. She eventually uncovered his name, job title, and salary on early payroll records while processing a valuable collection known as the John McCune Collection.
According to documents found on Ancestry.com, Reuben was born into slavery in 1849 in Virginia and was one of several children born to Sarah Addison, who died in 1897. He traveled north at the close of the Civil War and would go on to marry his wife, Margaret, and settle in Shippensburg with their daughter Sadie. The 1900 Census listed his address as 17 East Orange Street.
He was hired by the then Cumberland Valley State Normal School in 1885 and through a series of personal writings, school documents, and newspaper clippings within the archives, Reed started to uncover more about his time at the school.
Ralph Heiges, former president and son of the former dean of instruction Jesse Hegies, remembered Reuben from his childhood when his family lived in Old Main. Heiges described him as “one of the chief maintenance persons.” In other documents, he was listed as a “caretaker.”
An article from an 1898 edition of The Shippensburg News listed Reuben as a “janitor.”
Early university documents within the archives show that Reuben did not sign for his wages. He simply placed an “X” in place of a signature, which was a commonly known way a person who did not know how to read or write would sign documents. In later documents Reed uncovered, Reuben signed his full name to receive his wages.
“This leaves the question of whether he learned to read and write or to simply sign his name. An assumption could be made that he did possibly learn basic reading and writing skills during his time working for an institution of higher learning,” explained Reed.
As Reed continued her research, she discovered Reuben was not just an employee of the normal school, he was a beloved member of the campus community.
He took a special interest in school athletics and was noted as a beloved caretaker of the male athletes and Reed discovered he appeared in many athletics photos for a reason.
On occasion, someone would make the mistake of calling him the water boy, which was not well received by student-athletes. They thought of Reuben as so much more and that is well documented in personal letters in the archives. He supported the student-athletes and took great pride in his work. He insisted on being in each photo because he considered himself their good luck charm.
But it wasn’t just the athletes that Reuben looked after.
A letter from a former student dated 1948 to Dr. Levi Gilbert, then president wrote, “Reuben was known to the students for so many years. I’m sure someone could portray his remarkable memory, his faithfulness, honesty, kindness, and his loyalty to the school and students.”
In an article in a 1909 edition of the Shippensburg News Chronicle, it was announced that the senior class of the normal school gifted Reuben with a leather dress suitcase. This was surely the kind of gift given to someone they greatly valued.
“He dedicated his life to his work, the students, and the employees here on campus. He took his role very seriously and literally was loved by all who knew him. He continued to be honored at class reunions decades after he retired,” explained Reed.
Through further research Reed learned that close to 1919, Reuben began to suffer from memory loss and inflammatory rheumatism, both challenging aliments for an individual known for his active work and sharp mind. In a Normal School Herald article announcing his departure from the normal school, his address was shared so that those who remembered him and cared about him could send him letters.
He would become the first person to receive retirement benefits from the State Retirement System and lived out the remainder of his life in Elizabeth City, North Carolina with his daughter Sadie.
“Reuben’s story is a tremendous testament to anyone who ever thinks they can’t. He is an inspiration! Reuben walked out of slavery and eventually received the first state pension from this school according to some records. He found joy in life after living in conditions that most of us today could never imagine. He dedicated his life to his work, the students, and the employees here on campus,” said Reed.
Though Reuben and the students he served have passed, Reed is committed to keeping his story, and the stories of countless others alive within the Shippensburg University Archives.
“The Archives preserve materials of enduring historical and informational value that serve as Shippensburg University’s institutional memory in support of administration, teaching, research, and service. To quote the National Archives, ‘These records are crucial to understanding our past and reflecting the society in which we all live. A society without archives has no memory’,” said Reed.
Shippensburg University Archives and Special Collections
The archives is not only a space to research and reflect, but it is a place that can ensure your part of Shippensburg University’s story exists for future generations.
It is the official repository for university records. These materials are unique and are primary documents that illustrate the purpose, activities, and policies of the institution. They document the progress and the value of the university. Records include but are not limited to:
• The Cumberland Yearbook, 1917–present
• The Reflector, student literary magazine
• The Campus Reflector and The Slate, student newspapers
• Photographs and memorabilia library.ship.edu/uasc
• Reports, correspondences, handbooks, artifacts, directories, publicity materials, student organization records, minutes, various academic records, and more.
If you have items that pertain to the history and story of Shippensburg University, you can donate them to the archives by contacting Reed at specialcollections@ship.edu. Walk-in hours are available for research (hours may vary per semester. See website for current availability.) All other hours by appointment only.
