Benjamin Palmer Reid was born on August 7, 1860, and he received his education from the Reidville Male Academy, Davidson College, and Princeton Seminary. Following graduation, he became involved in missionary work for the Synod of South Carolina and was instrumental in the reorganization of churches which were closed during the War between the States; and to each church service in this ministry, his portable organ went with him. The Reverend Reid was a recognized power in all the work of the Presbyterian Church in the State of South Carolina, faithfully performing all duties laid upon him. He was married to Miss Leila Teasley (March 20, 1878 – December 10, 1963) from Iva, SC. From this union were born three children: Robert Harden, Benjamin Palmer, and Julia Anderson. This able servant of the Lord was pastor of Antioch from 1904 until 1912, less than than two years prior to his death (December 4, 1913). Pastor & Mrs. Reid are buried at the Nazareth Presbyterian Church cemetery in Moore, SC.
The obituary which follows is taken from the Princeton Theological Seminary Bulletin’s August, 1914 Necrological Report, which was originally presented to the Alumni Association at its annual meeting held on May 5, 1914.
Son of the Rev. Robert Harden and Mary Julia (Anderson) Reid, was born Aug. 7, 1860, in Reidville, S. C. He made a public confession of his faith in the Nazareth Presbyterian church in Spartanburg County, S. C., at the age of fourteen. His preparatory studies were pursued in the Reidville High School, and he graduated from Davidson College, N. C., in 1879. He spent the next four years in teaching: first, as assistant teacher in the Lynch Select School for Boys at High Point, N. C., from August 1879 to January 1881, and then as principal of the Reidville Male High School until June 1883. He entered the Seminary at Princeton in the fall of 1883 and remained one year. He spent the year 1884 to 1885 in the Columbia Theological Seminary, S. C. He was licensed Apr 10, 1885 by the Presbytery of Enoree. From June 1885 to November 1886 he supplied the Antioch, Mt. Tabor and Woodruff churches of South Carolina. He began supplying the Bethesda church, Guthriesville, S. C., in November 1886, and was ordained and installed its pastor May 7, 1887. He was released from this charge June 25, 1893. He was stated supply of the Kershaw, Heath Springs and Beaver Creek churches, S. C., from July 1893 to July 1895; was stated supply of the Clemson College Church and pastor of the Pendleton church, S. C., from Sept. 9, 1895 to Apr. 11, 1900. During the next year he engaged in evangelistic work under the care of the Synod of South Carolina. He was then stated supply of the church at Mt. Calvary, S. C., from October 1901 until installed its pastor Aug. 25, 1903, and was released from this charge Oct. 21, 1908. During this pastorate he supplied the Woodruff and Mountain Shoals churches, S. C., 1901-1907; the Old Fields church, S. C., from 1901 until installed its pastor Aug. 11, 1906, being released Oct. 16, 1907, and the Mt. Vernon, Enoree and Campobello churches, S. C., from October 1907 to October 1908. He supplied the Old Antioch church, S. C., from 1904 until his death, the Fulton church from 1907 until his death, and was pastor of the Antioch and Nazareth churches, S. C., from 1909 until his death. He died Dec. 4, 1913, in Reidville, S. C., of paralysis, in the 54th year of his age. He was buried in the cemetery of the Nazareth church, S. C. He was stated clerk of the Presbytery of Bethel from 1893 to 1905 and of the Presbytery of South Carolina from 1900 to 1901. He was a trustee of Davidson College for the Bethel, South Carolina, and Enoree Presbyteries, serving three years for each Presbytery, and for a time was secretary of the Board of Directors. He was a director of the Columbia Theological Seminary from 1899 until his death. He was also the historian of the Presbytery of Enoree. His principal writings were reports on ministerial education embodied in the minutes of the Synod of South Carolina, being chairman of the Synod’s Permanent Committee on this subject.
He was married Dec. 12, 1906, in Reidville, to Leila Teasley, who, with two sons and one daughter, survives him.
