I have written a lot of biographical sketches and developed some favorites among the subjects.One of those is Charles McCormick Reeve. Perhaps that is because of his connections toMinneapolis.

Reeve first came to my attention as I was doing pedigree research on U. S. large cents. The Eldersale of November 5, 1937, was titled, Who, Iwondered, was McC. Reeve. Once I learned the name, I remembered it.

The catalog had this description: Lot 683 was a 1794 Cent, Hays 8, a piece thatinterested me.

I had not realized that Charles McCormick Reeve and Charles Wyllys Betts were on the same1870 Yale expedition until doing research last week. There are other similarities between the twoand some differences.

Charles Wyllys Betts was born in Newburg, New York, on August 13, 1845. Charles McCormickReeve was born Danville, New York, on August 7, 1847.

Both men came from prominent and successful families. Betts was the son of a judge. Reeve wasthe son of a general.

Betts graduated from Yale College in 1867. Reeve graduated from Yale College in 1870.

Reeve was a leader of the Yale Glee Club. Betts sang in the Trinity Church choir.

Both received law degrees and practiced as lawyers.

Betts was active in New York society and belonged to such clubs as the Union Club, the CountryClub and the high prestige Knickerbocker Club. Those clubs did not exist in Minneapolis. Reevewas the founding president of the Apollo Club, a choral music society. He was also active infraternal organizations, The Masons and Oddfellows.

Betts was a member of the American Numismatic Society in New York City. The NorthwestCoin Club was not established in Minneapolis until 1933 when Reeve was 86. His name does notappear on my membership records.

Betts bought land on the shore of Lake Agawan on Long Island in an area that was developedinto prime real estate. Reeve bought a 250 acre farm on the south shore of Lake Harriett. Hisinvestment paid off as the property was developed into choice neighborhood lots. He donatedland for a park around the lake. I have run around the park and through his farm many times.

Betts wrote about his experiences in Reeve wrote How WeWent and What We Saw: A Flying Trip Through Egypt, Syria and the Aegean Islands (1891). Ihaven't figured out how they flew, years before the Wright Brothers.

Betts died at age 41. Reeve lived nearly to the age of 100. He became the oldest living graduateof Yale and possibly the oldest living veteran of the Spanish American War. He is buried atLakewood Cemetery on property on the north side of Lake Harriet across from the originalReeve farm. I have visited the gravesites of William Lanphere, Elias Rasmussen and A. M.Smith at that cemetery.

Betts donated parts of his collection to Yale in his home town of New Haven and parts to theAmerican Numismatic Society in New York. Reeve gave parts of his collection to RollinsCollege in his winter home in Winter Park, Florida, and parts to the Minnesota Historical Societyin St. Paul.

Some years ago, I was a volunteer at the Minnesota History Center. I worked on an inventory oftheir coin collections. Accession notes indicated that some Philippines coins were donated byCharles McCormick Reeve. I immediately recognized the name but they had no information onwho Reeve was. I wrote an article explaining Reeve's heroic leadership during the SpanishAmerican War, his service in the Philippines following the war and his important contributions toMinneapolis.

This illustrates something that museums should know but some fail to keep good records. Abunch of coins donated to a museum may be no different from another bunch of coins. However,if you know who owned them, then the coins may illustrate a story. I was able to providebiographies of a couple of other donors including a former director of the museum.

I have also done research at the Brown County Museum in my hometown. They have a dozenIndian War medals but no accession records. There is no indication of the Defenders who earnedthose medals.

It should be obvious that I have an interest in pedigree research and the collectors who ownedcoins. I apply that interest to my collections. For example, I have written pedigrees for 190different 1792 half dismes. I bought the piece with the most charming pedigree and the onepedigree that can be traced back the longest time.

A more complete biography of Reeve is on the Newman Numismatic Portal for those whochoose to read it. I will need to revise it to correct at least two errors I discovered.