John Edward Gleed was born 1 Oct 1853 in St. Andrews Parish, Cardiff, Glamorgan, Wales. He was the oldest child of Edward Gleed and Ann Chivers Gleed. He joined the LDS Church in Wales, along with his parents and two younger brothers. He was baptized 15 Apr 1868 at the age of fifteen, by John Gray. He was confirmed on 16 Feb 1868 by Elias Morris. They were members of the Cog Branch of the LDS Church.

John Edward had four younger brothers and two younger sisters that were also born in St. Andrews parish at Cardiff. They were Edwin, Henry, George, William, Sarah Ann, and Matilda. One more brother and one more sister was born at Malad, Idaho after the family had emigrated. They were Alexander and Mary Eliza.

The family emigrated to America 2 June 1869 on the ship “Minnesota.” They sailed under the directions of Captain Elias Morris and continued their journey to Ogden by train under his direction. They arrived in Ogden on 25 June 1869.

They must have come directly to Malad because we find them listed in the 1870 census of Malad Valley. The father was listed as engaged in farming with all the children living at home. 

John Edward had very little schooling after he arrived in America. He may have attended school in Wales because he could read and write. As he went into the freighting business at an early age it seems he must have had some schooling. He hauled wheat, flour, salt, and food supplies. He took wheat to Corinne and Syricuse and brought salt and flour back, then went north to Montana with four and food supplies. He brought hides and other supplies back again.

He loved horses and took great pride in his freighting teams. The only picture we have of him was while he was holding a beautiful horse while someone took a picture of the horse.

He was also a farmer. He had cattle, sheep, and other animals.

He married Rosie Clark 23 Nov 1875 at Malad, Idaho. They were the parents of a large family of thirteen children. Four died as babies, Daniel, Eliza, Edward, and George. Humphrey died at the age of seventeen of a ruptured appendix. Mary died at the age of twelve, accidently of gunshot wounds. Other children of John Edward and Rosie were John, Henry, William, Annie, Edwin and Rosie.

John Edward and Rosie lived down on the Gleed ranch located just across the creek from what is now the Bill Howard Farm.

He also filed on 160 acres in the hay land. (This is the land that Dan and J Thomas now own.)

They later moved down on the farm at Two Mile. This was situated on a knoll just east of the Bud Richards farm. They moved here so the children could go to school. The teacher at this time was Ed Jones, Warren Jones’s father. There were about thirty pupils attending at this time. 

This home later burned down. It was rebuilt by Grandmother Gleed after Grandfather Gleed passed away.

Grandfather Gleed died at the age of fifty three, on March 9, 1906 of cancer. He is buried at the Malad City Cemetery

Information given by a son Henry Gleed.