Walter Reed: A Boy Who Never Found Himself.

Walter Reed was born 2 Jan 1896/97 to George Reed and Margaret.

Inmate # 3894 Pittsburgh Jail
Rec: 6 Mar 1919
Crime: Larceny
Age: 20
Residence: 2350 Bedford Ave, Pittsburgh, PA

Walter at age 12 years old was listed in the Coleman Industrial Home for Colored Boys. 

The following years for this young man would be turbulent. 

Inmate A-9152 Western State Prison, PA
Rec: 24 July 1916
Crime: Burglary
Term: 2-3 Years
Age: 17

Inmate #10378 Western State Prison, PA
Rec: 24 Mar 1919
Crime: Burglary
Term: 5-10 Years
Age:22

Inmate #14068 Western State Prison, PA
Rec: 25 May 1925
Crime: Larceny & Forgery
Term: 7-14 years
Age: 28
Alias: Walter Reid, Walter Smith

Here is address is listed in Illinois

Inmate #B-6734 Western State Prison, PA
Rec: 24 May 1939
Crime: Robbery (6) & Burglary (2)
Term: 35-70 Years
Age: 43

On 13 Jan 1939 in PA he married Pearl Durrett and they had a son named Donald. I have no further information for them. 

HIs mother Margaret Married a Mr. Reed at some point after her husband George Reed died. 

He did join the service and was on active duty during WWI.

I was so proud of him when I found this. I believe he died in 1973 I found a S.S. Index that has the same birthdate on it.

Name: Walter Reed  
SSN: 206-05-7290  
Last Residence:   60649 Chicago, Cook, Illinois, USA  
Born: 2 Jan 1896  

Died: Aug 1973

I am not 100% sure it's him.

I made him a tree on Ancestry, I didn't find any others. I wonder how his life would of been if he would of had siblings or if his father would of lived longer. Why did his mother abandoned him? Couldn't she take care of him? How long after her husband's death did she marry? Just some thoughts I had as I was searching for his story.