Born: 9 February 1875, United States
Died: 20 February 1957
Country most active: United States
Also known as: Jessie Branson Durbo
The following is republished from the National Park Service. This piece falls under under public domain, as copyright does not apply to “any work of the U.S. Government” where “a work prepared by an officer or employee of the U.S. Government as part of that person’s official duties” (See, 17 U.S.C. §§ 101, 105).
Jessie B. Reed
Yosemite National Park
Park Ranger & Cook, 1919-1921, 1923, 1927-1928
• Born Jessie Branson Durbon in Indiana on February 9, 1875.
• Married Ernest R. Reed on September 11, 1903 at Miami, Kansas.
• Moved to Yosemite National Park in 1918 when Ernest was hired as a park ranger.
• Hired as a temporary ranger on June 23, 1919 working c. 7 weeks that summer/fall.
• Worked winter 1920 as an NPS cook.
• The 1920 U.S. Census lists her occupation in April of that year as “assistant ranger” although her official paperwork says cook.
• Worked as ranger from July-October, 1920. before working another winter as a cook.
• Worked as ranger again summer 1921 but not employed in 1922.
• In 1923, works as a cook on a daily basis.
• Did not work for the NPS again until 1927 when she was hired as a temporary ranger for the summer.
• In February 1928, hired as ranger for four days.
• Ernest died in 1939 and after his death she moved to Santa Barbara, CA to run a motel as the couple had planned.
• Died February 20, 1957, age 83, in Santa Barbara, CA.