JOSEPH N. REED was born in New Jersey in 1844. A tinsmith by trade, he was living at 211 Bridge Avenue with George Reed, who also worked as a tinsmith. The 1800 Census shows Joseph N. Reed and his wife Louisa at 1744 Broadway. He was then working as a grocer. Living with them were his mother Dorothy and father-in-law Anthony Snyder. City Directories from 1881 through 1883 give his address as Ferry Avenue below Van Hook Street, which more than likely the same address. The 1884-1885 and the 1885 Directories show him living at 1718 Ferry Avenue.
  

Joseph Reed was appointed to the Camden Fire Department around 1886. City Directories show him living at 1745 Fillmore Street in 1887. Fire Department records and the 1888-1889 City Directory give his address as 1707 Fillmore Street. Joseph Reed served with Engine Company 1. When the decision was made to place a new engine company in service in Joseph Reed's neighborhood, he was selected to be one of its charter members.

On June 1, 1890 Engine Company 3 of the Camden Fire Department went into service in its newly build firehouse at 1813 Broadway. When first organized, Engine Company 3 consisted of a Foreman, an Engineer, a Driver, and two hosemen.

The first members of Engine Company 3 are as follows.

Annual salaries for the members of the paid force in  1869 were $600 for the Engineer, $450 for the Driver and the Stoker and $50 for the extra men. All but the extra men were paid monthly. The Chief Marshall received $800, and the Assistant Marshall $200 per year as well.

The 1890-1891 City Directory states that Joseph Reed was living at 422 Jasper Street. The 1891-1892 and 1892-1893 Directories have him residing at 1612 Broadway. Joseph Reed resigned from the Camden Fire Department in July of 1892. His resignation was accepted by the Fire Commissioners on July 11, 1892.

The 1893-1894 and 1894-1895 City Directories show Joseph Reed had gone back to work as a roofer. He was then living at 1810 Broadway. The 1895-1896 Directory has him living at 327 Walnut Street and working as a roofer in Philadelphia. He was living at 428 Van Hook Street in 1896. In 1898 Joseph Reed was staying at 1125 Marion Street, and was partnering in a roofing firm called Reed & Company at 428 Van Hook Street with George Reed. Joseph Reed was still living at 1125 Marion Street when the Census was taken in 1900. The 1906 City Directory has him living at 273 Kaighn Avenue.

The 1900 Census indicated that Joseph Reed had remarried around 1891. Joseph Reed appears in the 1910 Census living in what was then called Centre Township. He was by this time divorced. He worked as a tinsmith at the Philadelphia Navy Yard. He was still working at the Navy Yard in 1918. By that time he had returned to Camden, staying at 101 Marlton Avenue in East Camden. By 1927 he had moved to 13 North 24th Street. He worked for a time as a huckster. By 1930 he was working as a watchman. Joseph Reed passed away in 1938.