John Randall Reding

John Randall Reding (October 18, 1805 – October 8, 1892) was an American politician who served as a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire. A member of the Democratic Party, he represented his state in the United States House of Representatives for two terms during a significant period in American history, participating in the national legislative process and advocating for the interests of his constituents.

Reding was born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, on October 18, 1805. He was educated in the local public schools of Portsmouth, receiving the basic formal education typical of the early nineteenth century. As a young man, he was apprenticed to the printer’s trade, a common avenue of advancement that provided him with technical skills as well as exposure to public affairs, political debate, and the circulation of news and opinion.

Upon completion of his apprenticeship, Reding became a newspaper editor. In that role he was positioned at the intersection of politics and the press, helping to shape and reflect public opinion in New Hampshire. His editorial work likely enhanced his familiarity with local and national issues and brought him into closer contact with political leaders and party organizations, laying the groundwork for his own entry into elective office as a Democrat.

Reding was elected as a Democrat to the Twenty-seventh and Twenty-eighth Congresses, serving as a U.S. Representative from New Hampshire. His two terms in Congress placed him in the national legislature during a turbulent era marked by economic questions, sectional tensions, and debates over the scope of federal authority. As a member of the Democratic Party representing New Hampshire, John Randall Reding contributed to the legislative process over these two terms, participating in the democratic process and representing the interests of his constituents in the House of Representatives.

After leaving Congress, Reding continued his public service in federal and local capacities. From 1853 to 1858 he served as naval storekeeper at Portsmouth, New Hampshire, an important administrative position associated with the naval facilities there, in which he oversaw supplies and materials for naval operations. His experience in federal office and familiarity with maritime commerce and coastal defense made him a logical choice for this role in a major New England port community.

Reding’s career also included significant municipal and state service. In 1860 he was elected mayor of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, assuming leadership of the city on the eve of the Civil War. As mayor, he would have overseen local governance, public order, and municipal services during a period of rising national crisis. Later, he extended his political activity to the state legislature, serving as a member of the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 1867 to 1870, where he participated in shaping state laws and policies in the Reconstruction era.

John Randall Reding spent his later years in his native Portsmouth. He died there on October 8, 1892. He was interred in Haverhill Cemetery in Haverhill, New Hampshire, closing a long life marked by service at the local, state, and national levels.