W. T. Reid

William Thomas Reid (1842–1922) was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and served as the Fourth President of the University of California from 1881 to 1885. He married Julia Reed (1846-1917) on August 16, 1870 in Jacksonville.

Reid studied at the Illinois College, but he left at the outbreak of the American Civil War. Enlisting in the 68th Illinois Infantry Regiment and served as a Corporal. After the war he attended Harvard University, graduating in 1868.

During his tenure as University of California President, Reid strengthened admission requirements and also instituted a plan whereby graduating high school seniors could be admitted without taking an examination. He resigned the presidency in 1885, during a period of intense politics involving the governance and operation of the University.