John Reed
John Reed, the grandfather of William Reed and the ancestor of the Reed family in this neighborhood, cut his way through from Pennsylvania first to Kentucky, in 1793, settling near Crab Orchard. His wife's brother, whose name was Brotherton, was killed in the Tories in the Revolutionary War. He remained there but a year or two and then, with his wife and family struck out for Cincinnati. This was in 1797, and from here he moved up the Miami, and here, three miles below Middletown, at the mouth of Dick's Creek. The children were David, Robert, William, and John, Jane, Christian, Margaret, and Martha.
David Reed the father of William Reed, was married in Pennsylvania to Miss Ruth Carricks, September 30, 1766, while yet in Pennsylvania. Her people were from Ireland. Their son John, their youngest child, was born in 1794, when they went to Kentucky on horseback. They brought some fine horses with them to Ohio, but four of these were stolen one night by the Indians. David, Robert, and their father followed them two days, but failing to catch the thieves, Robert and the father returned home and David continued the search singly for three days longer, and ws gone five days and nights. Upon reaching the Miami River at night, on his return, having no skiff, he took off his clothing, lashed his gun, powder-born, and clothes off his back and swam across the stream. He was not fond of the noble red man, and, it was said, would occasionally shoot them down without much provacation. He died in 1812, and left five sons and four daughters: John, Thomas, William, Robert, David, Margaret, Jane, Elizabeth and Ruth.
John, born 1794, was soldier of the War of 1812. He was a stock raiser, giving his attention to thoroughbred animals only. Thsi was so of all his animals horses and cattle, sheep, fowls, hogs, and everything even his dogs. He raised the best bReeds to be found in America and in this way did much to elevate stock raising in this country. Thomas C. Reed, the next son, was born September 3, 1797, and was reputed to be the first male white child born in the county.
This idea was erroneous, however; he was the earliest born in Lemon Township. He was a carpenter, and was also a fine raiser of thoroughbred stock. He married Polly Dickey, and died in 1876. Robert Reed was born in 1804. He was also a lover of thoroughbred stock, and took a herd of short-horns with him to Illinois. He afterwards moved to Kiokuk, Iowa. William Reed was born November 5, 1802. David B., the youngest, born June 12, 1812, is a farmer in Sangamon County, Illinois. Elizabeth, now living near William Reed, was born May 27, 1806. She was never married. Jane, Margaret, and Mary are dead. Three out of the five of these brothers were ruling elders in the Church to which they belonged.
From A History and Biographical Cyclopædia of Butler County Ohio, With Illustrations and Sketches of its Representative Men and Pioneers, Western Biographical Publishing Company, Cincinnati Ohio, 1882.