History of the Reed family in Europe and America

22 ORIGIN OP THE NAME,
Many more interesting legends, which would fill a volume,
might be told of the Valley of Redesdale. Some of the
present names of towns and parishes are a corruption of
a former word, which was derived from Reed ; as Redsford
for Reedsford, Radhani for Reedham, and Riddle for Redes-
dale.
One of the most important towns of Redesdale is Mor-
peth, on the Wensbach River, — a small stream emptying
into the North Sea.
The Reeds are numerous, from the fact that they are de-
scended from a clan, or nation, and not from an individual.
Though they have taken their origin from Aschanaz, the
great-grandson of Noah, they have had an opportunity of
becoming a numerous people ; and, whatever their reputation
might have been when the world was in a state of barbarity,
they have, since mankind emerged from darkness, filled their
places well, and have been among the leading men in this
country and in Europe. They have generally been of a
religious cast. But few have been found among the in-
mates of penitentiaries or alms-houses.
As the line of England and Scotland was constantly
changing according to the valor and strength of parties, the
Reeds became mixed up, more or less, with both nations.
And as borderers in all nations are more exposed to the depre-
dations of the enemy, so they have the better chance of
distinguishing themselves ; consequently are more likely to
be promoted in civil departments. This was the case with
the Reeds of the English and Scotch borders. They were
connected with the royal family of England long before the
days of William the Conqueror. There was Withred, King
of Kent, in the seventh century ; Ethelred, or Read the
Good, King of England, in 866 ; Alfred, or Reed the Shrewd,
in 871 ; Eldred, or Reed the Elder, in 946 ; Ethelred the
Second, in 978 ; and when William the Conqueror took