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Born in Bedford County near [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Reed in 1833 traveled with his parents, Michael and Martha Reed, to [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]], the launching point in the preparation for immigration to the Mexican Texas. They found, however, that Anglo immigration had been suspended by the government of [[Mexico]]. Furthermore, the area in which the Reeds planned to settle was in dispute between partisans of the empresarios Sterling Clack Robertson (1785-1842) and [[Stephen F. Austin]]. Nevertheless, Reed and his brother-in-law, William Crain Sparks, Sr. (1798-1857) explored territory in what is now Bell County, south of Temple. The two selected lands along the south bank of the Little River for various family members near what is now the community of Salado. Robertson gained control of the colony in 1834 while Austin was imprisoned on false charges in [[Mexico City]].<ref name=brochure>Brochure "William Whitaker Reed House," 1850, Visitors Center, Salado, Texas.</ref>

Born in Bedford County near [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Reed in 1833 traveled with his parents, Michael and Martha Reed, to [[Natchitoches, Louisiana|Natchitoches]], [[Louisiana]], the launching point in the preparation for immigration to the Mexican Texas. They found, however, that Anglo immigration had been suspended by the government of [[Mexico]]. Furthermore, the area in which the Reeds planned to settle was in dispute between partisans of the empresarios Sterling Clack Robertson (1785-1842) and [[Stephen F. Austin]]. Nevertheless, Reed and his brother-in-law, William Crain Sparks, Sr. (1798-1857) explored territory in what is now Bell County, south of Temple. The two selected lands along the south bank of the Little River for various family members near what is now the community of Salado. Robertson gained control of the colony in 1834 while Austin was imprisoned on false charges in [[Mexico City]].<ref name=brochure>Brochure "William Whitaker Reed House," 1850, Visitors Center, Salado, Texas.</ref>

When the [[Texas Revolution]] began in 1835, Reed joined the Army of the Republic of Texas and served under Captain L. H. Mabbett.  In April 1836, Reed, who was just 20 years of age, was among those who dug the mass grave to hold the burned and charred remains of the 344 men under [[Colonel]] James Walker Fannin, Jr. (c. 1804-1836), who were massacred on orders of [[Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna]] at Goliad west of Victoria, Texas.<ref name=marker>Texas Historical Commission, Marker No. 11730</ref><ref name=brochure/>

When the [[Texas Revolution]] began in 1835, Reed joined the Army of the Republic of Texas and served under Captain L. H. Mabbett.  In April 1836, Reed, who was just 20 years of age, was among those who dug the mass grave to hold the burned and charred remains of the 344 men under [[Colonel]] James Walker Fannin, Jr. (c. 1804-1836), who were massacred on orders of [[Santa Anna|Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna]] at Goliad west of Victoria, Texas.<ref name=marker>Texas Historical Commission, Marker No. 11730</ref><ref name=brochure/>

==Homesteading in Texas==

==Homesteading in Texas==