Our Story
At Clinton & Reed, we understand that relocating to a new country is more than just a move, it’s a bold step toward a new beginning. Our story is one of adaptation, exploration, and service, values that have been passed down through generations of the Reed family.
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In the 1880s, Myron Dwight Reed, the great-grandfather of our founder, Clinton, moved to Minnesota, a young state filled with promise and opportunity. As a farmer and real estate agent, Myron did more than sell land, he guided new immigrants, helping them lay the foundation for their dreams in an unfamiliar land. Today, Clinton & Reed carries forward that same pioneering spirit, helping modern adventurers settle into their dream lives in France. Whether assisting with the physical move, securing visas, navigating the intricacies of the French system, or transforming a house into a home, we are committed to delivering the values of community, integrity, and care that have defined the family for generations.
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Our logo, a gold griffin on a dark blue background, symbolizes our heritage and mission. Inspired by the Reed family coat of arms, the griffin represents strength and resilience. In its grasp, it holds a branch of the Norway Pine, the official state tree of Minnesota, a nod to the family’s American roots and Myron’s legacy.
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Today, Clinton & Reed honors this rich history by guiding individuals and families to embrace their dreams of life in France. We transform the challenges of relocation into a journey of excitement and ease, ensuring that your new beginning is as inspiring as it is smooth.
Let us bring generations of expertise, care, and passion to your relocation. Your adventure in France awaits, Clinton & Reed is here to guide the way.
MISSION STATEMENT
At Clinton & Reed, our mission is to simplify and enrich the transition to life in France. We are dedicated to providing a seamless, personally tailored, and stress-free experience by guiding our clients through every step of the journey, from the logistics of the physical move, navigating the complexities of the French system, to managing the finer details of everyday life.
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Leveraging our extensive network of trusted professionals, we transform what can be a daunting process into an exciting and fulfilling adventure. At Clinton & Reed, we make relocating simple, so our clients can focus on realizing their dreams of fulfilling life in France.
A Journey Through Time: Reconnecting with the Reed Family Roots
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In 2023, Clinton had the opportunity to visit Minnesota, where much of his American family originates. Although the trip was not initially planned as a family visit, it presented an extraordinary chance to travel to Prescott, Wisconsin, his family’s historic hometown. This charming Midwestern community sits along the Mississippi River, just across the Minnesota–Wisconsin border.
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The visit quickly became deeply personal. Clinton was able to spend meaningful time with relatives and visit the family gravesites, reflecting on generations past and strengthening his connection to a heritage that continues to shape his story.
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Little did he know that this journey would spark something even more remarkable. Just a few months after returning to France, Clinton received an unexpected email from a woman who claimed to possess the scrapbook of his great-great-aunt, Altie Reed, the sister of his great-grandfather, Myron Reed. Having never had children, much of Altie’s story had been lost to the family for more than a century.
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The woman had discovered the scrapbook among her family’s belongings and reached out after finding Clinton through his online ancestry tree. The timing felt almost serendipitous: he had only recently visited Altie’s grave 3 months prior. After Clinton shared a photograph from his visit to the gravesite, she asked if she could send him the scrapbook. Without hesitation, he accepted.
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Opening it was like stepping directly into history. The scrapbook chronicles Altie’s journey to Europe in 1891, when she traveled to attend the International Temperance Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland. Remarkably, her travels also brought her to Paris, the very city Clinton now calls home. Its pages were filled with postcards, tickets, menus, newspaper clippings, and even fragments of her dress, intimate mementos offering a vivid window into her life and adventures. For a woman from the midwestern United States in 1891, such a journey was nothing short of extraordinary.
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The coincidence of uncovering Altie’s story and then being contacted about her long-lost scrapbook within a three-month span, more than 120 years later, felt almost fated. The scrapbook is far more than a collection of memorabilia; it is a bridge across time, connecting Clinton to his family’s legacy and reinforcing the sense of history, continuity, and personal connection that continues to shape the work at Clinton & Reed today.
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This experience serves as a powerful reminder that family history is not simply about names and dates, it is about stories, journeys, and connections that transcend generations. Sometimes, life has a remarkable way of bringing those stories full circle in the most unexpected and deeply personal ways.
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Below, we invite you to explore the incredible European journey of Altie Reed in 1891: