The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-01-22
RAYNOLOS FAMILY
"reminiscences of Early
Days as Told by Chas.
n. King.

Charles II. King, an aged resident
of Mansfield, formerly of Canton,
writes to the Morning News giving
some interesting "reminiscences of the
Reynolds family, many members OF
which were well known to the Older
citizens of this county. The commun-
ication is as follows:
Editor Morning News:-A friend
sent me the News of January 5,
announcing the death of Mrs. George
Reynolds, formerly resident of Can
ton. Reading of this death brought
to my mind many incidents connected
with the Reynolds family. They were
among the early settlers of Canton,
the family of Major William Ray
nolds settling in Canton in the last
century. The family when 1 first
knew them lin 1926 consisted of the
widow, four sons and three daughters.
About the same time, Captain Fisk,
wealthy sea captain from Rhode Is
land, with a young and motherless
daughter, Betsy S. Fisk, also came to
Canton. He was an energetic, push
ing, wealthy yankee. He bought lands
and town lots and improved them.
When the United States land Office
was removed from New Lisbon to
Canton about 1S10 William Reynolds
was appointed recorder, and soon al
ter married the sea captains daugh-
ter. Williams brother Franklin mar
ried woman near Cincinnati. Jeffer-
son married Sarah Folger, of Massil-
Ion, and Madison Reynolds married
Miss Slusser, of Canton. Elizabeth
Reynolds married John Harris, not
ed attorney in his day. Ellen Ray
nolds married in 1884 or 1885, but
have forgotten whom she married.
Elton Ann remained single.
William Reynolds, or his father-in-
law, Captain Fisk, built the Reynolds
Touring min and woolen factory, then
two miles south of Canton. At that
time it was the largest building OF
it's kind In the county. My father
first thousand barrels of -four ever
shipped at one time from Ohio to
New York. The canal was not then
finished to Massillon and the -four was
hauled to Akron and shipped from
there.
William Reynolds and his wife Bet
sy had four boys and two girls. Geo
Reynolds, his oldest son, was the hus-
band to the lady who recently died.
The next child was Rebecca, who mar
ried DR.. Perkins Wallace about 1884
They were the parents of George II.
Wallace, deceased, secretary of the
territory of New Mexico, and also of
the late Mrs. Joseph K Russell, of
Massillon. Their second son was
John F. Reynolds; the third son Gen
eral William F. Reynolds, of the U.
S. army. He graduated from West
Point in the class with u. S. Grant.
The fourth son was Harris Reynolds,
and the youngest daughter Cora.
The Reynolds were among the most
wealthy and best families in Canton.
They had large store on the north
side of West Tuscarawas street and
another one at the mill, They own
ed several farms besides their mill
and other property in Canton.
What changes 70 years make. In
1888 and "a | was chore boy for that
part of the family living at the mill.
Williams widow and family lived in
| Canton. | boarded and roomed with
the family and Jared as well as any
of them. There were no buggies or
carriages or steel springs in those
days. They kept a good family horse
and dearbon Zone horse wagon
For seats we laid boards upon the
top of the bed and for cushions we
had coverlets folded up. Part of the
harness were iron trace chains.
The girls were jolly and sociable
and had many friends among the elite
Among the goodly number | still re-
member my Sabbath school teacher
Jennie r. Saxton, aunt of Mrs. Nc
Kinley, the Harrises, Rev. Hopkins
Kimmels, Slussers, Harters and Has
lets.
| The elder Mrs. Reynolds had full
set of pewter dishes that had been
handed down for several generations
| from colonial times.