The Grit-advocate., 1905-01-13
Dldck e
q AdVentdre.
SHE FOUGHT THE TORIES,

Sokxxx1.RUSHED beneath the
E@x weight of snow that fell
4 - upon its ancient roof, the
SIX x3 Reynolds house Oh the out
h6seeek&&x skirts of Monroe, n. V. Is
at last no more. 1t was built l27 years
ago. in 1I17. by Henry Reynolds, n
Westchester County Quaker, who. with
his wife and five children. fed TO Or
ange County during the Revolution.
Although 4 Quaker. he took up arms
against the British and WAS one of the
band OF 200 under Mad Anthony
"avne who storned and captured
stony Point
His activity In plans to rid the noun
tains heleabouts Of the notorious
Ciaudius Smith gan. of Tories gained
him their bitter cimity, and one night,
In July, 1IS2, on the pretence of being
American soldiers looking for desert
nrs, three of the most desperate of TINT
gang gained admittance to the Rey-
nolds house.
In the presence of his wife and his
twelve-year-oll daughter, Phebe, they
bound and hanged Reynolds TO the big
iron crane Of the fireplace and pro-
! ceeded TO ransaci the house. While
they were in another room Phebe cut
her father down, her mother having
swOoned.
The Tories came hurrying back and
hanged Reynolds again. although the
girl fought SO desperately to save him
that she was stabbed several times.
Then they returned to their plunder-
Ing, and Phebe once more succeeded in
cutting her father down, and was
dragging him out of the house when
the Tories again interfered.
The girl placed her body over that
of her father as he lay on the floor in
her efforts 10 shield him from the rob.
bers. They stabbed father and daugll-
ter repeatedly. They at last tore Pie
be from her fathers body aud threw
1t into large chest, closing the lid,
and leaving both father and child for
dead.
AS they departed from the house
they rolled large stone against the
door. Mrs. Reynolds had recovered
consciousness, and Phebe. wounded as
she was, made her way to the chest,
and with the aid of her mother,
dragged her father out and placed him
on the bed. Finding that he was
still alive the girl was starting out to
summon neishbors for aid when her
mother discovered that the Tories had
set fire to the house.
She and rhebc succeeded in cxtin-
gushing the flames before they had
gained much hcadway. and Phebc
made MI the speed she could to the
nearest neighbor's, a mile away. That
neighbor mounted fleet horse, and.
IN his way to Goshen for n doctor,
eoused others, who armed themselves
and started in pursuit of the Tories.
When Phebe got back home her fa TIL
er had so far recovered as to be able
to talk. The doctor arrived betimes,
and found that Reynolds had received
no fewer than thirty serious wounds
from swords and knives, but not one
Of them had touched vital spot. One
Of his ears was nearly severed from
his head. and one arm was slashed SO
that it was ever after useless.
Phebe was covered with wounds,
nine being in the breast and head. At
daylight Mrs. Reynolds gave birth TO
a child. The baby lived, grew to wo-
manhood, and became the mother of
one of the most prominent families IN
southern New York. as the wife of DR..
Blake Wales. a pioneer physician.
Soon after Reynolds and Phcbe re-
covered from their injuries he dis
posed OF his property and removed to
Sullivan County, where he became Il
leading citizen. lie was elected TO the
Assembly in 1905.
Phebe Reynolds married jeremiah
Drake. and became the maternal head
OF the numerous and conspicuous
Drake family of that part OF the State.
The Reynolds farmhouse has had
many owners since. The house had
been untenantei for three or -four
years. and had fallen into dilapidation.
1t was one of the landmarks of this
historic region.
Mrs. Elizabeth Gigroux, OF New
York, is the present owner of the Rcy-
noldg property.-New York Sun.