The Elbert County tribune., 1905-01-12
DIdck q
& AdNenture.
SHE FOUGHT THE TORIES.

d B upon its ancient roof, the
xx xx Reynolds house. on the out
a0aeexSx skirts of Monroe, n. Y, is
at last no more. 1t was built 121 years
ago. in 11TT, by Henry Reynolds.
Westchester County Quaker, who. with
his wife and five children, fed to Or
ange County during the Revolution.
Although a Quaker, he took up arms
against the British and was one of the
band of 200 under Mad Anthony
"avne who stormed and captured
Stony Point.
His activity in plans to rid the noun
tains hereabouts of the notorious
Claudius Smith gang Of Tories gained
him their bitter enmity, and one night.
in July, 1872, on the pretence of being
american soldiers looking for desert
ers. three of the most desperate of that
gang gained admittance to the Rey-
nolds house.
In the presence of his wife and his
twelve-year-old daughter. Phebe. they
bound and hanged Reynolds to the big
iron crane of the fireplace and pro-
ceeded to ransack the house. While
they We're 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 to shield him from the rob
bers. They stabbed father and daugh-
ter repeatedly. They at last tore Pile
be from her fathers body and threw
1t into a 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
Oh the bed. Finding that he was
still alive. the girl was starting out to
summon neighbors for aid when her
mother discovered that the Tories had
set fire to the house.
She and Phebe succeeded in extin-
gushing the flames before they had
gained much headway. and Phebe
made all the speed she could to the
nearest neighbor's. mile away. That
neighbor mounted a fleet horse, and,
On his way to Goshen for n doctor.
roused others, who armed themselves
and started in pursuit of the Tories.
When Phebe got back home her faith
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. pioneer physician.
Soon after Reynolds and Phebe re-
covered from their injuries he dis
posed of his property and removed to
Sullivan County. where he became
leading citizen. He was elected 10 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 untenanted 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 Rey
nolds property York Sun.