The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1921-07-28
Interesting Romance In Life OF
Veteran

rative will be read with interest ow
ing to the fact that II deals with
George Reynard now SO years of age
and a resident of Skowhegan. Mr..
Reynard enjoys the best Of health and
retains his faculties to remarkable
degree.
George Reynard was born in Breton
Canada, January %, 1882 the young
est of fifteen children all of whom are
deceased His parents were John and
Ruth tHoughton) Reynard. His
father was a native Of Ireland and
bis mother of Scotland. Young George
lived with his parents until about the
age of eight years. when his father
thought 1t best for him to acquire his
own education and living. 1t seems
that his father had some idea of pa
rental responsibility, albeit 1t may
have been of rather an odd sort. On
sending young George out into the
world. he gave him seventy-five dol
lars and a package containing two
doughnuts for his first meal. George
walked out of the front gate into the
Canadian highway. took last look at
the old home place, turned southwark
and struck out toward Maine. or his
wanderings for the next few years
one incident only need be chronicled
here One evening, pretty well wear
led. he was nearing the town of st.
George. A large farm house seemed
to invite him to enter, and on doing
SO, he found that they would keep him
for the night. Two years had passed
since he left the parental roof, and
George was now ten years of age. In
the family where he was thus briefly
lodged, were several children, among
them, perhaps four years younger
than himself, was a little girl, Mary
by. name. George took little interest
IN the children other than Mary just
mentioned His concern for her
caused him to ask the parents II after
having grown to manhood and demon
strated an ability to earn living, nc
could come back and clam her for
his wife. This boy and girl romance
did not come out in just the way they
thought 1t would He never returned
ID st. George to hHnt up his little
playmate. but entirely by accident
met her In later years and the story
thus had its happening.
While still young man, George
HeVnaT0 fdHupu Ill DdH6Ol anu hS'S
was employed in the Barbron d
Strickland lumber mill for three
years. Then came period OF team,hg
in the woods about Mooschead Lake,
mostly hauling supplies. Some OF
the trips in the winter were made
from Greenville to Seboomook, the
.entire lengtr OF Moosehead Lake,
almost forty miles. Some OF these
Journeys were in severe weather and
frozen spots on the nose and face were
often the result. Then came the out
break OF the Civil War and George
promptly joined the army of the
North. The most important battle in
which he participated. was the disas-
ter to northern arms at Bull Kun.
Sion after this, his familiarity with
horses and teaming operations, caused
him to be set at work hauling army
supplies. This doubtless seemed to be
less hazardous than fighting in the
ranks, but In the end proved danger
ous enough. He was on ferry boat
or perhaps more properly speaking
coasting vessel with his team and
load. when he was ship-wrecked. lie
sscsped tho disaster only to fall into
the hands of the rebels, and to be de-
tanned at Libby Prison for five
months. Having been released and
returning north, he was sent nome as
united physically for military ser
vice.
Th. trend of events soon landed
(}eorEe at Bingham. here to his great
surprise and doubtless pleasure, to
and a young woman. the little Mary
4 t,oA NJ at ho farm hnuSp
a st. George about twenty years be-
fore. The conversation which he had
planned to make to the parents, he
made to the young lady herself, ana
the result was an early marriage.
Pfevious to going to war. George nau
left a friend $4,000, which was thel
SIS given by his father at eight years
OF age plus what he had determined
w. and courageously saved In boyhoou
and early manhood. This friend had
been faithful to his trust, and thus at
the time of his marriage. Mr.. ana
Mrs. Reynard found themselves quite
comfortably off Shortly after their
marriage he bought farm in Mos
COW where he lived for fifteen years.
In 1892 his wife died. They had
been especially dear to each other
and 1t so happened that Mr.. Reynaro
was himself seriously i'll at that time
He was unable to get out of bed, but
was of course consulted about the
arrangements of the funeral III ana
weak as he was, he sent for Charies
Brainard. of the firm of weston
Brainard, by whom he was employed,
10 come and confer with him about
the funeral details. 1t should be men
toned here that Mr.. Brainard ana
Levi Weston. the senior member OF
tho firm, were both men of large heart
and abundant sympathies. They
were not, however, in the least de-
gree musical. but it did occur TO MT
Brainard to ask George II he wanted
singing to be a part of the ceremony
George thought the matter over care
fully and then said: u guess you
won't have to arrange for that you
and Mr.. Weston will both be there
and probably others, who can JON
you in the singing" The story Oh
the incident in the life OF Mr., Key
nard 10 not complete in that IL does