WI BIO - Richland Co - REYNOLDS, Jefferson J.

First Biography of Jefferson J. REYNOLDS

History of Crawford & Richland Counties, Wisconsin. Springfield: Union, 1884, 
p 1009

Jefferson J. REYNOLDS, who resides on Section 35, Town 9 [North], Range 2 
East [Buena Vista Township, Richland County, Wisconsin], where he settled in 
the spring of 1867, purchasing his farm of George GREEN, was born in Herkimer 
County, New York, and came here with his parents. His mother is now [text 
published 1884] dead, and his father is still living, with his son.

Mr. [Jefferson J.] REYNOLDS has been twice married. His first wife was a 
native of New York. He had a daughter by his first wife, Mary, the wife of 
J. Q. BLACK, of this town [Buena Vista]. His present wife [Miss?] M. Octavia 
CARR, was born in Palmyra, Jefferson County, Wisconsin. He had a son by his 
second wife [Jefferson J. and M. Octavia REYNOLDS had a son], Orin C. His 
[Jefferson J. REYNOLD's] farm contains 160 acres, and he has upon it among 
the best improvements in the Town of Buena Vista.

Second Biography of Jefferson J. REYNOLDS

History of Richland County, Wisconsin. Miner, J. H., ed. Chicago: Western 
Historical, 1906 pp 616-617

Jefferson J. REYNOLDS, a prominent citizen of the town of Buena Vista 
[Richland County, Wisconsin], was born 24 August 1823 in the town of 
Columbia, Herkimer County, New York, the son of John and Abigail (TATON) 
REYNOLDS, both of whom were born in Herkimer County, New York, the families 
of each being of old New England stock. [To John and Abigail (TATON) 
REYNOLDS] were born three children: (1) Jefferson J., the subject of this 
sketch; (2) Ellen, who married V. R. BRAINARD, both she and her husband 
being deceased; and (3) Adelia, who married Joseph THOMAS and died in Kansas.

The father of our subject [John REYNOLDS] and himself [Jefferson J. REYNOLDS] 
settled in Richland County [Wisconsin] in 1867, and prior to that time they 
had been engaged in farming in the State of New York. Upon coming here they 
located upon the place where Jefferson J. now resides [on Section 35, Town 9 
North, Range 2 East, the farm purchased from George GREEN], and the father 
remained thereon until his [John REYNOLDS'] death in 1885 [15 July 1884 in 
Richland County, Wisconsin?], at the advanced age of eighty-four years, the 
mother [Abigail (TATON) REYNOLDS] having died several years previously.

Jefferson J. REYNOLDS has always made farming his chief occupation, and his 
farm comprises a quarter section of very fine farming and grazing land, upon 
which he has placed some of the best improvements to be seen in the town of 
Buena Vista.

Mr. REYNOLDS has been twice married. In 1845 Jefferson J. REYNOLDS] married 
his first wife, Miss Mary SMITH, of Litchfield, Herkimer County, New York, 
and to that union [to Jefferson J. and Mary (SMITH) REYNOLDS] one child was 
born, Mary, who married J. Q. BLACK and now resides at Rome [County], 
Georgia, where her husband is a merchant. Our subject's first wife [Mary 
(SMITH) REYNOLDS] died when this daughter [Mary REYNOLDS] was a small child.

On 26 February 1879 Mr. [Jefferson J.] REYNOLDS married Miss Mary O. CARR, 
who was born in Palmyra, Jefferson County, Wisconsin. She [Mary O. (CARR) 
REYNOLDS] died 25 May 1898, leaving two children: Orrin C., who resides on 
the home place ["Orrin REYNOLDS" died 03 August 1910 in Richland County, 
Wisconsin; certificate not viewed by submitter]; and Jennie, who resides at 
home with her father. ["John Jefferson REYNOLDS" died 09 January 1912 in 
Richland County, Wisconsin; certificate not viewed by submitter.]

Mr. [Jefferson J.] REYNOLDS has always been a man of strong intellect, 
thoroughly abreast of the times, and his influence has always been felt in 
progressive movements of all kinds. Politically his breadth of mind has 
forced him to ally himself with different organizations, always advocating 
what he firmly believed to be the best interest of the country, and as an 
early Abolitionist, then as a Prohibitionist, and later as a Bryan Democrat 
he has consistently performed the duties of a good citizen.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly