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ROSS REYNOLDS
ROSS REYNOLDS, late of Kittanning, was a brilliant representative of a
family which has been foremost among the leading residents of the place from
its earliest days. His grandfather, David Reynolds, was one of the first
hotelkeepers in that place, and the family has been in that line there
continuously to the present, Harry Reynolds, present proprietor of the �Reynolds
House,� being also a grandson of David Reynolds.The family is of English extraction, and the names is one of very ancient
Saxon origin, in its early form a combination of two words � Rhein, meaning
pure, and Hold, the Saxon for love. Arturs’s Etymological Dictionary of Family
Names says it signifies sincere and pure love, but may also signify strong or
firm hold. The name appears as Reynold, Reynolds and Reynoldson (son of
Reynolds). There are various Reynolds coats of arms and crests, that of George
Reynolds, the first of this line in America, being: Azure, a chevron ermine,
between three crosses, crosslet, fitched argent. Crest: An eagle, argent,
ducally gorged and lined.George Reynolds, the first ancestor of Ross Reynolds to come to this
country, his great-grandfather, was born in 1730 in England, and came to
America in 1753. He was a soldier in the French and Indian war, serving in
1755-57, and was with Braddock at the latter’s defeat, at which time he was
wounded, being shot in the neck. He held his finger in the wound to stanch it
while he lay concealed from the Indians all night in the underbrush. For his
military services he received a tract of land in Huntingdon County, Pa., part
of the town of Huntingdon according to family tradition, being now on his
holding. By trade he was a tanner. His first marriage was to a Miss Davis, but
whether he married her before or after coming to America is not known. She
left three children, namely: John, who died at the age of twenty; Esther, Mrs.
Mann; and Elsie, Mrs. Ross.In 1777 George Reynolds married (second) Margaretta Stopp, daughter of
Peter and Elizabeth (Fleming) Stopp, of French and Dutch Flanders, Belgium
(now west and east Flanders). She was a native of Maryland. George Reynolds
died suddenly in Huntingdon County, at a neighbor’s where he had eaten
noon-day dinner, in April, 1796. His widow, Margaretta, married a widower by
the name of Alexander Moore, and by him had one child, Jane, born Feb. 22,
1803, in Huntingdon, who was married to John Williams, in Kittanning, where
she died Feb. 25, 1883. Mrs. Margaretta S. (Reynolds) Moore died in Kittanning
in December, 1823, and is buried in the �Old Graveyard.� It is related
that one day when her eldest child, Mary (afterward Mrs. Henry Roush), was a
young babe and George Reynolds had �gone to mill the grain,� she saw a
file of Indians coming, and snatching up her baby fled to the creek, hiding
under a footbridge. Her little dog that followed her she wrapped in her
skirts, and say there in terror while the Indians ransacked the house, set it
on fire and passed over the bridge. Fortunately the dog did not bark and the
baby did not cry. When Mr. Reynolds returned he took them to the blockhouse,
where they the neighbors who had suffered like misfortune lived together until
conditions made it reasonably safe for them to build on their own land again.
One boy who had been in a cornfield lost both his parents as well as his home,
and Mr. Reynolds received him into his family, taking care of him until he was
able to look after himself.George Reynolds was of the English type, having light hair and blue eyes,
while his wife Margaretta had black hair and eyes, her son David favoring her
in appearance and coloring. With the exception of George (the eldest son and
second child) all of the children of George and Margaretta Reynolds came to
Kittanning, Pa. George lived and did at New Alexandria, Westmoreland County,
Pa.; he was the father of Mrs. Nathaniel Henry. Thomas, the seventh child,
lived and died at Columbus, Ohio; Richard, the eighth child (grandfather of
Mrs. Maud Whitworth), lived and died at Red Bank, Armstrong County; William,
born in 1783, a tanner, settled at Kittanning in the first decade of the
nineteenth century. In an account of �The town of 1820� we find he had a
leather store then on lot No. 93, later occupied by the widow of George
Reynolds, his son. On July 4, 1846, at the home of George Reynolds on Water
Street, the young ladies of Kittanning presented to the military company known
as the Washington Blues, organized about 1845, a beautiful silk flag. William
Reynolds acquired considerable property, married and had several children, one
of whom was George W., born in 1808 in Kittanning. He passed all his life
there and died in November, 1869. He was the father of Dr. Francis Reynolds,
of Kittanning.Ann, the sixth child in the family of George and Margaretta Reynolds,
married James Pinks; she lived on the present site of St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church.David Reynolds, fifth son of George and Margaretta Reynolds, was one of the
most prominent citizens of Kittanning and Armstrong County in his time. Born
Jan. 17, 1785, in Huntingdon County, Pa., he was only in his twelfth year when
his father died. When he was nineteen he was sent to Kittanning by his
guardian, Alexander McConnell (after whom his son Alexander was named, his
daughter Judith, Mrs. Dull, being named after Mrs. McConnell). He was with a
trading post situated on land long since carried away by floods, nearly
opposite where the Williams home now is, on the bank of the Allegheny River.
Gong back and forth to Huntingdon he always stopped at Absalom Woodward’s and
falling in love with his second daughter, Mary, usually called Polly, married
her. His name appears on the first assessment list, dated Dec. 21, 1804, as
storekeeper, lot 221. In 1820 his �inn� was one of the eight buildings on
Market street, on lot No. 121. Armstrong County was organized for judicial
purposes in 1805, and the first court was held in December if that year in a
log house standing of lot No. 121, the present site of the �Reynolds House.�
At that court David Reynolds was one of the petitioners for tavern licenses
recommended, and he and Philip Mechling were the first hotelkeepers. Mr.
Reynolds first built a small log house where the �Reynolds House� now
stands, but so many strangers traveling asked for a night’s lodging that he
was induced to enlarge his house and make a charge for accommodation. He
called it the �Kittanning Inn� and it was the principal hotel of the town
in its day. It was a frame structure on the north side of Market Street, near
the corner of Jefferson, and its large front room was the chief social hall of
the place and frequently used for public meetings in the early days. Many men
of importance stopped there. Mr. Reynolds became wealthy for his day,
acquiring the ownership of large tracts of land outside the city, and there
were few residents of Armstrong County held in such high esteem, for he was
not only energetic in the prosecution of his own affairs but a leader in
public life. For some years he was postmaster at Kittanning. He was a member
(elected) of the first board of county commissioners and in 1818 was serving
as county commissioner with Isaac Wagle and Joseph Rankin, as shown by a
document dated the 21st of that year. Other records remain to show that he was
an enterprising and energetic man, and interested in the most important
activities designed to promote the general welfare. An act of Assembly
approved April 2, 1821, provided for and authorized the �establishment of an
academy or public school for the education of youth in English and other
languages, in the useful arts, sciences and literature, by the name style and
title of the ‘Kittanning Academy,’ under the direction and government of six
trustees,� of which David Reynolds was one. None was to serve as trustee
longer than three years without being elected by the citizens of the county.
The first meeting of the trustees was held the first Tuesday of September (the
4th), 1821, at the house of David Reynolds, who (when lots were cast as
require to ascertain how long each member should serve) was chosen with Samuel
Matthews to serve until October, 1822; Mr. Reynolds was again chosen by
appointment, April 2, 1824. He was a Whig in politics.A paper dated Feb. 17, 1815, in Mr. Reynolds handwriting, showing
subscriptions to the amount of $76, states that �we, the subscribers do
hereby promise to pay the sums annexed to our respective names for the yearly
support of Re. John Dickey, as a minister of the gospel, for the part of the
Associate Presbytery denominate Kittanning.� This was practically the
beginning of the Associate reformed (now United Presbyterian) Church at
Kittanning, which, however, was not organized until 1845. Mr. Reynolds did at
Kittanning July 20, 1845.On Nov. 7, 1805, Mr. Reynolds married May Woodward, daughter of Absalom
Woodward. She was born in Huntingdon County, Jan. 13, 1788, and was but three
months old when her parents moved to Plum Creek Township, Armstrong County.
Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds had their home in Huntingdon until after the birth of
their three older children. Mrs. Reynolds died July 7, 1826, the mother of ten
children, namely: (1) Alexander, at one time an iron manufacturer and banker
of Pittsburgh, purchased the residence of Dr. John Gilpin, on the site of the
old fort at Kittanning, and had his home there at the time of his death, Oct.
7, 1881, when he was seventy-two years, ten months old. The place was
inherited by his son Alexander, who made additions to the old mansion and
called the �Alexander Hotel,� under which name it is now being conducted;
Alexander, Sr., married Martha Denniston, who died Oct. 22, 1888, aged
sixty-seven years, four months. (2) Isabella married George W. Smith and moved
to Maryland. (3) Woodward married Amelia Ross and they lived at Reynoldsville,
Jefferson County, Pa. (4) Margaretta, born in Kittanning April 25, 1813,
married Peter Weaver of Freeport, Armstrong County, Pa. (5)Mary married John
Watson and they moved to California, where he died. Mrs. Watson returned to
Kittanning, where she died. (6) Harriet married John Leech, of Leechburg,
Armstrong County. (7) Absalom, born in 1818, did in 1881. His wife Margaret H.
Mechling, daughter of Sheriff John Mechling, was born in 1825, and did in
1908. He inherited the �Reynolds House� now conducted by his son, Harry
Reynolds. The latter has in his possession the old grandfather clock of David
Reynolds, and also a desk, in one drawer of which is written and signed: �This
desk was the first piece of furniture made in Kittanning, and was made in the
year 1804, by Isaac Townsend.� (8) Eliza married David Patterson, a merchant
of Kittanning. (9) Washington, M.D., a physician and surgeon of Kittanning,
married Mary Ann Leech, of Leechburg. (10) Franklin was the father of Ross
Reynolds.Mr. Reynolds married (second) Jane Ross, who was born June 1, 1801,
daughter of Judge George Ross, and died April 23, 1888. Five children were
born to this marriage. (1) Ross, a farmer, never married. (2) Jefferson, and
attorney at Kittanning, married Mary Gates. (3) Jane married Joseph Graff, a
business man who came from Worthington, Armstrong County, where he was born
(he was a brother of J. Frank Graff, State Senator). (4) Judith married A.J.
Dull of Harrisburg, a retired capitalist. (5) Sallie never married.Franklin Reynolds, son of David, was born at Kittanning in November, 1823,
and did April 11, 1900. By occupation he was a farmer, and his son and
daughter, Franklin and Lorena Reynolds, now live at his old home place, in the
white house on the hill near the cem3tery. He built the home and moved there
in 1855 and was engaged in farming at this place. In May, 1853, Mr. Reynolds
married Mary Jane Patterson, of Carrollton, Ohio, who was born there in 1832,
and died July 13, 1905. They had a family of five children: Ross is mentioned
below; Maggie died Nov. 25, 1897, unmarried; Franklin, a farmer, has never
married; Isadora became the wife of A.C. Bailey, and died Jan. 18, 1906;
Lornea, who never married, resides with her brother at the paternal home.Ross Reynolds was born April 4, 1854, on in-lot No. 128, Kittanning
borough, and received his literary education at Lambeth College, Kittanning.
He read law with the late E.S. Golden, was admitted to the bar of Armstrong
County Sept. 3, 1877 and was actively engaged in practice thereafter until his
death. He was also connected with business as one of the officers of the
Armstrong County Trust Company, of which he was vice president at the time of
his death, which occurred suddenly Oct. 1, 1908. Mr. Reynolds great success in
his chosen profession entitled him to be recognized as one of the foremost
practitioners at the Armstrong County Bar, and he was one of the most
influential citizens of Kittanning, where he always made his home. His brother
lawyers paid him the high compliment of consulting him frequently,
appreciating his clear-sightedness and excellent judgement as only members of
the profession could. We quote from an article which appeared in the
Kittanning Free Press at the time of his death:�Whatever he said, on any subject, was well worth listening to. His clear
insight penetrated the most difficult and intricate problems very quickly
and he had the faculty of dissecting any legal question brought before him
rapidly and ably. His legal acumen was developed to a high degree . . . His
learning extended beyond his professional studies, as many who have
conversed with him on theological and medical questions can attest. His mind
was versatile, making him a rare conversationalist; his reading was broad,
making him an easy speaker; his studies were thorough, making him a user of
choice language, pregnant with solid facts. He was a man who gained and held
the love and esteem of all, and in his passing away we deeply feel the loss
that all have sustained.��When the news was flashed over the town and county . . . . that he had
died, there were few of those who knew him who did not feel that he had
received a stunning blow. Right in the prime of his life, when his career
never seemed brighter, when his great learning and ripe experience in his
profession had advanced him easily but naturally to the front rank, death
came to him; and with his taking away there exists a vacant place that will
be hard to fill�. It seems incredible that we will see Ross Reynolds no
more, that we will no longer have the sincere pleasure of his sociability;
for to his fellows no characteristic of his shone more brilliantly than
this. His keen shafts of wit, seasoned with sarcasm, only served to make him
better loved by those with whom he associated.”Such was the high opinion of his professional attainments and personal
character held by the members of the Armstrong County Bar and the citizens of
the county generally. The funeral services were held at the residence, corner
of North McKean Street and Union Avenue, Rev. F.C. Hartshorne, the rector of
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, officiating, and the remains were buried in the
Kittanning cemetery. The court officers and members of the bar attended in a
body.On March 10, 1885, Mr. Reynolds was married to Harriet Hallock Campbell,
daughter of Judge James and Nancy Jane (Hallock) Campbell, of Clarion, Pa.,
and they had two children, both of whom survive, namely, Emily Campbell (wife
of Oliver W. Gilpin of Kittanning) and Isadora Hallock. Mrs. Reynolds, who
died March 17, 1909, was a Presbyterian in her early life, but after her
marriage she became a member of the Episcopal Church, to which her husband
belonged; he served as vestryman.Source: Pages 369-370, Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed March 2002 by Helen B. Miller for the Armstrong County Beers
Project
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