San Francisco County
Biographies
CHARLES H. REYNOLDS
For
nearly thirty years the subject of this sketch has been connected with the
real-estate interests of San Francisco.
He is an active, public-spirited citizen, an advocate of every measure that
tends toward the growth and development of the city.
He
was born in Memphis, Tennessee,
in 1829, his ancestry being among the early settlers of that State. Through the
death of his father he was early thrown upon his own resources and after
receiving his education began shifting for himself. During the Mexican war he
was connected with the Quartermaster's department, under Major Chapman, and
filled positions of trust and responsibility. In the spring of 1850 he started
for California. At New
Orleans he secured passage on the steamer Ohio
for Chagres, and, after
crossing the Isthmus, reembarked on the sailing
vessel John W. Coffin. The vessel contained a large number of passengers and
afforded them poor accommodations. After an experience of forty-seven days, he
landed safely at San Francisco.
Going at once to the mines in Nevada, Mr. Reynolds there
joined the Gold Lake
expedition to Plumas county, which proved a failure.
He then returned to Downieville, Sierra county, and
there mined about one year. After securing a little "stake" he
settled at Marysville and engaged in mercantile life, and, with his brother,
established the banking house of Reynolds Bros., which was continued with
marked success until 1860. At that time he came to San
Francisco and started the banking house of Reynold, Reise & Co. In 1863
Mr. Reynolds retired from the bank and opened a real-estate office at 333
Montgomery street, where
he has continued in business to the present date (1891). His transactions have
been very extensive in all parts of the city, usually buying and selling and
thus managing his own sales, although he has engaged somewhat in the land
commission business, not, however, in the house-renting department.
Mr.
Reynolds was married, at Marysville, in 1855, to Miss Frances Ann Farish, a native of Tennessee, and their union has been
blessed with five children, namely: Laura A., wife of John B. Robertson, M. D.,
is now deceased, leaving one child, Frances Mary Robertson who lives with the
Reynolds grandparents; Richard H., engaged in the assay business at Phoenix,
Arizona; Mary R., widow of Paul E. Scott, has one child, Louisiana F. Scott,
and lives with her parents; Emily Lee, wife of John W. Davis; and Charles A., a
clerk in the treasury department of the custom house, is unmarried and lives at
home.
Mr. Reynolds is a member of the Real Estate Exchange, and
has passed through every chair of the I.O. O. F. In 1870 he was elected a
member of the San Francisco Board of Education. In politics he is Democratic,
standing for free coinage on the silver question, and advocating square, honest
dealing in all legislative affairs.
Transcribed by Kay Schmidt 1/28/06.
Source: "The Bay of San Francisco," Vol. 2, Pages 448-449,
Lewis Publishing Co, 1892.
© 2006 Kay
Schmidt.
California Biography Project
San Francisco County
California Statewide
Golden Nugget Library