San
Joaquin County
Biographies
EDWARD REYNOLDS
Among the old-timers of San Joaquin
County, Edward Reynolds occupies a prominent position and is among the oldest
living pioneer citizens of California, where he arrived in 1853, and almost continuously
has employed his energies for half a century in the wholesome and honorable
occupation of farming near Lathrop, where he has been highly successful. He was born near Ellenboro, Grant County,
Wisconsin, December 2, 1844, a twin brother of Eldridge Reynolds, who now lives
in Stockton. Edward Reynolds is the
youngest son of James and Martha (Ramsey) Reynolds. His great-grandfather, in the Reynolds line,
was a soldier of the Revolutionary War, and his maternal grandfather, David
Ramsey, displayed equal valor in defending American interests in the War of
1812. The father, James Reynolds, was
born in Fleming County, Kentucky, November 30, 1806, where he received a fair
education, and in 1826 was married to Miss Martha Ramsey, who was in the same county,
and was born February 6, 1804. In 1828
James Reynolds moved to Indiana, where they remained but a short time, then
going to Illinois. In 1830 he returned
to Indiana, where he engaged in farming for a year then moved to Grant County,
Wisconsin, where three of their children were born. James Reynolds was an expert brick and stone
mason and followed his trade until 1853, when he and his family became members
of a party under Captain Cutler Salmon which started across the plains in
April, 1853, reaching California in October of the same year. Following are excerpts from a letter written
by Cutler Salmon and dated at French Camp, California, October 30, 1853, and
addressed to James Borah, his brother-in-law in Grant County: “I landed at Hangtown on September 8. I found no difficulty in crossing the
plains. We took our time for it, made
every day count for itself. I have
settled seven miles southeast of Stockton on the main traveled road to
Sonora. I bought a farm, paid $3,000
for, was offered $1,000 for my bargain, would not take $10,000 for it. Stockton is a shipping town, from two to four
steamboats every day. I have 200 acres
under fence. Our timber in the valley is
oak; rather poor for fencing and building.
The mountains afford any amount of the best pine and cedar. We can raise any kind of grain and vegetables
that can be raised anywhere. A sample of
corn grew fourteen feet to the first ear and twenty feet to the top of the
stock. It grew on the T. Clark
ranch. Large horses, for instance, such
as I sold Ashley, are worth $1,000; oxen are worth $200 and $300 per yoke, cows
$150. I got all of my horses through,
even to the General, which is my colt; he stood the trip the best of everything
I had. I started from the Missouri with
fifty head of cattle, got through with thirty-two. I have seen the wild oats as far as the eye
could see, standing just as thick as it could with thousands of Spanish cattle
feeding on it. The weather here this
morning is as pleasant as ever I saw in midsummer in the states. I think I shall be amply paid for my
sacrifices that I made in leaving that country.
I think I have got my family where they can enjoy life, though the trip
across the plains is a tedious trip. We
were over six months, but nothing very hard about it. We started with twenty men in the company and
we stood guard every night and day from the time we left Missouri till we got
to Hangtown. Had no
trouble with the Indians or nobody else.
My son, James Salmon, stopped at Hangtown; have not heard from him
since. I will now tell to those who
intend crossing the plains next season, if there be any, to fetch the lightest
and best horses that you can get, oxen the same, cows of the very best
quality. My wagon that William Runk made is worth $400.
The best wagons I ever saw are made in Stockton, they carry from four to
six tons and are drawn by ten mules, all valued at $4,500. As far as the mines, I know but little about
them. The boys are teaming and make ten
dollars per day each; they drive four horses each and receive three dollars per
team per day; common labor mechanics receive from seven to ten dollars per day. We have the greatest salmon in great abundance,
elk, antelope and wild fowls of all kinds.
I will not advise anyone to come to this country yet. I will now close by advising you to stay in
the east some little time.” The location mentioned in this letter is known as
Dutch Point and in the early days was a freighting station and hotel on the
road between Stockton, Sonora and the southern mines.
James Reynolds came to San Joaquin
County in 1854, having stopped one year at Placerville. He settled near French Camp, acquiring lands
under pre-emption and later became an extensive grain farmer with unusual
success; he also became a strong advocate of irrigation, planting and
developing one of the first orchards and vineyards of the valley. The Reynolds home became the headquarters for
the emigrants from Grant County, Wisconsin, for almost a quarter of a
century. In 1855 the first school was
organized and the first schoolhouse was built on a portion of the Reynolds home
place; the first year there were fourteen pupils in attendance, coming from
four to eight miles, riding horseback or in wagons, as the Spanish cattle were
numerous, as well as dangerous. James
Reynolds passed away July 22, 1867, survived by his widow and seven children: Eliza, Richard, David R., Rosana,
James A., Eldridge and Edward, the latter two being twins.
Edward Reynolds received a good
education in the district schools of San Joaquin County and grew to young
manhood on his father’s farm. Returning
to Grant County, Wisconsin, in the fall of 1869, he waited until the close of
the spring term of school, 1870, and on April 7, 1870, married Saluda Campbell,
his childhood sweetheart, who was teaching near Ellenboro, Wisconsin. She was born October 23, 1851, the youngest
daughter of William Campbell, born of Scotch parents in the north of Ireland,
and Susan (Maloy) Campbell, who was born in New
Brunswick. Mrs. Campbell was reared in
New Brunswick and the state of Maine, and came to Grant County, Wisconsin, with
her parents in 1848. Edward Reynolds
returned with his bride to California, in April, 1870. Six days were spent in making the trip from
Wisconsin to California, which sixteen years before had required six
months. They are the parents of three
children. Edwin M., a rancher and dairy
farmer, married Bertha May Salmon, of French Camp, and resides between Manteca
and Lathrop. Sydney W. married Mabel
Fisher and they had one child, Eleanor Lucile; Mrs. Reynolds passed away
January 20, 1910, and Mr. Reynolds was married a second time to Mrs. Byrd
Birmingham, of Ripon, where he had a large merchandise store known as the McKee
& Reynolds store, and also has large farming interests in South San Joaquin
County. Jessie Viola was married to
William A. Ryhiner, of Lathrop, a farmer and rural
delivery mail carrier, and for year’s treasurer of the State Mail Carriers’
Union; he is a grand-nephew of apt. C. M. Weber, founder of Stockton.
Mr. Reynolds has been identified
with every movement for progress and development and has endeavored to keep to
the standard set by his father along agricultural and dairy lines and success
has rewarded his years of perseverance and toil. He was a pioneer mover in the establishment
of the Manteca Creamery and bought the first block of stock. In politics he was a staunch Republican early
in life, but later became affiliated with the Prohibition Party. For twelve consecutive years he served as
school trustee of the East Union School District. Since 1902 Mr. Reynolds has lived a less
active life, his sons assuming the responsibility of the home place. Both Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have been active
in the temperance work of their district and have contributed both time and
means toward its success. They rejoice
that they have lived to see the adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment. Mrs. Reynolds has been an active and Mr.
Reynolds an honorary member of the W. C. T. U. of San Joaquin County for the
past thirty-five years, Mrs. Reynolds having served as president of local and
county work, and as state superintendent of departmental work.
On April 7, 1920, Mr. and Mrs.
Reynolds celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at the Brethren Church at
Lathrop. The following original poem
from the pen of O. B. Parkinson, an old-time friend of the family, was read:
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“Here’s
to our grand old neighbor, Good
friend of yours and mine, Who
has beat a goodly path Through
the corridors of time, Straight
on the center guide line Toward
the pearly gates sublime, A
path which we may travel And
be sure to reach the goal; Ghosts
of his good deeds shining O’er
our heads into the soul. To
the wife who traveled with him And
whose feet the path have trod, And
whose voice and hand uphold him On
their journey on toward God, May
the sunshine of her presence In
the future as in the past, Play
around them on their journey— Play
each day until the last.” |
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Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
931-932. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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