1925 Biography - Ivy Reynolds
Elisha Reynolds was a revolutionary soldier serving from North Carolina and was born in 1754. He enlisted 1777, pensioned 1832, died 1836. It is believed he was never in this county, but the following is found on our court records of 1816, "Elisha Reynolds and Thomas Littlepage vs. Hannah Borin." Of course, this may not have been the father of Ivy, who came here in 1817. Elisha's wife was Judith Edings and their children were Sarah, John, Ellis, Nancy, Polly, Mary and Ivy. One of these daughters married Milton Ladd's father. Ivy Reynolds, the first settler, his grandson John Reynolds says, came from North Carolina to the Northwest and with a Mr. Chapman, his wife, and a Mr. Drake built a boat and floated down the Ohio River from Cincinnati, landing at what is now Golconda. Chapman, his wife and Drake came directly to Vienna, while Reynolds delayed some little time, finally coming to Vienna. He entered forty acres of land on the west side of the original plot of Vienna. The northeast corner, being about the corner of Green and Sixth Streets. His name is frequently found on the first records as a business and influential man of the community. Ivy (1) married Rebecca Canada, presumably a sister to Jesse, who was another early resident. She is buried in the old city cemetery, commonly known as the Hess graveyard, where her gravestone may still be seen. Their children were Wesley (2) and Mary Ann (2). Wesley (2) married Sidney (see Simpson). He married second Frances Bain. Thomas Reynolds (3), son of Wesley was raised on a farm at Reynoldsburg, served the county as assessor and treasurer, was a successful farmer and a well known man of the county. He died 1907. (For family see Simpson). Mary Ann (2) married Basil Gray. They had Ivy (3), Alexander J. (3), Mary A. (3), Wesley (3) and Thomas (3). Ivy (3) married Elizabeth Jones (see Simpson). Alexander J. (3) married Arista Caldwell; they had James (4) who married Margaret Austin; their children are Arista (5), Looney (5) married (see Marberry), James (5), Ted (5), Charles (5), Elizabeth (5). Alexander J. (3) married second Izora Oliver (see Smith).
Mary A. (3) married W. W. Peterson; their children were Basil (4), who resides in Vienna and is the present city clerk; Olive (4) married James Cole; Charles (4) married Alice Elkins, their children are Orb (5) who married Myrtle Gore and they have Paul and Polly (6). Olive M. (5) is a teacher. Thomas Gray (3) married Minnie Hayden and moved to Missouri.
Ivy Reynolds (1) married second Caroline Angela. The children were Elisha (2), Ivy (2), Francis (2), John (2) and Bowen (2). Elisha (2) married Nancy Traverstead, and their children are Mrs. Otto Palmer (3), Ivy (3) J. W. (3), Mrs. J. J. Wright (3), Mrs. Frank Jones (3), Mrs. J. Worth (3), Ivy Reynolds (3) is a farmer of this county living near Simpson. He married Florence Robertson. Their children are Nellie (4), Cordia (4), Loyd (4), Floyd (4), Guy (4), Imogene (4) and J. W. (4). J. W. Reynolds (3) is a leading business man of this county residing at Simpson, Ill., where he conducts a monument factory- He married first Mollie Rushing and their children were Herbert (4), John Pleasant (4), Chester Ross (4). J. W. (3) married second Mary E. Mount and the children are Helen (4), Margaret (4). Herbert (4) married Ruby Hood and is a business man of Herrin, Ill. They have Charles Wesley (5) and William Howard (5). John Pleasant (4) married Jewell Elkins and has John Pleasant Jr. (5).
Extracted 08 Feb 2017 by Norma Hass from 1925 A History of Johnson County, Illinois, by Mrs. P. T. Chapman, pages 423-424.
