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[This information is from Vol. IV, pp. 1824-1847 of Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs, edited by Cuyler Reynolds (New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company, 1911). It is in the Reference collection of the Schenectady County Public Library at R 929.1 R45. Some of the formatting of the original, especially in lists of descendants, may have been altered slightly for ease of reading.]
John Reynolds (1), progenitor of this branch of the family, is supposed to have sailed from the port of London — i. e., Ipswich, England, in 1633. Sarah Reynolds (his wife), aged 20, was a passenger on the ship "Elizabeth," which sailed from Ipswich "bound for New England the last of April, 1634."
Among the passengers were many who settled at Watertown, Massachusetts, and subsequently removed to Weathersfield and Stamford, Connecticut, but John Reynolds was not among them. John Reynolds was admitted a freeman of Watertown, May 6, 1635. Robert, his brother, had been admitted September 3, 1634.
Sir Richard Saltonstall, together with a body of Pilgrims or Separatists, had founded Watertown, Massachusetts, where a church was "gathered" under Phillips as pastor, August 27, 1630. The latter came from Boxford, county Essex, and most of the colonists were members of his former charge. Unfortunately, the records describing the settlement of Watertown are not in existence, but on page 4 of the earliest book of records is the first entry in which the names of colonists are mentioned: "Nov. 14, 1635 — agreed that Daniel Patrick, Brian Pemberton, Richard Bernard, Ephraim Child, Abram Browne, Charles Chaddock and John Reynolds shall divide to every man his Property and Meddow and upland that is plowable and the rest to be common."
The first book of deeds entitled "The Watertown Lands, Grants and Possessions" page 157 and constituting the second inventory, describes his allotment as follows: "John Reinolds, An Homestall of five acres and half by estimation bounded the North with the Highway, the South with Isaac Mixer and the East with John Sherman granted to him."
Learning of the rich meadows along the Connecticut river, some few of the Watertown colonists, in the late autumn of 1634, founded the settlement of "Pyquag," now Wethersfield, and spent the winter there. On May 29th of the year following, six persons (among them Robert Reynolds) under the head of Rev. Richard Denton, who had received their dismissal from the Watertown church March 29th of that year, set out to "form a newe in a church covenant in the River of Connecticut" (Conn. Col. Records, p. 1).
On October 15th, 1635, about sixty colonists set out from Watertown to the new settlement. Such was the general distress that many of them returned in December, but in the early spring of 1636 once more repaired to "Watertown on the Connecticut River." It was not until Feb. 21, 1637, that the settlement received the name of Wethersfield. The colonists were continually exposed to danger from the Pequots. In April, 1637, they waylaid the settlers as they were going into their fields and killed six men and three women. On May 26, 1637, the Wethersfield men, uniting with those from Windsor and Hartford and with seventy Mohegans under their sachem, Uncas, attacked the Pequots, burnt seventy wigwams and killed five or six hundred of the enemy. (See Trumbull, vol. I, chap. V.)
Both John and Robert were among those who removed from Watertown prior to July 25, 1636, as they did not share in that division of land. As stated above, John still owned property in Watertown at the time of the second inventory, i. e., 1644. Robert Feke, Brian Pemberton and Daniel Patrick are also included, although all of them had removed to Wethersfield and Stamford.
Robert removed from Wethersfield to Boston, where he died April 27, 1659. His will, executed 20, 2, 1658, proved in Boston, July 27, 1659, gives the names of Mary, his wife, and children: Nathaniel, Ruth Whitney, Tabitha Abdy, Sarah Mason, and Mary Sanger. His will concludes with the statement, "I and my wife being stricken in age and are almost past our Labour." From this we must conclude that he was born about 1590, and was either much older than his brother John, or that the latter was born earlier than 1612, the date of birth attributed to him. (See New Eng. His. & Gen. Reg., vol. ix, p. 137.) His only son Nathaniel removed to Bristol, Rhode Island, where the family still continues. The tombstone of Joseph, Nathaniel's son, still standing at Bristol, is well known as a fine example of early carving and shows the Reynolds coat of arms — three foxes statant in pale proper, crest on an Esquire's helmet, a fox statant proper.
John Reynolds' house as given in the map of Wethersfield was on High street, the third from the meeting house and near the center of the town. This and other property were recorded by him, "the 12th month and 11 daie, 1640," and again recorded by John Hollister on 3m 20d 1644, as "bought of John Reynolds."
It was not long before internal dissensions were disturbing the church at Wethersfield and dividing inhabitants as well as the brethren. The Rev. Richard Denton became the leader of the more progressive and radical party. The ministers of the other churches of the river, and Mr. Davenport from New Haven, successively tried to unite the factions. The latter suggested the expediency of one of the parties removing and making a new settlement. At length a number of men who were the most pleased with the advice of Mr. Davenport and the New Haven brethren, and to whom the government of that colony was most agreeable, determined to remove and settle in combination with New Haven. Nathaniel Turner had on July 1st, 1640, on behalf of the New Haven Colony, bought of Ponus, sagamore of Toquams, and of Wascussee, sagamore of Shippan, a tract of land which includes the present towns of Darien and Stamford and part of Greenwich paying about 33 pounds for a tract of land of one hundred and twenty-eight square miles. This tract, Rippowanis, Mr. Andrew Ward and Mr. Robert Coe, of Wethersfield, on October 30, 1640, purchased of the New Haven Colony on behalf of themselves and about twenty other planters on these conditions: 1st. The Wethersfield men were to give the price paid to the Indians for the land by Mr. Turner. 2nd. A fifth part of the lands were to be reserved to be disposed of by the court to such other settlers as they saw fit. 3d. They were to join with the New Haven plantation in the form of government there adopted. Twenty men were to settle in Stamford by the last of November, 1641.
It was decided that the majority of the seven church members, church membership being essential to becoming a freeman, should remove with a minority of the planters and that they should take the church organization with them. Thirty men, among them John Reynolds, volunteered as pioneers of the new colony. These subscribed "100 bushels of corne" to be paid May or June, 1641, to the New Haven Colony, to make good the purchase price of the land, each man giving as he was able and receiving a proportional amount of land. In this subscription, Mr. Denton ranks third with 4.1 bu.; Jo. Reynolds, eighth with 3.2 bu. (Stamford Records, p. 5.)
Of these thirty, twenty-eight removed to the site of Stamford in the summer of 1641. On October 19th they held their first meeting, electing five men to form a provisional government and dividing the land between them. An account of this is to be found at Stamford in the earliest town record entitled "1640-41 a towne book of ye free holders of ye towne of Stamford as it was after wards called but now Rippowan, containing the acts and conclusions of the companie of Wethersfield men." At this meeting "the man under consideration absenting himself while his case was in hand and so successively and when he was called in again and demanded if so much gave him content and so content and satisfaction was by every one of these men acknowledged and they set down these numbers of acres of marsh and upland after the same proportion that followeth xxx Mr. Denton 14 acres xxx John Renoulds ii acres." (Stamford Records, p. 7.)
The New Haven Colony had not been fully satisfied by the one hundred bushels of corn, so that an assessment was laid to make this good. The following is John Reynolds' account: "For rate — now 56.10.0 and due at W. 13. s. 6 d and to received Jo Renoulds 17 S. 11 d. makes 4. lbs.08-3.,' each of whom subscribed a 'pick.' The next mention of him is in a list of twelve men. Here his name appears as Jo. Renoulds. Latter is a tax list to make good the loss of the town mill and dam and for building a 'captain's house.' 'Jo. Reynoulds debtor for loss by mill 2 6 9, house 13 both 39.9 and he hath paid (for loss) at mill, First bill 9 s. 6. and dam 9 s. 3 s. house, 12 S. last charge 5. s. all 38 s. 6d.'"
The last mention of him is in a deed recorded March, 1651, of property in the extreme west section of the town, near the site of Old Greenwich, bounded by "ye lot which was John Renoles." (Stamford Records, p. 51.)
On page 55 of the original Stamford records is recorded the marriage of his daughter: "Peter Ferris and Elizabeth Rinealls joyned ye 15 July, 1654." Her husband, Freeman, of Stamford, Connecticut, 1662, representative 1667, was the son of Jeffrey Ferris, one of the seven original proprietors of Greenwich, who had, like John Reynolds, removed successively from Watertown and Wethersfield to Stamford. They had the following children:
As Peter Ferris is mentioned as Sen. in the entry of his death, September 28, 1706, it is probable that the illegible name was Peter.
On page 19 of the Stamford Records is entered the death of the wife of John: "Sarrah Reanolds died 31-16-1657." On page 20 a second entry gives it as "Sarra Reanols died ye 31 August 1657." We have records of only three of John's children:
The subsequent history of John is undetermined. A John Reynolds, often confused with him, was at Wethersfield as early as June 29, 1674, when he had by Naomi Latimer a son John, and a second son Jonathan. As Naomi Latimer was born April 4, 1648, he would have been approximately thirty-six years older than his wife, and sixty-two years of age when the first child was born. These children are not to be confounded with the John and Jonathan of Greenwich, as the histories of all four are well known. It is said that only a few years ago there was at Wethersfield a tombstone to a certain John Reynolds who died in 1662. The constant recurrence of the names John and Jonathan in the Greenwich and Wethersfield families implies an intimate connection.
The site of "Old Greenwich," now Sound Beach, lying some three miles to the west of Stamford, had been purchased from the Indians on behalf of the New Haven Colony, on July 18, 1640, by Robert Feaks and Captain Daniel Patrick, the latter a companion of John Reynolds of Watertown and Wethersfield.
About 1653 many of the settlers of Stamford had moved there, and among the earliest inhabitants were Jonathan and John Reynolds, whose land lay along the Two Brothers' Brook, which fact probably suggested its name.
Subsequently to 1653 the name of Jonathan Reynolds appears but once in the Stamford Records: "Jan. 7, 1666, Wm. Grimes for swearing veanly by ye name of God it being fully proved by Mr. Jones and Jonathan Renolds and Jos. Knapp ye said Grimes is fined ten shillings and to pay all charges of his being to Stamford which is four shillings to each man." This Grimes at that time was an "Inhabitant" of Greenwich, as were the witnesses.
In the Greenwich Town Records is an account of a town meeting held February 5, 1664, in which it was proposed to divide the "common lands by a rule of proportion according to what each man's estate shall be visable." The proprietors are given as follows: "Jeffre Ferris Sense, Joshua Knapp Sense, Joseph Ferris, Jonathan Reynolds, Angell Heusted, John Mead Sense, John Hobbe." These were termed the "Seven Proprietors." (Sense is an abbreviation for Senior.)
One of the earliest deeds recorded at Greenwich (p. 3, vol. A.) is a bill of sale bearing date December 13, 1665, from Richard Vowles of Rye to Jonathan Ronalds, of Greenwich, of "seven acres of upland more or lesse which lieth within the compass of ye land that was called ye ox pasture, situate in Greenwich, bounded as followeth, northerly by ye bye way, westerly by Grimes land and southerly by Joseph Ferrises land, Easterly by a Swamp, also three acres of Maddow more or less bounded southwest by Jonathan Ronaldoes land, North east by Joseph Ferris, Westerly by Joshua Knapps' land and Eastardly by Jonathan Ronoldes upland also a sartaine parsoll of upland XXX also my whole rite and interest Elizabeth Neck also my whole interest in land unto Myanos River." At the bottom of the page is the following:
I, Jonathan Ronalds do by this firmly assigne and make over this within bill of sale unto my Brother John Ronalds freely oneing, and acknowledging the whole rite and interest in ye aforsayd bill of sale to be his to wit my brother John Reynolds and for a witness of ye truth of ye same I have set to my hand according to date within written, Jonathan Ronalds. In presence of
Joseph Mead,
Timothy Knapp.
This bill and deed entered in the year of our Lord 1682, Februari 27.
In 1667 Jonathan Reynolds was made a member of the Assembly for Greenwich, and on October 24th, 1669, he was made a freeman of Connecticut by the Assembly of Greenwich. On December 28th, 1669, Jonathan Reynolds, Sargent Lockwood, John Hobby, Joshua Knapp, John Mead, and Joseph Mead, were appointed to free the town of all claims by Daniel Patrick, the son of Daniel Patrick, formerly Patroon of the Manor, who now appeared laying claims to his fathers land. The committee for the settlers who held by squatter sovereignty bought him off by paying a horse, saddle and bridle and fifty pounds. He served on various important committees for the laying out of lands, for making survey of Horseneck "to see if it be suitable for the settlement of a township," as surveyor of highways, etc., all of which appointments are recorded in the Common Place Book of Greenwich. The following is a last mention of Jonathan in the Greenwich Records: "At town meeting 13, 12th month, Joshua Knapp is chosen to be a townman in the room of Jonathan Reynolds." No other business was considered at this meeting. The last previous meeting was November 13, 1673. It is therefore probable that he died in November or December, 1673.
Letters of administration on his estate now filed at Fairfield, Connecticut, January 23, 1673-74, speak of him as "lately deceased," and mention his children:
Apportionment was by Angell Heusted and Jonathan Knapp. He left a "widow Renals" and a total estate of three hundred and fifty-eight pounds. Inventory taken March 10, 1673-74. Ebenezer, a posthumous child, was born in 1673.
The apportionment was by Angell Heusted, and showed a total estate of three hundred and fifty-eight pounds. The will of Angell Heusted, also filed at Fairfield in 1706, mentions his "son-in-law Jonathan Renalds." It is possible that the "widow Renals" mentioned in the apportionment might have been a daughter of Heusted. While the above estate would not to-day be considered a large one, it was sufficient to place him second among the "Twenty-seven Proprietors of 1672," who purchased the Horseneck track, for at that time the rights in the distribution of land were based upon the wealth of the colonists.
The following are the descendants of Jonathan Reynolds as far as they have been ascertained; unless otherwise stated it may be assumed that they were all of Greenwich, Connecticut.
We have no information concerning the eldest child, Rebecca, excepting that she was born in 1659.
The second child, Jonathan, was born in 1660, and married, Dec. 7th, 1682, Nevill Ridewere. The marriage is recorded in the Common Place Book at Greenwich, as are the births of their children, i. e.,
Their eldest child was Jonathan, who was born in 1683, and who married, April 13, 1703, Rebecca Seaman, and had
Abigail, fourth child of Jonathan and Rebecca Seaman, was born about 1709, and married, July 17, 1731, John Martin and had John Martin, b. Dec. 24, 1731, and possibly others.
John, the second child of Jonathan and his wife, Nevill Ridewere, was born about 1684, and m. Hannah Jessup, dau. of Edward Jessup of Stamford. His will, dated at North Castle, Westchester county, New York, June 14, 1764, proved in New York City, liber 246, p. 590, Oct. 25, 1764, mentions his wife Hannah and his children:
John, the third child of John Reynolds and Hannah Jessup, lived at North Castle, Westchester, and married Ann Finch, who died in 1787, and had:
1st, John, m. Rebecca Rundell, in 1759, he was of North Castle, and she of Poundridge; she m. after his death Isaac Clark; they had:
[Editorial note: some of the following numbers don't seem to match up, so the descendants in this section have been listed as given.]
Ann, second child of John Reynolds and Ann Finch, m. Stephen Edgett, and removed to Nine Partners, N. Y.; 3rd, Sarah, m. John Knapp, and removed to Nine Partners, N. Y.; 4. Polly, m. 1st Jehiel Davis, and 2nd David Cook and removed to Delaware county, N. Y.; 5. Edward, who m. Polly Chapman; 6. Lizzie, m. John Banks, and d. at North Castle. 7. Jessup, m. Millicent Green; 8. Hannah, m. Jeremy Green and resided in Westchester county; 9. Jerusha, m. Jonathan Finch, and lived in North Castle; 10. Jonah, m. ———— Ireland; 11. Deborah, m. James Smith, moved to northwestern part of New York state.
Nothing is known about Joseph, the fourth child of John Reynolds and his wife Hannah Jessup.
5. Richeson had a son Richeson. 6. James. 7. Sutton, was of New Castle, Westchester county, N. Y., and his will, executed August 12, 1824, probated April 9, 1829, mentions his wife Anna and his children: 1. Amy. 2. Sutton, who lived at Billings, in town of Beckman, Dutchess county, N. Y., and m. Phebe Seaman, and had Mary, who m. James Johnson. Sutton and his wife Anna also had: 3. Hannah, wife of Thomas Dodge. 4. Joseph. 5. Jonathan. 6. Andrew.
Nothing is known of Andrew, the eighth child of John Reynolds and Hannah Jessup.
Nathan, third child of Jonathan and his wife, Nevill Ridewere, was born about 1688, and d. in 1748, and m. Ruth Reynolds, and had
4. Peter, son of Jonathan and his wife Nevill Ridewere, was born about 1691. We have no other information concerning him.
5. Josiah, b. Jan. 13, 1708, m. May 1, 1735, Barbara Briggs, dau. of Daniel Briggs, and had:
John, third child of Jonathan, the eldest son of the emigrant John, was born in 1662, and married Ruth Knapp, b. 1667, dau. of Joshua Knapp; he d. in 1736, and his will executed Sept. 22, 1732, proved Apr. 6, 1736, states that he leaves no issue, but leaves his property to his wife, Ruth. He describes himself as "the present Deacon of West Society." Ruth, his widow, when the will was proved, describes herself as the wife of Ebenezer Plead.
4. Sarah, b. Nov. 5, 1665, m. Joseph Mead. 5. Elizabeth, b. Aug., 1667, m. Mch. 16, 1687, Joshua Knapp.
6. Joseph, b. in 1669, m. in 1698, Abigail Finch; d. in 1727. His wife Abigail was dau. of Joseph Finch, of Greenwich. She d. in 1715, and he then m. Abigail Rundell.
On June 6, 1727, Andrew Burr, judge of the court of probate in the county of Fairfield, appointed the widow Abigail and his eldest son, Joseph, as administrators of his estate. The widow, Abigail Reynolds, joined the Second Society at Greenwich, December 16, 1728, and the church records show that Abigail Reynolds, who was probably identical with the above, was married at the church, Nov. 19, 1729, to John Benedict, of Norwalk.
Joseph and his wife, Abigail Finch, had: 1. Joseph, b. at Greenwich, May 15, 1699, m. Ruth Ferris, Mch. 5, 1721-22. They joined the church Feb. 28, 1733. He had by her three children, and the others were by a second wife; he removed with his brother Nehemiah to Nine Partners, or North-east Patent, now Pine Plains, Dutchess county, N. Y., where he owned an immense tract of land. He had the following children:
Joseph and Ruth Rich had the following children:
Joseph had by Lydia Parker:
Israel and his wife, Deborah Thacher, had also a ninth child, Israel, b. July 11, 1800, removed to Michigan.
Joseph and his wife, Lydia Parker, had a fifth child, the Rev. Parker, b. Oct. 10, 1755, at Nine Partners, d. at Canton, N. Y., 1826, m. first Esther Dagett, and second Rhoda Carter and had:
Nothing is known of Joanna, the sixth child of Joseph Reynolds and his wife, Lydia Parker. Asa, the seventh child, d. Aug. 8, 1729. All of the above seven children were born at Nine Partners, New York.
Samuel, fourth child of Joseph, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonathan, the son of John the emigrant, was born Aug. 8, 1729. 5. Roolah, b. Nov. 8, 1731. 6. Israel Jacob, b. Jan. 16, 1734. 7. Reuhama, b. Feb. 2, 1735. 8. Rachel, b. Aug. 16, 1738. 9. Johanna, b. Dec. 21, 1740. 10. Elizabeth, b. Dec. 9, 1744; m. Calvin Averill. 11. Phebe, b. Feb. 25, 1749; m. John Howe.
Joseph had a second child, Abigail, b. Apr. 3, 1701; m. David Reynolds, son of John, the third child of John the emigrant. Their marriage occurred Nov. 24, 1720, and the issue will be found under the record of her husband.
Samuel, third child of Joseph, was born July 16, 1703; m. Jan. 26, 1727-28, Rebecca, dau. of Ephraim Palmer. He d. Mch. 6, 1727-28, and had
4. Benjamin, b. Mch. 26, 1705; d. in 1727.
5. John, b. May 23, 1708; in. Nov. 19, 1729, Ruth, dau. of John Reynolds, "The Cooper," the son of John, the son of John the emigrant and had:
Nehemiah, sixth child of Joseph, was b. Apr. 8, 1709, at Greenwich. In a deed of May 20, 1743, he described himself as being of Filkintown, Nine Partners, N. Y., and together with Peter Palmer sold over 4,000 acres to Joseph Reynolds. He m. first Abigail, who, in the above deed, resigned her right of dowry, and second in 1743, at Nine Partners, N. Y., Mary ————. He had the following children:
1. Nehemiah, who m. first, Mary Armstrong, and had:
Jacob and his wife, Sarah Hart, had:
Jacob and Sarah Hart had also:
Jacob, after the death of his wife, Sarah Hart, m. Mary Olds, and had by her:
Nehemiah had by his wife, Mary Armstrong:
After the death of Mary Armstrong, Nehemiah m. ———— Anstres, and had by her:
David N. and his wife, Amy, had:
Nehemiah and his wife, ———— Anstres, had:
Nehemiah had by his wife ———— Anstres:
Nehemiah, sixth child of Joseph, who was the sixth child of Jonathan, the second child of John the emigrant, had also:
Titus had by Elizabeth Brown:
Titus had also:
David Reynolds and his wife Lois Finch had also:
David and his wife, Sarah Gillette, had also:
Solomon and his wife Deborah Brown also had:
Solomon Reynolds, ninth child of David Reynolds, had by his wife, Deborah Brown:
Solomon Reynolds also had:
Solomon also had:
David Reynolds, who was born Nov. 24, 1745, and who mar. Lois Finch, had also:
Nehemiah, sixth child of Joseph, the son of Jonathan, the son of John the emigrant, had in addition to Nehemiah:
He also had:
Joseph had in addition to Joseph:
He also had an eighth child, Reuben, b. Dec. 4, 1713, at Greenwich. He d. in 1765. He m. Mch. 19, 1734, Elizabeth Mead, who was b. Apr. 5, 1709. He left a will executed Aug. 1st, 1765, proved at Stamford, Oct. 31, 1765; his widow survived him. The following are his descendants:
8. Reuben and his wife, Elizabeth Mead, had also:
Reuben and his wife, Elizabeth, had also:
Reuben and his wife, Elizabeth Mead, had, in addition to the above:
Joseph, sixth child of Jonathan, the second child of the emigrant John, had:
Besides the above mentioned children, Jonathan, the second child of the emigrant, had a posthumous child, b. 1673-74, who was his seventh child, named Ebenezer. He was provided for by a gift of land from his brother, Jonathan, which is recorded on page 65 of vol. III, of the Greenwich deeds.
This Ebenezer, seventh child of Jonathan, the son of the emigrant John, was married to Abigail, dau. of Ebenezer Smith, and d. in 1749. He had the following children:
6. Nathaniel, b. Jan. 27, 1715, m. Nov. 8, 1743, Sarah, dau. of Nathan Lockwood, and had:
by his second wife he had:
Nathaniel had also by Deborah Heusted:
Nathaniel, who was b. Jan. 27, 1715, had by Sarah Lockwood, his wife:
James and his wife, Abigail Knapp, had also:
James and his wife, Abigail Knapp, had also:
James, b. May 8, 1759, had by his wife, Abigail Knapp, in addition to Stephen:
Nathaniel, b. Jan. 27, 1715, had by his wife Sarah Lockwood, in addition to the children enumerated above:
Nathaniel, b. Jan. 27, 1715, by his wife Sarah Lockwood, in addition to the above:
Ebenezer, seventh child of Jonathan, the second child of John the emigrant, had in addition to the children enumerated above:
Ebenezer, the posthumous son of Jonathan the second son of John the emigrant, had also:
The above dates, which have been obtained from the original records, do not agree as far as the day of the month is concerned with the genealogy of the children of Ebenezer, which dates are probably the dates of baptism.
The above completes the descendants of Jonathan, the second child of the emigrant John, as far as they have been ascertained.
The first entry on the first page of the first book of deeds in Greenwich, February 1, 1663, records the purchase from Angell Heusted of sixteen acres of land on the west side of the Myanos river, by John Ronalds, of Greenwich. This purchase was augmented by five pieces of land which Jonathan Ronalds had purchased of Richard Vowles, December 15, 1665, and transferred on the same day to his "brother John Ronalds."
On October 24, 1669, John was made freeman of Greenwich.
On July 18, 1670, William Grimes left all his "lands to ye disposal of Joseph Mead, John Renals and Eliphalet Jones to be disposed of by them in such a waye as they shall judge meet for ye inlarging of ye town of Greenwich by accomodating such inhabitant or inhabitants as shall be admitted into ye town in an orderly way, provided they bee such men as ye afore sd Mead, Renols & Jones shall bee desirable for ye promoting of church & commonwealth." This William Grimes had on January 7, 1666, been fined for swearing and Jonathan Renolds had gone from Greenwich to Stamford to appear against him. It was not until March 7, 1694, that it was decided to dispose of the land "for ye use of a ministrie and if no ministrie be in ye place ye profit of sd land and meadow shall go to helpe maintain such as shall be employed in teaching children to reade."
In 1669 John was appointed one of a committee of five to purchase from the few remaining Indians living about the west end of the town, the Horseneck tract three miles to the west of "Old Greenwich," from which it was separated by the Myanos river. The original settlers remained for the most part in the homelots at Old Greenwich and Horseneck, now Greenwich, was largely settled by their children, who styled themselves as the "27 Proprietors of 1672." Among these Jonathan Reynolds ranked second and his brother John was the twenty-second among the proprietors.
By the Greenwich inventory of 1688 it appears that the number of "Inhabitants" had increased to fifty, among whom was John Reynolds, who was the wealthiest man. It would appear that his homelot adjoined the Church of the Second Society, for on November 28, 1694, he was appointed "to supervise the building of a meeting house which is next his own house." His name constantly appears in the Greenwich Records up to the time of his death. John was appointed justice of the peace for Fairfield county, February 24, 1687, and King's Commissioner, 1690-97.
His will, recorded in Fairfield, Connecticut, dated April 21, 1699, and a codicil dated November 8, 1701, mentions his wife, Judah, and children John, Judah (or Judith), James, Mary, Jonathan, Joshua and David. At the time of his death in 1701 he was the wealthiest "Inhabitant" of Greenwich. The widow was appointed administratrix and the inventory was taken prior to December 17, 1701, when it was filed. The three distributors were all of Stamford. Joshua, the son of the deceased, chose his brother, John Reynolds, as guardian, while David chose Joseph Knapp as guardian. To James was given land next to Gearsham Lockwood. Joshua received land next to Jno. Heusted, and David land next to Joseph Ferris and Ephraim Palmer. The widow, his son John, and son-in-law Samuel Betts, were appointed overseers. The daughter, Mary, had already received her portion.
The town tax list of Greenwich in 1701-02 contains the following of the name:
Mr. John Renalls, 93 pounds; Sargent Jonathan Renalls, 22 pounds; Joseph, Jr., 52 pounds; Jonathan, Jr., 27 pounds; John, Jr., 72 pounds; Ebenezer, 44 pounds; James, 46 pounds; John, Sr., 71 pounds.
On February 4, 1701-02, the town made another distribution of land; eighteen acres were allotted to "Mr. Renalds deceased." He was the largest landholder in Greenwich at the time of his death, and this land was distributed among his sons, who, in 1706, sold to one another the various portions which their "honored father, Mr. John Renals deceased" had obtained from the many distributions of town land, with the evident intention of concentrating their individual holdings.
Judah, the wife of John, was probably the daughter of John Palmer, one of the early settlers of Greenwich. In the settlement of his estate recorded at Fairfield, Connecticut, the heirs of Judah Reynolds appear with William, Ephraim, James and Joseph Palmer. John Palmer is stated to have "died many years ago." This bears the entry "due August, 1716," an addition was made to the inventory on April 17, 1778.
Her mother's name was Judah, who was married after the death of John Palmer to Jeffery Ferris, one of the two purchasers of Greenwich Point, July 18, 1640, whose will, executed January 6, 1664, recorded in Fairfield, mentions his wife, "Judy," who was his third wife. She receipted for her dower May 6, 1667, as "Judah Bowers, lately widow Ferris, sometime wife to Jeffery Ferris." Ferris left ten pounds apiece to the four "boies" of his wife, evidently the William, Ephraim, James and Joseph Palmer above mentioned.
This is still further confirmed by the will of Ephraim Palmer above mentioned, who died August 19, 1684, and whose will is filed at Fairfield in book 1675-1689, page 140. The inventory was taken by John Reynolds; John Bowers was the administrator, and mentions his daughter Judith, aged 11 years. If the above relationship is correct, John Reynolds would have been the brother-in-law of Ephraim Palmer, John Bowers would have been his stepfather, and his daughter, Judith, born in 1673, would have been named for his sister Judith, wife of John Reynolds, or for his mother.
The will of John Bowers, of Greenwich, drawn March 16, 1693-94, gives property "that was her mother's to his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Judah Reynolds," and again speaks of his "daughter Juda Reynolds and son Mr. John Ronalds."
In Colonial times the stepchildren were received into the family and referred to as sons and daughters, thus in a deed dated April 8, 1675, and recorded at Greenwich in Vol. A., p. 64, John Bowers gives land bounded by that of John Renalds to his son "Ephraim Palmer."
Judah, the wife of "Mr. John Ronalds," had her first child as early as 1670. As Susanna Lockwood, the second wife of Jeffery Ferris, did not die until December 23, 1660, she could not have been a daughter of Jeffery Ferris by his third marriage. Since Jeffery Ferris did not die until May 31, 1666, it is still less possible that she could have been a daughter of John Bowers. We are forced, therefore, to conclude that Judah Reynolds was the daughter of Judah by a marriage previous to that to Jeffery Ferris, and the Palmer records above quoted make us consider the conclusion warranted that her father was John Palmer.
John Bowers married, after the death of Judah, Hannah Knapp, widow of Joshua Knapp, the parents of Ruth, born 1667, who married John Reynolds, son of Jonathan, and of Joseph Knapp, who married Elizabeth, daughter of Jonathan Reynolds.
John Reynolds and his wife, Judah Palmer, had the following children:
1. John was known as "The Cooper," and was born about 1670. He received from his father in 1695 his house and homelot at Horseneck. He died in December, 1732, and left a will in which he appointed his brother James and his son-in-law, Samuel Mills, as his executors. He left the following children:
1. Peter, the eldest son, was b. about 1695, and d. in 1743. He m., Jan. 14, 1718, Sarah Knapp, who survived him. Their children were the following:
2. Judith, the second child of John, "The Cooper," was b. about 1697, and m. Samuel Mills.
3. David was b. about 1699, and d. in 1750. Letters of administration recorded at White Plains, June 3, 1751. He m. Lydia, a dau. of Caleb Knapp. He had three children who are known:
7. Enos, b. 1778; married Hannah Love, and had:
Nothing is known of the descendants of 4. Lydia, the fourth child of John, "The Cooper," but 5. Ruth, the fifth child, who was born in 1702, m. Nov. 19, 1729, John Reynolds, the son of Joseph, who was the son of Jonathan, the son of the emigrant John, and had:
Judith was born about 1672, and married Samuel Betts, of Norwalk, Dec. 10th, 1692, and had the following children:
The descendants of James, the son of John, are given hereinafter.
Nothing is known of the descendants of Mary, the fourth child.
The fifth child, Jonathan, b. about 1682, was made an inhabitant of Greenwich, May 3, 1704, and d. in 1708. He m. Mary Mead, of Greenwich, and had one child, Hezekiah, who was born about 1707, and d. in 1756, and m. in 1734, Sarah, dau. of Joseph Webb, and had the following children:
Joshua was born about 1686, and was a member of the Connecticut legislature. He left the following children:
1. John (b. about 1712), m. Feb. 16, 1740, Johannah Winans, by whom he had:
The seventh child, Jacob, was born May 23, 1756, and removed to Westerlo, Albany co., N. Y., where he organized a church in 1804. He died in 1828, and had by his wife, Martha Winans:
The latter was b. in 1794, and d. in 1844, and in 1814, m. Maria Snyder Westerlo, by whom he had:
Daniel, the second son of Joshua, was b. about 1714, at Greenwich, and removed to Courtlandt Manor, Westchester, N. Y. He died in 1803 and had:
Caleb, the third son of Joshua, was b. about 1717, and d. in 1765, leaving a son:
Caleb, the son of Joshua, had besides the above:
Nothing is known concerning the fourth child of Joshua, i. e., Mary, excepting that her birth is given in the Greenwich records as April 8, 1723.
The seventh child of John, the son of the emigrant John, was David, born about 1689. In October, 1720, he was appointed ensign of the East Company, and in May, 1729, was created a lieutenant of the Connecticut Regulars. He died in 1749. He m., Nov. 24, 1720, at the Second Society of Greenwich, Abigail, daughter of Joseph Reynolds, who was the son of Jonathan, the son of John the emigrant. His widow survived him, and was granted permission by the General Assembly, held in Hartford, May 1st, 1751, to sell enough of his land to pay 598 pounds, which was the amount of his debts. The tax books of Greenwich show that his estate for the times was a very large one. He had the following children:
3. James Reynolds, son of John and his wife Judah, was born in Greenwich, in 1674, and on May 10, 1697, together with several others of "ye young men belonging to the towne," received an allotment of a homelot at Horseneck (three acres at Horseneck and ten between the Two Brothers' Brooks).
Up to 1703 all town meetings had been held at Greenwich Old Towne, but in that year it was determined to hold half of them at Horseneck, which was rapidly outgrowing in importance the older settlement, and James was one of those who signed the petition to the General Assembly. In 1705 the town was divided into two societies, and he was appointed selectman (Dec. 31, 1705) to the Second Society on "ye West sd. of Myanos River."
In the Common Place Book at Greenwich is the entry: "Nov. 1, 1706. Recorded unto James Renals his ear mark which is a cross upon ye top ye neer ear and two half pennies under ye side of ye same ear."
James was elected lieutenant of the train band, May 14, 1719, and captain May 9, 1728. He was the deputy from Greenwich to the General Assembly, 1721-24, and 1727-38, and justice of the peace of Fairfield county, 1735-1741. Beginning with 1723 he was for many years the moderator of the Second Society. The last record of him in the books of the Society is dated December 7, 1750.
That James Reynolds was a very large land holder is made apparent from the many deeds recorded in Greenwich. As early as April 21, 1706, he obtained by grant of the town eight acres at Clap-board-tree-ridge, a hill lying about a mile and a half back of Greenwich. This was increased by purchase from his brother John, December 2, 1712, and other grants November, 1707 and 1712, until he owned a large tract.
On March 14, 1710, he sold to Edward Avery "a piece of ground in Horseneck, my homelot of 14 acres with present dwelling, house barn and orchard bounded on the east by a highway, southerly and westerly by ye highway and northerly by ye land of Ebenezer Mead and common land."
There was recorded at White Plains, December 13, 1745, the deed from James Reynolds and three co-partners of a very large tract of land in Westchester county, held "by virtue of patent granted in 1701 and called the East Patent."
On May 10, 1736, he deeded his "well beloved and dutiful son Gideon Reynolds" a very large tract of land on Clap-board-tree-ridge, and augmented it with another granted February 21st, 1743. On April 29, 1738, he deeded part of his "homelot in Greenwich to his loving and dutiful son Justus." On September 24, 1748, he gave his son Jeremiah fifty acres. On February 17, 1748-49, he gave his son, James Jr., his house and orchard on Clap-board-tree-ridge. This house, a large gambrel structure surrounded by enormous box trees, was still standing in 1897, and was owned by the descendants of Gideon Reynolds. On March 4, 1752, he deeded his lands on the Indian Fields to his sons James Jr. and Gideon, both of Greenwich. On March 24, 1752, he gave his lands at North Castle to his son James Jr.
From the distribution of his property it is apparent that he intended moving from Greenwich to New York state, where he was probably interested in the Nine Partners Patent. He figures in the Greenwich tax lists as late as 1761, and in deeds describes himself as of Greenwich in 1759-61-62.
Nevertheless, his granddaughter Anna Palmer, daughter of Nathaniel Reynolds, deeded, October 1, 1760, land on Clap-board-tree-ridge, "in said Greenwich, which was given to her by her honored grandfather James Reynolds formerly of said Greenwich but now of Dutchess in the Province of New York." (Greenwich Deeds, vol. VIII.)
James, in a deed dated August, 1761, describes himself as of Peekskill, in the county of Westchester. James died February 14, 1767, at Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., and was buried in the Amenia City (Smithfield) graveyard, where his stone still exists. Family tradition states that he was visiting his son James, who is also buried there. A letter written in 1848 states that "he was large and made a fine appearance."
From a deed signed December 22, 1731, by Captain James Reynolds and his wife Sarah, it appears that she was the daughter of Mary Hobby, who married, November 18, 1686 (Stamford Records, p. 118), Stephen Holmes (b. Jan. 14, 1664-65, at Stamford, d. May 15, 1710, Greenwich). The deed (Greenwich, vol. A, p. 131) covers "part of lot or right of land that was given by John Hobby of Greenwich, deceased, unto his daughter Mary and her children, and I, Sarah Renyalls, am one of the children of ye said Mary Holmes." The said land was granted to her by her honored father John Hobby "Dec. 22, Anno Dom., 1731." The latter was on the voters' list of Greenwich as early as 1658, and the inventory of his estate, April 24, 1707, mentions "dau. Mary Holmes, wife of Stephen Holmes." John Hobby was the son of John Hobby, one of the seven original proprietors of Greenwich (1664).
Stephen Holmes, b. Jan. 14, 1664-5, in Stamford (Stamford Records, p. 76), d. May 15, 1710, in Greenwich (Stamford Records, p. 143), was the son of John Holmes, b. 1635, d. July 6, 1703 (Stamford Records, p. 113), and Rachel Waterbury, who removed to Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y., in 1680. They were married at Stamford, Dec. 3, 1659 (Stamford Records, p. 76). Rachel Waterbury was the daughter of John Waterbury, who died at Stamford 3-15-1658 (Stamford Records, p. 20). John Holmes receipted on behalf of his wife "Rachel out of ye estate of her deceased father John Waterbury 10-12m-1668" (Stamford Records, p. 68).
The Common Place Book at Greenwich gives the births of four of James' children "Sarah Renalds ye daughter of James Renals was born (?) 25, 1698. James Renalds son of James Renals b. July 6, 1700. Nathaniel Renals son of James, b. Feb. 20, 1702-3. Mary Renals, dau. of James b. Feb. 9, 1704-5. That he was the father of Gideon, Justus and Jeremiah, appears from the deeds of gifts already quoted.
James had the following children, though whether they were all by Sarah Holmes is not known:
2. James, b. July 6, 1700, d. June 2, 1773, buried at Amenia City (Smithfield), Dutchess county, N. Y., m. at Greenwich, May 24, 1731, Phebe Fowler, and had the following children, all born in Greenwich:
The descendants of Nathaniel, the third child of James, son of John, the son of John the emigrant, will be given hereinafter.
4. Mary, b. Feb. 9, 1744-5, entry of her birth the only record.
Gideon, the fifth child of James, the son of John, the son of John the emigrant was born in 1706, was a member of the Connecticut legislature, and married Bethia ————. He d. in 1769, leaving a will dated Oct. 23, 1765, proved at Stamford, Mch. 7, 1769. His widow survived him. He had:
Horton, the second son of Gideon, the son of James, b. about 1734, was a sargeant in the Revolutionary army, wounded in the battle of White Plains. Admitted to the Second Society of Greenwich, June 8, 1774, died leaving will executed Aug. 23, 1796, proved at Stanford, May 2, 1797. He m. Lydia, dau. of Caleb Knapp and Clemence Mills, who survived him and had:
Horton and Lydia Knapp also had:
Gideon, fifth child of James, the son of John, the son of John the emigrant, had a third child, Sylvanus, b. about 1736, m. in the Second Society of Greenwich, May 7, 1776, Mary Mead. In his will dated Aug. 27, 1819, proved at White Plains, Nov. 1, 1820, describes himself as of Bedford, Westchester county, N. Y. He had:
Gideon, son of James, had a fourth child, William, b. about 1738, m. Polly Knapp; he was of Poundridge, Westchester county, 1784, and of South Salem, where he died in 1809. His will executed Feb. 4, 1809, was proved at White Plains, N. Y., Feb. 14, 1809. He had:
and also
Gideon had by his second wife, Theodosia Smith, an eleventh child,
Gideon, fifth child of James, the son of John, the son of John the emigrant, had a fifth child,
Ambrose and his wife Ruth Knapp also had:
Joshua and his wife Rachel had also:
Joshua and his wife Rachel Reynolds also had children;
Ambrose, tenth child of Gideon, the son of James, the son of John, the son of John the emigrant, had by his wife, Ruth Knapp, a fourth child, Gideon, who m. Betsy Fountain and had:
also:
Ambrose, son of Gideon, had also an eighth child,
and a ninth child Eunice, who died unm.
Gideon, fifth son of James, son of John, son of John the emigrant, had an eleventh child, Jonathan, b. about 1752, of whom we have no records.
James had a sixth child,
Justus and Elizabeth Sackett also had:
James also had a seventh child, Jeremiah, b. about 1711, m. a dau. of Peter Brown and d. in 1769, he had:
and possibly others.
3. Nathaniel was born at Greenwich, Feb. 20, 1702-3, where his birth is given in the Common Place Book. While the Greenwich Records of this period make constant mention of a Nathaniel Reynolds, it is not always impossible [sic] to determine which refer to him and which to Nathaniel, b. 1715, son of Ebenezer.
He, together with Joshua, Peter and James Jr., petitioned the General Assembly in 1753 to be "set off from the Parish of Stanwich in the South West of which they lived and to be joined to the Parish of Horseneck." He was elected constable for Greenwich, Dec. 27, 1728. The records of the Second Church at Greenwich contain the record of his marriage. "On ye first day of January 1728-9 Nathaniel Reynolds was married to his wife Ruth whose name was Purdy." The Greenwich Common Place Book gives the births of two of his children: "Nathaniel Renalds' children: Dec. 8, 1729, Nathaniel; Jan. 8, 1731, Frances Renyalls."
At a court of probate held in Stamford June 7, 1748, letters of administration were granted on the estate of Nathaniel Reynolds, late of Greenwich, deceased, and Ruth his widow was appointed administratrix. Distribution was made April 7, 1752; after paying debts amounting to 580 pounds there remained for the children 413 pounds and a large amount of real estate. His children are stated to be Nathaniel, Francis, Solomon, Stephen, Ruth, Anna and Hannah.
In Vol. 7, p. 67, of the Greenwich Deeds, is recorded the following: "Know all men that I, James Reynolds, Senior, of Greenwich, in consideration of the love I have for my grandsons, namely, Nathaniel Reynolds, Francis Reynolds, Stephen Reynolds, and Solomon Reynolds, all natural sons to Nathaniel Reynolds, of Greenwich, and also by the love and good will I bear to their natural mother, Ruth Reynolds, widow and relect of the deceased Nathaniel." etc., Feb. 2, 1749-50.
Ruth Purdy belonged to the well known family of Rye, N. Y. Francis Purdy in a deed of 1718 was described as "of Greenwich." as was John Purdy in 1727. As Ruth was married in Greenwich and had a son Francis, the probability is that she was a daughter of Francis Purdy. Both John and Francis were sons of Joseph Purdy, who appeared at Rye in 1677. He was the son of Francis, who was an early inhabitant of Fairfield, Conn., and died in 1658. The Purdy genealogy in the "History of Rye" [probably Charles W. Baird, Chronicle of a Border Town: History of Rye, Westchester County, New York, 1660-1870] is incomplete, and that of Bolton is obviously inaccurate. To determine the line of descent will necessitate a study of the original town records.
Ruth, after the death of Nathaniel, married Jonathan Fiske, of Greenwich. In the distribution of his estate recorded at Stamford, July 21, 1762, mention is made of the use by his widow of one third part of said described lands, being conveyed to said widow by her father-in-law, Mr. James Reynolds, in part, and partly came by her husband, Nathaniel Reynolds, deceased.
Nathaniel had the following descendants: 1. Nathaniel, b. Dec. 8, 1729, removed to Cross River, Westchester co., N. Y. Letters of administration which were granted to his son Nathaniel, Dec. 23, 1805, describe him as a resident of Salem, Westchester county, N. Y. He had:
In his will, drawn December 10th, 1839, probated Jan. 22, 1844, at White Plains, he describes himself as being of South Salem, N. Y. He died Sept. 21, 1843, and had:
Nathaniel and his wife Ruth Purdy also had:
In a deed recorded at Greenwich, vol. ix, p. 52, Feb. 2, 1762, Stephen described himself as of "Woodbury, county Litchfield," and sells to Jonathan Fiske his share of his father Nathaniel's estate and of his grandfather's (James Reynolds') of Dutchess county, N. Y. The fact that he removed to Woodbury, Connecticut, as soon as he had reached his majority, coupled with the fact that there was a Solomon there residing, makes the identification of the latter with Solomon, son of Nathaniel, more than probable. The Woodbury family of Reynolds are attributed without apparent authority to John of Wethersfield. (Note. All of the data from the time that Stephen left Woodbury are derived from family records.)
Stephen removed to Amenia City, Dutchess county, prior to 1763, where his uncle James lived, and where his grandfather James died, and erected in 1764 a residence on the old Albany post road and about a half mile to the north of the Amenia City (Smithfield) Church. This contained three rooms of the entire width of the house, with kitchens and dependences behind. It was of frame, and a story and a half high. It was torn down in 1877.
He is probably identical with the Stephen Reynolds who enlisted in the Continental Army, Capt. Daniel Shepard's company (see "New York in the Revolution," pp. 259-454) during the Revolution, in the New York forces, since there is no record of any other Stephen of an age which would have made it possible for him to take part in this war. He died in Amenia, August 17, 1815, and is buried in the "City" (Smithfield) graveyard. His will is recorded in Poughkeepsie, N. Y.
He married, Amenia, N. Y., February 1st, 1763, Rachel Denton. She was born April 12, 1742 (o. s.), and died in Albany, N. Y., November 10, 1815, while on her way to visit her son Stephen, at Minaville, N. Y., and was buried in one of the church burial grounds in Albany, and in 1856 her remains were transferred to the Reynolds plot in the Albany Rural Cemetery. Her father was Benjamin Denton, of Foster's Meadows, Wallingford, Connecticut, also of Farmington, Connecticut, and Amenia, New York; married at Farmington, December 1, 1724, Rachel Wheeler, of Hartford, Connecticut. He was the son of Richard Denton (died in 1699), the son of Nathaniel Denton, of Jamaica, L. I., the son of Richard Denton, of Halifax, England, (born in 1586), a clergyman, a graduate of Cambridge University in 1623, who came to America in 1634 and settled in Watertown, Connecticut. He led those colonists who founded the settlement at Wethersfield and subsequently removed to Stamford with the first settlers. Cotton Mather eulogizes him in his Magnalia [i.e., Magnalia Christi Americana]. He removed to Long Island, returned to England and died there.
Stephen and his wife Rachel Denton had the following children:
Walter and his wife Julia Husted also had:
Stephen and his wife Rachel Denton also had:
Stephen and his wife Rachel Denton also had:
1. Stephen Reynolds, M.D., son of Stephen Reynolds and Rachel Denton, was born in Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., September 1, 1765 (o. s.), July 31, 1765 (n. s.). His class poem written in his freshman year, which is still in existence, is evidence that he went to college, but to which one is unknown. He died in Amsterdam, N. Y., July 8th, 1833, while visiting his nephew, Deodatus Wright, and was buried there.
He studied medicine with James Potter, M. D., at New Fairfield, Connecticut, 1784; removed to Minaville, town of Florida, Montgomery county, N. Y., in 1785, and practiced there until May, 1832, when he removed to Schenectady, N. Y.. having purchased No. 25 No. Church street, the next building north of the Dutch Church. He was a celebrated Latin scholar and something of a poet. He was the founder and president of the Washington Benevolent Society, and going to Philadelphia he commissioned Sir Gilbert Stewart to paint a replica of his portrait of Washington, which he presented to the Society. When the Society was disbanded the portrait was returned to him, and it is now in the possession of his great-granddaughter, Mrs. Frank P. Wilder, of Saratoga (Josephine Voorhees). He was the president of the Montgomery Medical Society, which issued certificates entitling its members to practice medicine, and was one of the first in this portion of the country to hold clinics.
Portraits of Stephen and his wife Lydia Bartlett, painted by Ames, about 1812, are in possession of their granddaughter, the widow of Rev. William C. Hopkins, of Toledo, Ohio.
He married, at Warrensburgh, Florida, Montgomery county, N. Y., October 29, 1787, Lydia Bartlett, who was born at Lebanon, Connecticut, August 27, 1770, and died at Amsterdam, N. Y., August 27, 1843. Her father was Nathaniel Bartlett, born at Goshen, Conn., November 23, 1727; removed to Florida, N. Y., in 1785, then to Charlton, Saratoga county, N. Y., died there, and was the son of Capt. Josiah Bartlett (born Marshfield, May 24, 1701, removed to Lebanon, Conn., died March 16, 1782), who married at Marshfield, Jan. 3, 1723, Mercy Chandler, born in 1705; died Feb. 17, 1781; she was the daughter of Edmund Chandler, of Duxbury, b. 1680, d. 1721, and Elizabeth Alden, b. 1680, d. 1732. Edmund Chandler was the son of Joseph Chandler, died 1666, and Hannah, and grandson of Edmund Chandler. Elizabeth Alden was daughter of Jonathan Alden, and granddaughter of John Alden, b. 1599, Mayflower, 1620, d. Sept. 12, 1686, m. Priscilla Mullins, b. 1602, Mayflower, 1620.
Josiah was the son of Ichabod Bartlett, born 1664, married Dec. 28, 1699, Elizabeth Waterman (1679-1708), died Plymouth, 1715. Elizabeth Waterman was the daughter of Joseph Waterman, b. 1643, d. Jan. 1, 1712, m. 1672, Sarah Snow (b. 1650, d. Dec. 11, 1741), and granddaughter of Robert Waterman, m. Dec. 11, 1638, Elizabeth Bourne, daughter of Thomas Bourne, b. 1581, d. May 4, 1634.
Ichabod was the son of Benjamin Bartlett, born 1638, married Sarah Brewster, 1656, died 1691. She was daughter of Love Brewster, b. 1607, d. 1650, Mayflower, 1620, m. Mch. 15, 1634, Sarah Collier. He was the son of Elder William Brewster, b. 1560, Mayflower, 1620, d. Apr. 16, 1644.
Benjamin was the son of Robert Bartlett, born in England, in 1603, came to Plymouth in ship "Ann" in 1623, and died in 1672, who married Mercy Warren, daughter of Richard Warren, who came in the Mayflower, and whose wife was Elizabeth Jouatt, b. 1588, d. Oct. 2, 1673.
Lydia Bartlett's mother was Mercy Otis, born in Colchester, Conn., July 3, 1734; married, Dec. 14, 1752, Nathaniel Bartlett, and was the daughter of Nathaniel Otis (born in Scituate, Jan. 30, 1690, died in 1772), who married Hannah Thacher (born Oct. 9, 1690, died Colchester, 1776), daughter of Col. John Thacher (born Marshfield, Mass., Mch. 17, 1639, at Marblehead, Rep. 1668-1680, d. May 8, 1710), and Lydia Gorham, his wife, b. Nov. 11, 1661, at Barnstable, Mass., who was a daughter of John Gorham, b. at Bernesfield, Northampton, England, Jan. 28, 1621, settled at Marshfield, Mass., later of Barnstable, captured in King Phillip's war, died Feb. 5, 1776, and of Desire Howland, his wife, m. 1643, d. Oct. 13, 1683, who was the daughter of John Howland, b. 1592, Mayflower, 1620, d. Feb. 23, 1673, and Elizabeth Tilley, b. 1607, Mayflower, 1620, d. Dec. 21, 1687.
John Gorham was the son of Ralph Gorman, who settled in Duxbury, 1637.
Col. John Thacher was son of Rev. Anthony Thacher, b. 1587, at Salisbury, England, removed to Holland, removed to Boston, June 3, 1635, removed to Yarmouth 1643, and died there Aug. 22, 1667.
He married, 1635, in England, Elizabeth Jones. Children of Stephen and Lydia Bartlett:
(See Voorhees family.)
Stephen and his wife Lydia Bartlett also had:
1. Marcus Tullius, son of Dr. Stephen Reynolds and Lydia Bartlett, was born in Minaville, Florida township, Montgomery county, N. Y., December 29, 1788; died at his residence, No. 25 No. Pearl street, Albany, N. Y., July 11, 1864, and was buried in the Albany Rural Cemetery.
When he was ten years of age he was sent to the high school at Canajoharie, N. Y., where he remained three years, and on leaving there he entered a collegiate school at Utica, where he was fitted for college. In 1805 he entered Union College, and was graduated, ranking second in the class of 1808. He was an excellent classical student, and also enjoyed the study of philosophy. He began the study of law in the office of Matthias B. Hildreth, of Johnstown, Fulton county, New York, who was many years the attorney general of New York state. He was admitted to the bar February 14, 1811, and early evinced those talents which enabled him to advance rapidly. He practiced at Johnstown for seventeen years, where he was compelled to contend with the talented lawyer, David Cady. In May, 1828, he removed to Albany, N. Y., where he passed the remainder of his life.
"From the year 1837 down to the adoption of the Code of Procedure, Marcus T. Reynolds, Samuel Stevens and Nicholas Hill were regarded impartially as the three most prominent lawyers in New York state. It was said that a reference to the reports of cases argued in the appellate courts of the state from 1817 to 1853, when he retired, will show that Marcus T. Reynolds was counsel in more cases adjudicated in the supreme court and the court for the correction of errors than almost any other lawyer of this state. During a period of twenty-six years he was second to none as a barrister, and the story of his career during that time is the history of the supreme court, court of correction of errors and the court of appeals.
"He had the faculty of passing from grave to gay, from lively to severe, with surprising facility. He carried his cases by being thoroughly imbued with them himself, and then, by a clear and well defined statement to the court and jury, imparting the impression that he had no doubt of the right of his case. Before a jury he had a sort of magnetic power, by which he photographed his own ideas and reasons upon the minds of the jury." (See Proctor's "Bench and Bar," [i.e., L. B. Proctor, The Bench and Bar of New-York] and "Proceedings of the Albany Bar on the Death of Marcus T. Reynolds," Albany Evening Journal, July 15, 1864.
He was confirmed by the senate as justice of supreme court, July 7, 1849, and was also elected congressman. [Editorial note: the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress does not list him.] Within a year or two of the operation of the first passenger railway train, in 1831, he became concerned in the organization of steam roads, and when on May 5, 1836, several small lines consolidated as the Albany & West Stockbridge railroad, the last line to the west of what later became the Boston & Albany road, he was elected president of the new company. He was also chosen president of the Utica & Schenectady railroad, later merged into the New York Central lines, and was president of the Albany & Northern railroad. He was a director of the Albany Insurance Company from 1835 to 1863; a director of the New York State Bank from June, 1840, to July, 1861; a founder of the Albany Hospital, organized in 1849; a founder and trustee of the Albany Orphan Asylum, organized May 19, 1830; an organizer and fourth largest contributor to the Albany Rural Cemetery, and one of the largest contributors to the founding of the Dudley Observatory in 1852; elected a vestryman of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in 1842, and advanced to warden in 1843, serving through 1860, and chairman of its most important committees, e. g., March 25, 1845, to sell the church land on Maiden Lane, Pine and Lodge streets; 1845, to procure a new rectory; 1855, to secure funds for the new church edifice which was consecrated October 4, 1860.
He resided a long time at No. 7 Park Place, Albany, which site was taken about 1870 for the new capitol. His last residence was at the south east corner of Maiden Lane and Pearl street, where he practiced law and lived with his family.
Many years before his death he was thrown from his horse, the fall producing an injury to one of his knee-pans, of such serious nature that amputation became necessary. He was immediately carried into a store, where a skilled surgeon determined that an operation must inevitably follow, stating further that perhaps it had better be done on the following day. "I wish you to proceed instantly, for I cannot have the matter upon my mind," said Mr. Reynolds. The surgeon obeyed. This was before the day of either chloroform or ether, but the patient submitted without a groan. From this time on he generally conducted his cases sitting.
Marcus T. Reynolds married (first) Cynthia Herrick, born at Amenia, Dutchess county, N. Y., December 26, 1794, died at Amsterdam, N. Y., November 25, 1820, and was buried there. She was the daughter of Benjamin Herrick, died at Amenia, March 11, 1810, aged 54, who was the son of Benjamin Herrick, died at Amenia, January 10, 1779, aged 46, and Sarah Denton, died at Amenia, December, 8, 1778, aged 47, who was the sister of Rachel Denton, the wife of Stephen Reynolds, where her ancestry is given. All of the above are buried at the City graveyard (now Smithfield), Dutchess county, N. Y., where the inscriptions were copied in 1897.
The mother of Cynthia Herrick was Cynthia Brush, who died at Amenia City, Nov. 19, 1815, aged 50. Cynthia Brush was the daughter of Richard Brush, of Amenia, who made his will August 27, 1795, leaving "all real estate to Richard Brush Herrick, the present youngest son of Benjamin Herrick." The same document mentions his wife Hannah, and is copied in a Greenwich, Connecticut, deed. Here also is entered his birth record, "Richard Brush had a son Dec. 17, 1727, named him Richard." The Herrick homestead at Amenia adjoined on the north that of Stephen Reynolds.
Children:
Marcus T. had also by his wife Cynthia Herrick:
Marcus T. Reynolds married (second) at St. Peter's Church, Albany, N. Y., May 6, 1823, Elizabeth Ann Dexter. She was born in Albany, March 24, 1797, and died at her home, No. 7 Park Place, Albany (where the capitol stands in 1910), on August 30, 1840. Her father was Samuel Dexter, born in Northampton, Mass., Nov. 14, 1756, removed to Albany between 1790-5, where he was a druggist; died there at No. 56 State street, Aug. 27, 1825, being the son of Ebenezer Dexter, born October 17, 1729, died May 4, 1769, who married, in 1754, Lydia Woods, born Oct. 17, 1736, died Dec. 24, 1774. (See Dexter Family.)
Her mother was Elizabeth Province, born in Northampton, Mass., July 4, 1763, died at her residence opposite the Middle Dutch Reformed Church, on Beaver street, Albany, Ocober 18, 1846, being the daughter of John Province, born in Glasgow, Scotland, came to America, May 10, 1740, settling in Boston, Mass., died July 6, 1792, who married May 9, 1748, Sarah Prince, born in 1730, died March 11, 1810, and was buried in the Prince tomb in the Granary Burial Ground at Boston (see Prince Genealogy for ancestors). Samuel Dexter and Elizabeth Province were married May 29, 1790.
By his wife Elizabeth Ann Dexter, Marcus T. had:
5. Dexter Reynolds, son of Marcus T. Reynolds and Elizabeth Ann Dexter, was born in Albany, N. Y., December 22, 1828, and died at 98 Columbia street, Albany, August 19, 1906. He received his early education at the College Hill Academy in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., and continued his preliminary studies at the Albany Academy, which he entered in the fall of 1842, remaining two years, when he was prepared to enter Union College in 1844. Here he joined the Sigma Phi fraternity, and was a classmate of President Chester A. Arthur, who was an intimate friend in later years. He graduated July 26, 1848, ranking second in his class of 120, and was honored with the Latin salutatory. He attended the Lawrence Scientific School at Cambridge, Mass., the year of its founding, 1848-9, and was a graduate of the Harvard Law School, class of 1850. He was admitted to the bar at Albany, December 2, 1851, and in 1853 wrote the volume published by Gould, Banks & Co., Albany, 1853, "A Treatise on the Law of Life Assurance." He formed a partnership with Orlando Meads. Afterwards he was in partnership with John Olcott, son of Thomas Worth Olcott, the banker. Later on he was associated with the law firm of M. T. & L. G. Hun, nephews, at 25 No. Pearl street. With his friends, Erastus Corning and J. Howard King, he made a number of visits to Western states on hunting trips, and it was then he purchased large tracts of land in Iowa equal in extent to nearly half the area of that state. His final sale in closing the investment was 210,000 acres. In the Civil War he was paymaster of the Third Regiment, and went to Richmond, Virginia, under Gen. Frederick Townsend, commanding.
His patented inventions numbered twenty or more, and each of these was among the pioneers of very important lines. He first gave considerable study to the manufacture of paper from wood pulp at a time such processes were not practical or paying. In 1858 he published a treatise on the subject. His investigation was most thorough, and gave an impetus to the trade at a time of discouragement.
Among the earliest of his inventions was a typesetter, which he manufactured in Rochester, previous to 1875, and followed this with an automatic distributor, which was the first attempt to distribute movable type by machine. In this connection he invented the notching of type. It was placed in a publishing house in Albany about 1876, and was discountenanced by the printers, who saw their means of support about to disappear through a saving to the employer. The theory of this machine was utilized by a manufacturer of such machines, and a tedious lawsuit for infringement resulted, which was finally compromised. A direct steel and wrought iron process occupied his attention for some twenty years, which led to an experimental furnace erected in the early spring of 1903, which was the first to nodulize fine ores in a revolving cylindrical furnace, which ores had hitherto been of value only when briquetted. This process, the furnaces now enlarged to over a hundred feet, is in general use throughout the country for nodulizing flue dust and magnetically separated ores.
Dexter Reynolds married, at Rochester, N. Y., April 19, 1865, Catherine Maley Cuyler (see Cuyler Family), Rev. R. Bethell Claxton, of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, officiating. They resided at 20 Elk street, Albany, N. Y. She was born in Cuylerville, Livingston county, N. Y., December 2, 1845; was educated at a boarding school in Utica, N. Y., died while visiting in Rochester, October 23, 1875, and was buried in the Reynolds lot in the Albany Rural Cemetery. Her father was Col. William Tremper Cuyler, who was born in Albany, December 22, 1802, died in Cuylerville, N. Y., December 21, 1864, and was the son of John Cornelius Cuyler (born in Schenectady, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1766, died there October 25, 1828), and Hannah Maley (b. Oct. 12, 1769). Her mother was Nancy Bancker Stewart, who was born in Leicester, N. Y., Feb., 1810, died Feb. 3, 1848, and was daughter of John Stewart and Nancy Bancker Clute (born in Schenectady, N. Y., Dec. 25, 1776, died in Moscow, N. Y., Apr. 28, 1864). Dexter Reynolds and Catherine Maley Cuyler had children — Cuyler and Marcus Tullius.
Cuyler Reynolds, son of Dexter Reynolds and Catherine Maley Cuyler, was born at 98 Columbia street, Albany. N. Y., August 14, 1866. At the Albany Academy and a boarding school in Catskill, N. Y., he received his education, which developed particularly his faculties as a writer, establishing in 1885 the school paper, of which he was made its editor-in-chief. He engaged in newspaper work and followed it some fifteen years, at the same time contributing to more than a score of the better magazines. Turning his attention then to the writing of books, novels and reference works, he produced ten or more, the most valuable of which were his "Classified Quotations," Putnam, 1905, and "Albany Chronicles," 1907, the latter a volume so comprehensive and copiously illustrated that it is likely to endure and be cited as one of the best authorities of state history. Later he became editor-in-chief of the "Hudson-Mohawk Genealogical and Family Memoirs," in four octavo volumes.
By a scientific study and enumeration of the letters of the alphabet as they occurred in books, magazines and newspapers, he arranged a table of the recurrence of letters, which results he set forth in a monograph entitled "The Recurrence of Letters," read before the Albany Institute in 1894, then published in Paper and Press in 1895, and while it served as a key for the solution of ciphers or secret writing, its more practical use was in its application to the keyboards of typesetting machines, and in this form is universally used.
Much interested in historical research, especially as it concerned his home city, he was made director of the Albany Institute and Historical and Art Society at its annual meeting in 1899, and continued as such for ten years. He made for this society several of its most noteworthy collections, numbering a dozen or more, at the same time filling the office of librarian. As librarian, he gathered nearly one thousand books written by Albanians, which list composed a biographical catalogue of 114 pages in 1902. The opening of this institution's new building, May 12, 1908, gave him opportunity to originate the novel system of indexing and the method of keeping the various record books.
In March, 1907, he received the appointment of director of the New York State History Exhibit for the Jamestown Exposition; collected and installed it in systematic order, the features of which he set forth in an elaborately illustrated Catalogue of Exhibit, with the Exposition's Gold Medal as the result. Afterwards he wrote the State's report, a handsome volume, copiously illustrated, and of about five hundred pages, published in 1910.
He was elected to honorary membership in the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society in 1908, and in the New York State Historical Association in 1909. He is also a member of the National Geographic Society, American Historical Association and of the American Copyright League. He has resided all his life in Albany.
He married, at the Cathedral of All Saints, Albany, N. Y., Dean Wilford L. Robbins officiating, September 24, 1891, Janet Gray Gould. She was born in Albany, July 22, 1871, and was educated at the Albany Female Academy. Her father was Captain Charles Gould, born in Albany, October 28, 1848, died in Albany, July 4, 1896, who was the son of William Gould (b. in Caldwell, N. J., Nov. 26, 1814, d. in Albany, June 27, 1886), and Sarah Margaret Hartness (b. in Albany, Sept. 24, 1821, d. there, December 12, 1884), and married, in Albany, September 12, 1842. Her mother was Janet Gray, born in Albany, September 20, 1850; married, Albany, October 4, 1870, died at Montclair, N. J., April 6, 1910, who was the daughter of Daniel Alexander Gray (b. in New York City, in 1817, d. in Albany, Nov. 19, 1880), and Catherine Meyers (born in Hanover, Ger., Aug. 2, 1816, died Albany, Apr. 1, 1880). They had:
Dexter Reynolds had also by his wife Catherine Maley Cuyler:
He has collected and compiled the earlier and collateral data presented in the above genealogical tables, supplementing the work begun by his father, Dexter Reynolds, who began with the descendants of James, the son of John, the son of John the emigrant.
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