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KANAWHA COUNTY WEST VIRGINIA - BIOS: REYNOLDS, George G.
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Submitted to the West Virginia Biographies Project by:
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
September 26, 1999
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History of Charleston and Kanawha County, West Virginia and Representative
Citizens
W.S. Laidley
Richmond Arnold Publishing Co., Chicago, ILL.
1911
p. 460-461
GEORGE G. REYNOLDS, postmaster at Elk View, and for many years one of the
prominent citizens of Elk District, Kanawha County, is the proprietor of a
flourishing mercantile establishment, and has besides other business
interests. He was born Oct. 6, 1857, near Elk View, Va. (now W. Va.), a son
of John T. and Mary (Given) Reynolds, and is a grandson of Reuben Reynolds, a
pioneer of Roane County.
John T. Reynolds was born November 13, 1813, in Lewis County, Va., and as a
young man accompanied his parents to Roane County. In 1865 he located in Elk
District, Kanawha County, where he carried on a mercantile business for
fifteen
years. In the year 1880 he retired and the remainder of his life was spent on
his farm. Politically he was a Republican and an active worker for his party.
He served seven years as justice of the peace at a time when the incumbent of
that office was the head of the county court; he was a delegate to various
conventions and in 1866 was appointed postmaster at Elk View, then the old
Blue Creek postoffice.
John T. Reynolds married first Nancy Vineyard, daughter of Presley Vineyard
and by her had four children-Presley V., John P., Archie P. and Harriett
Y.-of whom all three of the sons served in the Civil War. Mr. Reynolds
married for his second wife Mrs. Mary (Given) James, who was born in 1823, a
daughter of George and Margaret (McGuffin) Given. Her father located near
Elk View before the war and at one time owned most of the district. To John
T. and Mary Reynolds were born three children-Margaret J. (now de-ceased),
Mary E., who married Charles Campbell; and George G.
George G. Reynolds attended school until he was nineteen years old and for
fifteen years subsequently taught school, his summers however being spent in
farming. He worked for his father until reaching the age of twenty-three, and
then purchased a farm on Indian Creek, which he operated for three years, but
eventually returned to the old homestead. Later he succeeded his father in
the mercantile business which he has conducted to the present time. He has
also engaged in leasing and operating coal mines.
On May 26, 1880, Mr. Reynolds was married to Miss Lenora Slack, who was born
June 18, 1860, a daughter of Major Hedgeman Slack, an old resident of this
district. To Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds have been born six children, namely:
Florence, who is re-siding at home; John H., who is a railroad engineer;
Charles G., who is engaged in farming on the home place; Lewis D., who
assists his father in the store; M. Ruth; and Allie, who is deceased. Mr.
Reynolds is a member of the Masonic order, (Clendenin Lodge No. 126); also of
the Knights of Pythias, No.147, of Blue Creek, in which he has passed all the
chairs; Glen Elk Lodge No.95, of Odd Fellows; Elk En-campment No.63, in which
he has passed all the chairs and is now scribe; and the Se-nior Order of
American Mechanics, in which he has held various offices. An active
Republican, like his father, he has served by State appointment as a member
of the Board of Equalization. He has also served on the Jury Commission, has
been a notary public for two terms, and for a long period postmaster at Elk
View. At one time he was a candidate for the legislature but failed of
election owing to the local political conditions.
Sandy Spradling
SSpradling@AOL.com
State Contact for WV GenExchange
http://www.genexchange.com/wv/index.cfm
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