The Leonidas Bascom Reynolds Homepage
Nancy Reynolds Holding Gus Reynolds L. B. Reynolds With Tyne Reynolds
Hot Springs Record, published by the Garland County Historical Society and Gus Reynolds as told to me the sources of this article. In 1880 L. B. Reynolds and his family moved to Magnet Cove, Arkansas. He went to work for Joe Reynolds who was a multi-millionaire from Chicago who built a railroad that ran from Malvern to Hot Springs.
It was a one-of-a-kind railroad that was completed in 1875. It was named the Hot Springs Railroad. It carried all the earmarks of the fabulous man from Chicago. The coaches had rosewood and mahogany furnishings, genuine leather upholstery, and velvet drapes. It was a far cry from the dusty, rickety stagecoach ride to Hot Springs from Malvern. Even the engine was dressed up - it had silk curtains. Now the suffering health seekers could ride to Hot Springs in comfort. The jolting stage ride had discouraged many from coming to Arkansas' Valley of Vapors. Now they were able to pour in by the hundreds. It was just a 55-minute ride from Malvern. Passengers would come to Malvern on the St. Louis, Iron Mountain and Southern Railroad, built in 1872. Then they would transfer to the waiting coaches of the "Diamond Joe".
The first fare was the comparatively low sum of $2.50 each way. As business boomed, it was cut to $2, then to $1.50, and then to $1.10. In the true tone of its creator, the "Diamond Joe" had a fabulous beginning. When the railroad was begun, a golden spike was driven to mark the start of a new progressive era.
After working for Diamond Joe, L. B. Reynolds moved to Hot Springs and opened a butcher shop located on Benton Street, which he operated for a number of years. In the 1900 census of Garland Co., Hot Springs, Arkansas, LB Reynolds was listed as a dairyman. Gus Reynolds, LB's son, recalled that the dairy was located behind the Oakland Racetrack adjacent to the Hot Springs Creek. Gus confirmed that LB operated a butcher shop also. Researched and Written by Robert Reynolds, great-grand son of LB Reynolds
The Leonidas and Nancy Reynolds Photo Album
The Family Tree of L. B. and Nancy Reynolds
LEONIDAS BASCOM REYNOLDS was born June 26,1856 in Bradley County, Arkansas, and died February 16, 1913 in Gorman, Eastland County, Texas. He married NANCY A. HOGAN December 10, 1879 in Cadron, Faulkner County, Arkansas, daughter of RUDOLPH HOGAN and NANCY E. She was born October 15, 1860 in Cadron, Faulkner County, Arkansas, and died November 13, 1921 in Gorman, Eastland County, Texas.
L. B. operated a peanut farm near Kokomo, Texas. He is buried in Gorman Cemetery located at Gorman, Texas. Nancy and L. B. had 11 children born in the following order.
1.LEONIDAS ERASMUS REYNOLDS was born October 06, 1880 in Conway, Arkansas, and died April 16, 1957 in Gorman, Texas. He married IVA JANE LEPATOUREL 1902, daughter of PETER LEPATOUREL and ELVIRA ARNETT. She was born March 02, 1887 in Malvern, Arkansas, and died December 25, 1957 in Denver, Colorado.
2.MYRTLE EPHA REYNOLDS was born September 17, 1882 in Magnet Cove, Ar., and died February 13, 1970 in Gorman, Texas. She married BENJAMIN ELLERY WILSON September 28, 1905 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, son of THEODORE WILSON and ELLA DEETS. He was born November 26, 1882, and died May 21, 1962 in Gorman, Texas.
Obituary submitted by Polly (Reynolds) Buckle
Velma E. Bennett Laid to Rest
Velma
E. Bennett age 94, died Monday, December 25th,(2000) in the DeLeon Hospital.
Services were Saturday, December 30, 2000 in the Higginbotham Funeral Home
Chapel with Rev. James Haynes and Rev. Victor Pena officiating. Burial was in
the Gorman Cemetery.
Mrs. Bennett was born July 29, 1906 in Hot
Springs, Arkansas to Ellery Wilson and Myrtle (Reynolds) Wilson. She married
Hubert Gail Bennett on November 24, 1927. He preceded her in death in 1960. Mrs.
Bennett and her husband owned and operated Bennett's Grocery & Station for 22
years. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Gorman. She had
served as director of the Chamber of Commerce and had been a member of the
Kokomo Home Demonstration Club, Gorman Park Association, and the Senior Citizens
Club.
She is survived by one son, Herman Bennett
of Gorman; one grandson Ronald Bennett of Gorman and one granddaughter, Rita
Salas of Grand Junction, Colorado, and two great-grandchildren.
The Gorman Progress, dated January 4, 2001
3.WILLIAM EDWARDS REYNOLDS was born June 26, 1885 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died February 06, 1940 in Gorman, Texas. He married DELLA BLANCHE STOCKTON January 26, 1924 in Eastland County, Texas, daughter of SILAS STOCKTON and LAURA LEE. She was born February 26, 1895 in Grant Co. Arkansas, and died December 10, 1977 in Gorman, Texas.
WILLIAM EDWARD REYNOLDS is listed in the 1900 Census of Garland County, Arkansas and was living in Hot Springs Township at that time. Would like to thank Velma Bennett for her contribution to my research and Pauline Reynolds Buckle for generously sharing information and pictures on the Reynolds Family.
4.SILAS EUGENE REYNOLDS was born August 7, 1887 in Hot Springs, Arkansas and died May 9, 1889 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Silas is buried in Hollywood Cemetery located in Hot Springs.
5.WALTER CARL REYNOLDS was born August 07, 1889 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died April 22, 1971 in Eastland County, Texas. He married OLLIE MAE STOKES December 31, 1911 in Eastland, County, Texas, daughter of MADISON STOKES and ORA PALMER. She was born December 29, 1891, and died October 30, 1976 in Gorman, Texas.
Obituary submitted by: Ina Johnson Reynolds
(Died April 25, 197 1) De Leon (RNS) Walter Carl Reynolds, 81, of De Leon died
at 7 A.M. Sunday in a Gorman hospital where he had been hospitalized for a few
days.
Funeral will be at 2:30 P.M. Monday in Higginbotham Funeral Chapel with the Rev.
T. W. Chapman, pastor of Assembly of God Church officiating, assisted by the
Rev. W. L. Milner, pastor of First United Methodist Church. Burial will be in
Murry Memorial Cemetery of Carbon. Born August 7, 1889, in Hot Springs, Ark., he
had lived in Carbon 44 years before moving to De Leon four years ago. He worked
as a dairyman and as a farmer. He married Ollie Mae Stokes Dec. 31, 1911, in
Carbon.
Survivors include his wife of De Leon; a son, W. E. Reynolds of Carbon; two
daughters, Mrs. L. W. Hurst of Odessa and Mrs. A.D. Kennedy of De Leon; a
brother, H. A. Reynolds of Stephenville; a sister, Mrs. Ruby Bennett of Gorman
seven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. Burial: Murry Memorial
Cemetery, Eastland County, Texas
Obituary submitted by Ina Johnson Reynolds.
(Died October 30, 1976) Ollie Mae Reynolds of De Leon died at 11:00 a.m.
Saturday in the De Leon Municipal Hospital. Funeral services were held Monday at
2:00 p.m. in the De Leon Funeral Home Chapel with the Rev. Charles McClure,
pastor of the First United Methodist Church officiating, assisted by Payne
Hattox of the Church of Christ and Rev. T. W. Chapman, pastor of the Assembly of
God Church. Burial was in Murray Memorial Cemetery at Carbon. Born December 29,
1891, in Carbon, she was the daughter of M. M. Stokes and Ora Palmer. With the
exception of the past ten years, she had lived all of her life in Carbon.
She was converted and baptized at the age of fourteen in Carbon at the Methodist
Church. She married Walter Carl Reynolds December 31, 1911, in Carbon. He
preceded her in death April 25, 1971. Two brothers, Freddie and Walter, and one
sister, Ruby Reese, preceded her in death.
Survivors include one son, W. E. Reynolds of Carbon, two daughters, Mrs. L. W.
Hurst of Odessa and Mrs. A. B. Kennedy of De Leon, and one brother, Palmer
Stokes of Carbon, seven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. Would like
to thank Ina Johnson Reynolds for her contribution to my research.
6.FLORENCE ELIZABETH REYNOLDS was born November 13, 1891 in Hot Springs, Arkansas and died August 13, 1892 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Hot Springs.
7.FRED ORANGES REYNOLDS was born July 05, 1893 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and died January 22, 1963 in Gorman, Texas. He married MYRTLE M. DOLBERRY August 23, 1925 in Eastland, County, Texas. She was born February 19, 1903, and died January 19, 1982 in Gorman, Texas. Fred 0. Reynolds operated Crystal Dairy located in Eastland Co. Texas. Thanks to Betty Cross for the information that she contributed.
8.Constantino Isaac Reynolds wad born March 2, 1896 in Hot Springs, Arkansas and died March 21, 1959 in Gorman, Texas. He is buried in Gorman Cemetery. Constantino went by the name of Tyne.
9.HENRY AUGUSTUS REYNOLDS was born November 02, 1897 in Hot Springs, Arkansas, and
died August 30, 1991 in Stephenville, Texas. He married (1) RUBY MAE CRAWLEY in
Eastland, County Texas. She was born April 14, 1905, and died May 14, 1992 in
Stephenville, Texas. He married (2) RENA JONES May 08, 1920 in Eastland, County
Texas. She was born May 09, 1899, and died May 06, 1933 in Eastland, County. H.A.
(Gus) was the only one of eight children to obtain an education beyond high
school. He earned a bachelor of education degree from Howard Payne University in
Brownwood and a Master of Education Degree from Hardin Simmons University in
Abilene, Texas. At seventeen, after attending Britton Training School in Cisco,
Texas during the summer and passing an exam to obtain a two year teaching
certificate, he began his teaching career. He spent the next 47 years in the
teaching profession-not missing a year. He taught history and math, coached
boy's basketball, was a grade school principal, and was superintendent of
schools from 1944-1959. All of his teaching was done in Texas except for four
years spent in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, after he retired in Texas. He loved to
sing and attended many singing schools where he learned to read music using
shaped notes. He was choir director in many of the churches that he attended,
and he sang in the choir until he was 82.
Gus never met a stranger. He enjoyed people
and loved to talk-especially about history, sports, and politics. In his early
years, he was a democrat, and Andrew Jackson was his hero. Later, he became a
dedicated republican saying, "The present Republican Party is the old Democratic
Party."
Gus loved to read and was an avid reader until his death. He was always current
on what was happening in the world. Politics, sports, and history were his main
topics of interest. He loved to watch the Dallas Cowboys on television, and
faithfully watched the six and ten news and the news commentaries. At times, he
would become angry when the Cowboys were losing and would snap off the
television.
H. A. had a strong Christian faith and was
a steward and a lay-leader in the Methodist Church. He very seldom missed
church, and made sure that his children attended, too. Gus enjoyed each day of
his life. He had little time for hobbies until retirement gave him time to enjoy
gardening, fishing, playing 42, reading, and enjoying his grandchildren. He had
a quick temper and said a bad word now and then, but he was a loving father,
granddad, and husband, a loyal friend, and a very unique individual. His word
was his bond, and he had no patience with those who did not live up to his
trust. During his 92 years, he made a difference in many lives, and, certainly,
the world is a better place for his having lived. Other information
In
1909, Gus moved from Hot Springs, Arkansas, to the Jewel Community near Gorman,
Texas, in a spring wagon. He was in the 4th grade at Wheat Springs.
He was superintendent of schools in Morton
Valley, Texas, Old Glory, Texas, and Bula, Texas, from 1944-1959 (11 years at
Bula)
He retired in Stephenville, Texas in 1963, and
lived there until his death, August 30, 1991. While in Stephenville, he tutored
Tarlton State University students in math for a few years.
He married two of his students. His first
wife, Rena Jones, died. He later married Ruby Crawley. Ruby died May 14, 1992,
about 8 months after the death of Gus. Written by Carolyn June Reynolds
(Harding) on July 29, 1995.
10.Jewell Reynolds was born August 31, 1900 in Hot Springs, Arkansas and died September 4, 1900 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. She is buried in Hollywood Cemetery in Hot Springs.
11. RUBY NANNIES REYNOLDS was born August 31,1902 in Hot Springs, Arkansas Garland County, and died February 06, 1986 in Gorman, Texas. She married ARTHUR LAWSON BENNETT January 01, 1922 in Eastland, County Texas. He was born August 20, 1902, and died October 03, 1945 in Gorman, Texas. She is buried in Gorman Cemetery.
Ruby Nanny Bennett, services held Saturday.
Ruby Nanny Bennett, 83, homemaker, died Thursday, Feb. 6, 1986 at Canterbury Villa in Gorman after a long illness.
Federal services were hailed apt 11 AM Saturday at Higginbotham Funeral Home with the Reverend Marion Dennis officiating. Burial of was in the Gorman Cemetery.
An Arkansas native, she was born August 31, 1902, and was married to Author Bennett on December 24, 1922 in the Fleetwood Community. The couple was in business in Gorman many years operating a grocery and station firm before entering the dairy business. She was a member of the First United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her husband and one, L A. Bennett.
To serve hours include three sons Billy Ray of Weatherford; Freddie Lee Cleburne and Joe of Gorman; a brother, H. A. Gus Reynolds of Stephenville: 9 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren.
Grandsons serving as pallbearers were Joe Lynn Bennett of Odessa, Gary, Mike and Mark Bennett of Cleburne, Charles Bennett of Dallas, and Ernest Bennett of Weatherford, and Lonnie Bennett of Gorman.
Obituary submitted by Polly (Reynolds) Buckle
E-mail address boreyed@yahoo.com
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