West Milton Painter James F. Reynolds (1869-1928)

By Muriel Bristol | November 10, 2024

James Fred Reynolds was born in Dover, NH, October 12, 1869, son of James O. and Almira J. “Myra” (Hill) Reynolds.

Father James O. Reynolds died in Milton, March 9, 1900, aged seventy-three years.

LOCALS. The funeral of James O. Reynolds, a respected citizen living between Milton and Farmington, was held Monday and interment will be in the family lot in this cemetery. Mr. Reynolds is survived by his wife, four daughters, and two sons. He had been for many years a deacon in the Baptist church at Milton (Farmington News, March 16, 1900).

Myra J. [(Hill)] Reynolds, a farmer, aged sixty-five years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Twelfth (1900) Federal Census. Her household included her children, Della M. Reynolds, aged thirty-seven years (b. NH), James F. Reynolds, a farm laborer, aged thirty years (b. NH), and Lena B. Reynolds, a schoolteacher, aged twenty-five years (b. NH), and her servant, Clarence H. Taylor, at school, aged eleven years (b. unknown). Myra J. Reynolds owned their farm, fee-and-clear. She was the mother of six children, of whom six were still living. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Al E. Nute, a farmer, aged forty-seven years (b. NH), and William S. Burrows, a farmer, aged thirty years (b. NH).

James F. Reynolds appeared in the Milton directories of 1900, and 1902, as a farmer on Nute Ridge. His father, James O. Reynolds, appeared also in 1900, as a farmer on Nute Ridge). (James O. Reynolds appeared in 1902, as having died on March 9, 1900, aged seventy-three years).

James F. Reynolds appeared in the Milton directories of 1905, and 1909, as a farmer on Nute Ridge, with his house at Greenwood, MA.

James F. Reynolds, a painter (house), aged forty years (b. NH), headed a Wakefield, MA, household at the time of the Thirteenth (1910) Federal Census. His household included his mother, Myra J. [(Hill)] Reynolds, aged seventy-five years (b. NH), his sisters, Della M. Reynolds, aged forty-six years (b. NH), and Lena B. Reynolds, a teacher (public school), aged thirty-four years (b. NH), and his boarder, Gladys Mosher, a state ward, aged eleven years (b. MA). James F. Reynolds owned their house at 6 Francis Avenue. Myra J. Reynolds was the mother of six children, of whom six were still living.

James F. Reynolds appeared in the Milton directories of 1912, and 1917, as a farmer on Nute Ridge, with his house at Greenwood, MA.

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds and family of Wakefield, Mass, are at their farm haying. All are glad to see these closed houses open again (Farmington News, July 25, 1913).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds has finished painting the farm buildings owned by Edward Nute at Nute Ridge (Farmington News, October 3, 1913).

West Milton. Fred Reynolds of Wakefield, Mass., accompanied by his mother and sister, is moving back to the old home place at Nute Ridge (Farmington News, May 29, 1914).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds came home from Greenwood, Mass., Saturday (Farmington New, May 14, 1915).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds has several lambs in his flock, some of them a number of weeks old (Farmington News, February 18, 1916).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds is doing inside painting at Rochester (Farmington News, March 3, 1916).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds has been putting in a cellar wall on the west side of his house (Farmington News, December 22, 1916).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds is going to Massachusetts the last of this week and plans to attend the Billy Sunday meetings next Sunday (Farmington News, January 12, 1917).

The Milton Selectmen of 1917 were Forrest L. MarshBard B. Plummer, and James F. Reynolds.

West Milton. The town went substantially republican in spite of a small vote. Selectmen elected were: Forest T. Marsh, Milton Mills, Bard B. Plummer, Milton, Fred Reynolds, West Milton; Everett F. Fox, town treasurer; Harry L. Avery, town clerk; Robert Page, member of school board for three years (Farmington News, March 16, 1917).

Mother Almira J. “Myra” Reynolds took up residence in Barrington, NH, with her third daughter, Bertha M. (Reynolds) Wiggin, circa October 1917. One might suppose she attended on the final illness of her eldest daughter, Idella M. Reynolds, a schoolteacher, who died there of liver cancer, October 13, 1917, aged fifty-five years, four months, and six days.

West Milton. Fred Reynolds and Russell Wentworth furnished two fine raccoons for the coon supper at the home of Henry Hayes last Friday evening. Several neighbors were invited but only a few were able to be present, owing to the drifted condition of the roads. The guests enjoyed a regular feast, at the conclusion of which a toast and a vote of thanks were proposed and heartily given to Messrs. Reynolds, Wentworth, Hayes, and Mrs. Hyland, who prepared the feast (Farmington News, December 21, 1917).

The Milton Selectmen of 1918 were Forrest L. MarshBard B. Plummer, and James F. Reynolds.

West Milton. The town meeting at Milton drew out a big vote as the result of the sharp contest for the selection of the third selectman. The old board was re-elected, as follows: Selectmen, Forrest L. MarshBard B. Plummer, James F. Reynolds; town clerk, Harry L. Avery; treasurer, Everett F. Fox. School meeting was held at the close of town meeting and Dr. M.A.H. Hart and Everett F. Fox were unanimously re-elected as member of the board of education and school treasurer, respectively (Farmington News, March 15, 1918).

West Milton. Fred Reynolds is very poorly, and is having medical treatment for a severe form of rheumatic lameness (Farmington News, October 11, 1918).

West Milton. J. Fred Reynolds had the misfortune to lose a valuable work horse, recently (Farmington News, December 20, 1918).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds is assisting I.W. Hayes with his haying (Farmington News, August 1, 1919).

WEST MILTON. Mrs. Myra Reynolds, accompanied by her daughter, Mrs. E.E. Wiggin and family of Barrington, visited her son, Fred Reynolds, Sunday afternoon (Farmington News, August 15, 1919).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds has purchased a new horse (Farmington News, October 31, 1919).

WEST MILTON. Charles Copp is at the home of Fred Reynolds. The latter has employment in the Spaulding leather board factory (Farmington News, January 30, 1920).

James F. Reynolds, a painter, aged forty-nine years (b. NH), headed a Milton household at the time of the Fourteenth (1920) Federal Census. His household included his boarders, Cyrice Cormier, a laborer (Milton Ice Co.), aged nineteen years (b. MA), Albert V. Kent, a laborer (woolen mill), aged forty-two years (b. ME), James Dady, a laborer (Milton Ice Co.), aged forty-seven years (b. MA), Edgar S. Roberts, a laborer (Milton Ice Co.), aged thirty-two years (b. NH), Joseph F. Parks, a teamster, aged thirty-nine years (b. NH), James Corigan, a laborer (Milton Ice Co.), aged forty-six years (b. Ireland), and Malcolm Mccleod, a brass molder (brass foundry), aged thirty-two years (b. Canada). James F. Reynolds owned their house, free-and-clear. Their household appeared in the enumeration between those of Leroy J. Ford, a farmer, aged twenty-eight years (b. NH), and Davis Tucker, a grocery clerk (retail grocery), aged fifty-one years (b. MA).

WEST MILTON. Fred Reynolds, who has had employment on the ice at Milton, sustained an injury to his foot, which has incapacitated him for work just at present (Farmington News, February 13, 1920).

Mother Almira J. “Myra” (Hill) Reynolds died of pneumonia and old age in East Barrington, NH, May 11, 1920, aged eighty-five years, six months, and eighteen days. She was a widow. She was a resident for two years, seven months, i.e., since circa November 1917. A.E. Grant, M.D., signed the death certificate.

IN MEMORIAM. Mrs. Myra J. Reynolds. Mrs. Myra J. Reynolds died at the home of her daughter at East Barrington on Tuesday, aged 85 years. She was born at Strafford, the daughter of Nicholas and Eliza Johnson Hill. In 1858 she married James O. Reynolds, then a prominent shoe manufacturer at Dover. Later they moved to West Milton where they cared for Mr. Reynolds’ aged parents. Following the death of Mr. Reynolds, the family moved to Wakefield Mass., and a few years later returned to Milton. Mrs. Reynolds accepted the Christian faith early in life and united with the Baptist church in Dover. She was a woman of strong Christian character and a host of friends wherever she moved. She leaves four children, Arthur of Brockton, J. Fred of Milton, Mrs. Fred P. Meader of Rochester and Mrs. E.E. Wiggin of East Barrington, and seven grandchildren. Funeral was held from the home of the last named this Thursday afternoon and was conducted by Rev. F.O. Taylor. Mrs. L.D. Haley sang and the bearers were the two sons and son-in-law. Burial was made in the family lot at Farmington Cemetery (Farmington News, May 14, 1920).

LOCAL. Fred Reynolds of West Milton buried his faithful old horse “Glenwood” last week. This animal was one of the few thoroughbred Kentucky saddlers in this section and was prized highly by the owner. He had reached the venerable age of thirty years (Farmington News, October 10, 1924).

LOCAL. J. Fred Reynolds of the Nute Ridge section contemplates taking a position in Wakefield, Mass., for the winter months (Farmington News, December 19, 1924).

PERSONAL. Friends of Fred Reynolds of West Milton regret to learn that he is restricted to his home by illness (Farmington News, January 9, 1925).

WEST MILTON. Henry Swinerton is engaged in painting at Rochester with Fred Reynolds (Farmington News, June 26, 1925).

PERSONAL. Fred Reynolds of West Milton is restricted to the use of crutches by reason of a case of blood poison in his foot (Farmington News, September 18, 1925).

J. Fred Reynolds appeared in the Rochester, NH, directory of 1926, as a painter, boarding at 22 Knight street.

PERSONAL. Fred Reynolds of the West Milton section, who has been spending the past few months with Mr. and Mrs. Fred P. Meader in Rochester, has gone to Greenwood, Mass., for the remainder of the winter (Farmington News, December 10, 1926).

James F. Reynolds died in Greenwood, [Wakefield,] MA, April 23, 1928, aged fifty-eight years.

IN MEMORIAM. J. Fred Reynolds. J. Fred Reynolds, one of the best-known residents of West Milton, died very suddenly of heart failure just as he was finishing his day’s work in Greenwood, Mass., on April 23. Mr. Reynolds, who had passed the winter in Massachusetts, where he owned property, had been employed for several days previous to his death in painting and papering one of his tenements. He had just completed the task and was loading his truck when occupants of the bouse saw him lying in the street. Assistance came too late, as he had expired. He was 66 years old and a native of Dover, the second son in a family of six children born to James O. and Myra (Hill) Reynolds. The family moved to West Milton in 1876 and, aside from temporary absences, the deceased had resided on the Reynolds farm, where he succeeded his father as proprietor. He was a man of honor and great industry, much liked by all who knew him. As a friend and citizen who stood for honest principles and fair practice, Mr. Reynolds could not be discounted. His word was as good as his bond, and in church and lodge his influence always was helpful. He was a member of Fraternal Lodge, A.F. and A.M., Fraternal Chapter, O.E.S., Woodbine Lodge, I.O.O.F., and Minnehaha Rebekah Lodge, all of this town. Also he was a member of Rochester Grange and Eastern New Hampshire Pomona, to all of which he was a faithful and dutiful member. Besides a host of friends, Mr. Reynolds leaves to mourn his death two sisters, Mrs. Fred P. Meader of Rochester and Mrs. Elmer Wiggin of Barrington Depot, and one brother, Arthur Reynolds of Florida. Funeral services were held from the home of Mrs. Meader in Rochester last Thursday and interment was in the family lot at Farmington cemetery (Farmington News, May 4, 1928).


References: Find a Grave. (2023, September 18). James Fred Reynolds. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/259847468/james-fred-reynolds Find a Grave. (2023, September 18). James O. Reynolds. Retrieved from www.findagrave.com/memorial/259846408/james_o_reynolds Wikipedia. (2024, April 29). Billy Sunday. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Sunday
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Author: Muriel Bristol

"Lady drinking tea"

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