Source: Portrait & Biographical Album of Whiteside County, IL
Originally published 1885 Chapman Bros., Chicago, IL

Transcribed by: Becky Jones

Page 657

Linus C. Reynolds, farmer, residing on section 23, Prophetstown Township, and the owner of 520 acres of farming land on the section, and 12 acres in Portland Township, consisting of a grove, is a son of Nathaniel G. and Phoebe B. (Brace) Reynolds, and was born in Erie Co., N.Y., Aug. 18, 1830. His father was a native of Massachusetts, and was born in Hancock, Berkshire co., that State, March 14, 1794. His mother was also born in the same State and died April 18, 1876, aged 76 years, 11 months and 3 days. They had five children, all of whom are living, namely: Phineas B. is a farmer and resides in Nebraska; Orpha is the wife of Edward Gage, a farmer residing in Prophetstown Township; Amanda is the widow of Edison Smith, and resides in Prophetstown; Linus C. is next in order of birth; Clark G. is a farmer and resides in Prophetstown Township. The grandparents of Linus C. on his father’s side were Griffin, born April 14, 1772, and Martha, born Feb. 10, 1775.

The elder Reynolds was Orderly Sergeant during the War of 1812, and after the war, in 1816, settled in Genesee Co., N.Y. In 1835 he came with his family to Detroit and drove from there to this county, and became one of the pioneer settlers on Rock River. He located in Prophetstown Township, three-quarters of a mile from the present village of Prophetstown, on what is now the Quigley farm. During those primitive days he was compelled to go to Knoxville, a distance of 70 miles, for provisions, following an Indian trail through an unsettled country. For many years he was a strong temperance man and a consistent Christian. He was Justice of the Peace for a number of years, and was also elected Judge of Probate, which position he held for eight years. He was a prominent Mason as well as a member of the Order of Sons of Temperance. He died Jan. 21, 1866.

Mr. Reynolds of this sketch was reared principally in this county on a farm, performing the labors common to farmer’s sons of the time and locality in which he lived, and receiving the advantages afforded by the common schools. His father sold out the original tract which he owned and purchased 640 acres on sections 15 and 22, and at the date of his death, Linus C. and his brother, Clark G., bought the interests the other heirs had in the property. Mr. Reynolds still owns his 320 acres and also the homestead of 200 acres where he resides, making a total of 520 acres of land. He also owns the house and two lots in Sterling, where his father formerly lived, and a house and one-half acre of land in Morrison. He is a member of the Order of Sons of Temperance, and has been for a number of years. When the Grange was in active operation, he was a member of it.

Mr. Reynolds was united in marriage to Miss Sarah M. Conner, Dec. 22, 1858. She was a daughter of John H. and Catherine Conner, and was born in St. Louis Co., Mo., March 12, 1836. They have four children, all born in Prophetstown Township: Fred A., born Nov. 18, 1859, is a manager of the Gothenburg Bank, at Gothenburg, Dawson Co., Neb.; Belle was born April 10, 1861; Earl H. was born March 24, 1862; J. Burr was born July 24, 1865. Two children died in infancy.

Mr. Reynolds has grown up as a son of Whiteside County and became a prominent factor in its growth and progress, and it is fitting that he should be among those chosen to represent the leading men in the galaxy of portraits given in this volume.