Henry Carter Reynolds

Henry Carter Reynolds was born on November 14th, 1878 in, I believe, Jackson County, Alabama. The U.S. Census records indicates that it was in Coffeetown, or Post Office "Williams Store". It has been said that the area he came from was called Sand Mountains.

By what I have been able to determine from the census records he was the second son and fourth child of James R. Reynoldss and Martha Jane Dukes. Henry moved with his parents to Titus County, Texas sometime between the age of 10 and 12.

Henry grew up in Cookville, Titus county, Texas and on August 12, 1900 he married Sarah "Sallie" Loundia Reeves, the daughter of Lee T. Reeves and Sara E. Culver, also of Titus county, Texas. Sallie was born in Titus county on November 7th, 1885. Henry was a farmer, and he and Sallie had a total of fourteen children, all born in Titus County, Texas.

Their children were: James born sometime in 1901; Mamie Jane born on November 12, 1902; Thadius Anderson born February 28, 1904; Frank Lee who was born in 1905; Lizzie was born on February 1st 1908 and died on February 21, 1908. Joe Duagan born April 10th, 1909; Cora L. born March 17th, 1910; Albert Allen who was born on July 5th, 1912.

Their next child, a daughter, Georgia Ann born September 28, 1915; William Henry born December 16, 1917; David Henry on March 10, 1920; Janey, a baby girl that was still born on November 28, 1924; and Minnie Lee, their last who was born on November 25th, 1925.

There was one un-named baby that was still born on February 14, 1922, the night that their first born son James was killed. When his body was brought home it caused Sallie to go into labor and she therefore lost two of her children in one night.

Henry and his family moved to Fouke, Miller County, Arkansas sometime around 1928 and he died in Fouke on December 10th, 1933 at the age of 51 of a Heart Attack. He is buried in the Independence Cemetery in Miller County, Arkansas.

I have been told that neither Thadius Anderson or Joe Duagan knew of his death until a friend stopped by and told Joe that he had just came from his father's funeral. After his death, Sallie moved with her youngest children, Georgia Ann, William Henry, David Henry and Minnie Lee to Rural Shade Community, near Kerens, Navarro county, Texas.

Sallie had came to Rural Shade to keep house for James Franklin (Jim) Combs, and they were intending to marry. It is said that her children put up such a fuss about the marriage, that they decided against it. She moved out of Jim's house into a small house on the property and continued to keep house for him.

Sallie later moved to California to live with her son Frank Lee and she died of a Heart Attack in Gridley, Butte County, California on May 31, 1949. Her body was returned to Fouke, Arkansas where she was buried in the Independence Cemetery. From what I understand they were unable to bury her next to her husband, therefore she was buried on the opposite end of the cemetery.

While doing some research in the Arlington, Texas Public Library I came across a book titled "Memorial Record of Alabama", in the section on Personal Memoirs - Shelly County, I found an article about a Henry Carter Reynolds. I feel that perhaps this Henry was an Uncle or some other relative. Shelby County is an adjoining county to Jackson, so it is possible that Henry was named after this Civil War Hero. I have copied the article exactly as it appears:

Henry Carter Reynolds, a leading merchant of Montevallo, was born in Warren county, Tenn., March 11, 1838. He was a son of Elisha and Nancy (Petty) Reynolds, both natives of the same county in Tennessee with himself. Elisha Reynolds remained in his native state until 1841, when he removed to Alabama and settled in Montgomery, where he remained three years.

He then lived at Greenville, Ala., six or seven years, when he returned to Montgomery, and after a year or two removed to Selma, where he remained until the breaking out of the war.

All this time he was a mail contractor, which necessitated these frequent removals. During the war of the rebellion he lived on a farm in Shelby county, and at its close removed to Montevallo, where he engaged in mercantile business, and also conducted a branch store in Mississippi. Upon the failure of his health he returned from Mississippi to Shelby county, Ala., and lived in this latter county until his death.

He was a Mason and a Baptist. His father was a native of North Carolina, and served as a soldier in the Revolutionary war.

Henry C. Reynolds was raised in Selma, Ala., where he received a good common school education. He then attended the military school in Georgia one year. Early in 1862 he enlisted in company I, Fifty first Alabama infantry, under John T. Morgan, assisted him in raising the company and went to Gov. Watts for arms for the regiment.

He immediately began scouting duty, which he continued during the war, on one occasion taking a prisoner within the Union lines and bringing him out. In a sketch of him, published some time since, it was said: "A more perfectly brave man, more shrewd and careful scout never wore the uniform of a soldier".

It is safe to say that not a night passed during the great retreat of Joseph E. Johnston from Dalton to Atlanta, the Lieut. Reynolds, and his few trusty men, did not enter the enemy's lines and come out with such information as was absolutely necessary to Gen. Johnston's successful It was Lieut. Reynolds who served as guide to Gen. Wheeler when Gen. Kilpatrick's headquarters were captured in North Carolina.

Lieut. Reynolds was the last man to leave Columbia before the burning of that city. He had already ridden out of the city before it was set on fire, and upon riding up to Gen. Hampton, That general said to him: "Lieut. Reynolds, I wish you would ride back and see what troops those are firing the city." Selecting a comrade to go with him, they went back into Columbia, and on returning they each took a prisoner to Gen. Hampton.

After the war he located at Montevallo and engaged in the mercantile business, in which he has continued until the present time.

In 1861, he married Miss Mary Boyd, of Selma, daughter of Hugh and Mrs. Boyd. To this marriage there have been born ten children, viz: William B, Bessie, Eugene, DuBose, Herbert E., Fred K., Belle, Harvey C., Maude and Lucia, nine of whom are living. The mother of these children was born in Chester District, S.C. and died June 29, 1890. She was a member of the Baptist church.

December 2, 1891 Mr. Reynolds married Mrs. Hattie Meredith, a daughter of a Mr. Simpson, of Atlanta, Ga., whose mother was taken sick during the siege of Atlanta, in a bomb proof, and was sent north to Boston by Gen. Sherman. Mr. Reynolds is a Knight of Honor. On his return from the war he began life without property, but by his industry and energy he has accumulated a competence.

He stands deservedly high in the esteem of his neighbors and friends, who almost idolize him for his bravery and patriotism during the late Civil War.

As you can see from the names of Henry's children and from the names of some of our own ancestors there is just too much similarity for him not to be related to us. I hope to, in the near future, again visit Alabama and Tennessee and then perhaps I can link these two family's together.

Henry Carter Reynolds

11/14/1879 - 12/10/1933