Untitled Document

ELISHA P. REYNOLDS

Elisha P. Reynolds, Sr., an extensive railroad and bridge contractor, and one of the pioneers of Rock Island, came to this place from Vermont in November, 1839. In that early day travelers in this section of country did not have the excellent railroad facilities we now have; indeed, the stage coach was seen only at few places and at rare intervals. Reynolds was hardy and determined, and on reaching Chicago set out for Rock Island on foot, walking the entire distance -150 miles- through the unsettled county.

Mr. Reynolds was born in Washington Co., Vt, Feb. 13,1817. His parents were Elisha and Betwey (Stuart) Reynolds. The former was born in New York, of English descent, and the latter was a native of Massachusetts, of Scotch descent. The subject of this sketch remained with his parents until he was 21 years old, receiving a good common-school education. After leaving home he worked for three years for $10 per month, but being dissatisfied with the outlook in the East, and the narrow field it afforded for a young man of enterprise, he determined to come to the new and growing West.

After his arrival here he found , as all pioneers to a new country do, that much hard muscular work is requied to develop a country. For about two years he worked at cutting wood and splitting rails, after which he engaged in burning and selling lime for another two years. Seeing a vast field of fertile land all about him, he determined to try his had at farming, and accordingly, in 1844, he rented a farm of 640 acres across Rock River. This venture did not prove so successful as he anticipated, and after three years he left the farm and engaged in the brick business and contracting, erecting buildings, etc. This line of work he successfully followed for seven years, when in 1853, he enlarged his field of operation, taking in the construction of public works, he took at this time the contract for grading five miles of the Rock Island Railroad.

In this he employed as many as 50 men at a time, he was especially fitted for this line of wirk, and which he has since successfully followed, doing some very hard work, the larges contract he ever took to complete in one years, and in fact one that ranks among the heavy contracts of the country, was the construction of 250 miles of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, furnishing everything except the iron, ties and spikes. The amount he received for this work was $1,500,000. During this time he worked 3,00 men and 1,500 teams. At the present time, however he employs only 300 men. In 1884 he built 250 miles of railroad for the following companies: The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, Cedar Rapids & Northern, andWinona, Alma & Northern Railroads.

Among his extensive bridge building operations is the building of the railroad bridge over theMississippi at Minneapolis, and the one in Dubuque, and also the one in Louisiana across theMississippi, and the one over the Ohio at Cincinnati, the one at Glasgow over the Missouri, andalso the one at Plattsmouth over the same river. He has had the contract for and direct charge ofbuilding 1,500 miles of railroad, and besides the bridges mentioned above, numerous others oversmall streams.

In 1860 Mr. Reynolds purchased 350 acres of land in Hampton township, this county, which he still owns and upon which he keeps his tenants.Mr. Reynolds was united in marriage with Eliza Young, a native of Vermont, April 17, 1847. Tothem were born five children, four of whom are still living, - John G., Betsey, Lucy and Benjamin.mrs. Reynolds died in 1858 and Mr. Reynolds contracted a subsequent marriage with Amanda Ogden Oct. 20, 1860. Mrs. Reynolds is a native of Illinois and the mother of one child, - Elisha P.of his children, John Benjamin and Lucy are married. The two former are in ocmpany with him under the firm name of E.P. Reynolds & Co., who are engaged in contracting and buildingrailroads in different States and Territories of the Union.Although not a politician, though being a strong Republican in his political views, he has been chosen Mayor of Rock Island for two terms, conducting the affairs of the city in that straightforward, business like way so characterist of the man.

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