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Note: July 7, 1916 Antelope Valley Ledger M. J. Reynolds died July 2, 1916. He had gone to his ranch on the west side, when he didn't return as expected, Mrs Reynolds sent her son Maurice to find him. Other person had found him dead. It seem Mr Reynolds had a loaded gun with him, to shoot rabbits, it is unknown how the gun discharged, as he climbed over the fence, but he was killed instantly. Maurice James Reynolds was born in North Wootton, Somerset County, England Sept 1, 1861. His mother died when he was very young, he was sent to a rich uncle who was supposed to educate him. It did not work out, He came to America on his own at age 18. He lived in Strabery Point, Iowa where he read Horace Grealeys advice "go west young men" on November 20, 1887 he was in Lancaster, California. He bought land, developed ranches and started several businesses. Jane Porter was a cook at the Western Hotel in Lancaster by 1895. They were married January 22 1897 and had four children, John, Nellie, Flora, and Maurice James. M.J. is survived by his wife three children, 2 brothers and 2 sister in England. 4 half sister in England, 2 half brother in California 1 here in Lancaster and 1 in San Fernando, 3 half brothers in England 2 of these 3 are on the firing lines in France. Antelope Valley Press Thursday Feb 16 1984 Lancaster Centennial 1884-1984 The Reynolds M. J. went west and stayed Answering the beckoning call "Go West, young man and grow with the country" M. J. (Maurice James) Reynolds, left his native England in the late 1800's and set foot on American soil with dreams of opportunity and prosperous future. His pioneering spirit led him to California on Nov 20, 1887. Sighting Lancaster from a train on a bright and sunny day, he decided this was the place to settle down. Convinced Antelope Valley would be great and prosperous, Reynolds set about home steading the area firmly imprinting his mark on the land and leaving a legacy in form of Jane Reynolds Park. Reynolds was born Sept 1 1861 in Somersetshire, England. Five years later, Jane Porter later to become Jane Reynolds, was born Sept 1 at Castle Cook, Cork County, Ireland, to Anne and John Porter. When 22, Porter immigrated to America, stopping in New York City a few months, then on to Chicago where she stayed for 13 years. She served as a nurse companion to a doctor's ailing wife, who had tuberculosis. Convinced the ailing woman should be in a drier climate, the doctor moved his family to Los Angeles and eventually to Lancaster. After his wife's death, the returned to Los Angeles, but Porter stayed on in Lancaster as a cook at the Western Hotel. With a common cog planted in fortune's wheel. Porter and Reynolds met at the Western Hotel, and romance evolved. They were married in Los Angeles Jan 11,1897. The Reynolds had four children, John Edwards, who died in infancy, Flora, M. J.(Jumbo) still in Lancaster, and Helen Elizabeth (Nellie). Not only was America the land of opportunity, but Lancaster was a promising place to settle down according to Jumbo Reynolds. "He saw hotels in head all over Lancaster," said Jumbo referring to his father visions. "Water was flowing," said Bo Reynolds , Jumbo wife. "He thought it was the land of milk and honey." It was also the land of antelopes, with Reynolds reportedly seeing as many a 27 on one trip to Lancaster in those early days. In one early Ledger-Gazette profile of Reynolds, Flora Sterk said her father believed the Valley would on day be"the milk bottle of Los Angeles." His dream was for the Valley to be a dairy center,she said. Reynolds' mother died when he was a young boy and after his father remarried, he went to live with a rich uncle who was supposed to provide care and education for him. When this did not work out, the disappointed youth began listening with great interest to talk about the the golden opportunities in America. At the age of 18, Reynolds left his uncle's home and set out for America to seek his fortune. He ended up at Strawberry Point, Iowa, where he stayed for six years. He got a job on a farm and one of his chores was to milk eight to ten cows. Jumbo recalls that his father also worked as a janitor in a schoolhouse, in exchange for education. Between his chores, he finished his elementary school education and later attending night school in Dubuque, taking business courses. In a 1915 letter to editor in the Ledger-Gazette, Reynolds describes his trek to Lancaster. "I procured a ticket at Manchester, Iowa, for Los Angeles via Kansas City, Trinidad and Mojave. At the latter town, where a change was made for Los Angeles, I had to wait for the Los Angeles connection two hours and, to kill time, I proceeded to write letters to my friends in Iowa and Dakota. On going to the U.S. post office to mail them, I had not enough stamps for all the letters and presented three one-cent pieces to Uncle Sam's servant. He promptly refused to take them, informing me that nothing less than 10 cents was good for a stamp so I plugged up," Reynolds tells. "The news butcher on train did business along the same line in selling papers. In less than an hour Lancaster was sighted. At 10o'clock Sunday morning, Nov 20 1887, I arrived and there was no crowd to greet me, as would be the case now. It was one of those bright, sunny days, of which we have so many in the fall and winter, that caused me to return with four others and select the southwest quarter of section 18; township 7 north range 10 west; S. B. M. 8 1/2 miles due east of Lancaster. " I filed a timber culture claim in Dec 1887, and Feb 12, 1888, I let a contract for clearing and breaking five acres. In Feb 1889, I hired teams, cleared and plowed six acres more sowed some wheat, barely, oats and rye, also some garden seeds, having built the necessary fence to keep out range cattle as there were many of them in those days. " I built a house, put down a well to 42 feet, securing plenty of water at a depth of 31 feet, made and erected a windmill, installed a pump, made a board reservoir, built a V flume and was ready for business. There being no housekeepers, I had to Bach it. Never have been away from the Valley more than five months at a time, and for the period only on two occasions. Reynolds had many talents and interests. In addition to farming, he worked on a railroad and in mines and drilled wells. Often he did his work in payment for land fence posts, or whatever else could be bartered. He also did cement work for Los Angeles Pershing Square. Reynolds was part owner of the old Gazette when Frank Robinson was publisher. He also served as director and treasurer of the original Antelope Valley Bank and had interest in a mercantile store. When Reynolds got tired of going to Los Angeles for new fan belt and springs for his first automobile, he opened the first Ford agency in Lancaster with the parts department located in his home. He also wrote farm articles for various newspapers and magazines including the California Cultivator.
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