The parents of the Reynolds family were Barber Watkins Reynolds (1819 – 1882) and Anne Marie Campbell (1816 – 1909). A daughter, Sallie Reynolds Matthews, has written that her father’s heritage was English and Welsh, and that he was born in Oglethorpe County, Georgia. His family had resided in the United States for several generations and at least one of his ancestors had fought for Virginia in the Revolutionary War. The name Barber was his mother’s maiden name.
Anne Maria Campbell Reynolds’ heritage was Scotch and she was born in Chesterfield District, South Carolina. Her family was originally from the Carolinas but had resettled in Alabama when she was two years old. When she was still a young girl, Sallie the daughter relates, Anne Marie’s father died from injuries suffered from a fall from a horse and her mother followed him in death shortly thereafter. Annie Marie was raised by the family of an older brother. She and Barber Watkins were married in 1841. The first of their children followed in 1842. George Thomas and William David were the oldest surviving sons after a their first born infant son died. The other children were Susan Emily, Benjamin Franklin, Glenn Phineas Watkins and Sallie Ann. Susan Emily was the first child born in Texas in 1848, after their move a year earlier. They were some of the earliest Anglo settlers and the area around where they lived (now Palo Pinto County) was still vulnerable to attacks from the native tribes.
Game was plentiful, but two of their primary hardships were the scarcity of timber with which to construct their cabins and outbuildings and the randomness of the Indian attacks which could take place at any time. Sallie, the writer, said that she had been personally acquainted with members of neighboring families who were either killed or taken away as captives. Some early “forts” were built by civilians near the end of the Civil War. One of them was called Fort Davis on the Clear Fork of the Brazos. This is not to be confused with the fort of the same name in the Davis Mountains. Families built a stockade there. Some built residences and lived inside for their protection until the war ended.
After the war, George Thomas and William David branched out and formed a cattle partnership using the Long X brand. The name and brand appears to be one they had used early on, prior to 1870. They had other ranches in Texas and other states from time to time, but the Texas properties appear to be the holdings that gave rise to the later incorporation of Reynolds Cattle Company, incorporated in 1884. The brothers registered the brand in other states, as well. A 1990 newspaper article in the Abilene Reporter News notes that the Long X was the first brand registered in the state of North Dakota.
The brothers had raised cattle together and driven some west taking routes that would avoid the areas most heavily traveled by the various tribes. One one occasion in April, 1867 George Thomas was with a group of men trying to recover their stolen cattle when he was shot with an arrow in his abdomen. The arrow was thought to have glanced off the Union Army belt buckle George was wearing, which slowed it down somewhat, although it penetrated into his stomach. A doctor was called once George was brought home. The doctor tried and failed to extract it. George carried the two inch arrowhead for another sixteen years until it was removed by a group of surgeons.
Sallie describes a day in the summer of 1867, when a body of men on horseback were spotted approaching the area. Thinking they might be more tribe members preparing to attack, the residents retreated into their cabins and armed themselves. Then as the group drew closer, the residents caught the sun reflecting off bayonets. The group was part of the Sixth United States Cavalry sent to the area to reestablish Fort Griffin.
As noted above, the company was incorporated in 1884 and in 1901 its headquarters were moved to Fort Worth. George T. Reynolds died in 1925 and is buried in Albany along with many other family members. William D. Reynolds died in 1929 and is buried at Oakwood Cemetery in Fort Worth. Over the years, the corporation stock has been passed down to descendants. For many years the ranch was managed by Watkins Wendell “Watt” Reynolds. Watt was one of the sons of William David “Will” Reynolds and Susan Alice Matthews Reynolds. This couple was one of five members of the Barber Watkins Reynolds family married members of the Joe Beck Matthews family. Watt was born in 1889 and after growing up and working on the ranch was educated at Yale University, graduating in 1912. Watt returned to Texas to become involved in the business, serving as President after 1974. Watt died at the age of 91 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth. Watt had succeeded his brother William David Reynolds, Jr. as president after the latter brother had died in 1973 at the age of 90. William David Reynolds, Jr. is buried at Oakwood with other family members.
Scores of cowboys worked have on the ranch. Billy the Kid is rumored to have picked up at least one pay check as he was passing through. Other men stayed longer. Jack Pate was born in Albany in 1904 and worked on both the Matthews and Reynolds properties his whole life. He also performed in the Fort Griffin Fandangle, the long running musical performance that tells stories of early days of the area. Another long time employee was M. B. Gentry. Gentry had met George T. Reynolds in 1868 in Salt Lake City. Gentry was driving race horses to Texas and Reynolds was driving the company cattle north for sale. Reynold was able to encourage Gentry to come to work for the company, eventually becoming foreman, overseeing several ranches. Gentry and his wife acquired a Reynolds stone residence and large barn in 1884. He built other buildings around it, including an L shaped shed barn where he kept thoroughbred horses. Gentry died in 1924 at age of seventy-five of an apparent heart ailment as he was traveling to one of the ranches. Over fifty years later, the Reynolds-Gentry barn (by then about one hundred years old) was donated to the National Ranching Heritage Center on the campus of Texas Tech University. Like other structures, it was disassembled, moved and reassembled in an area behind the Heritage Center museum. Newer alterations, including dormer windows, were removed and the barn was restored to its original configuration, also being painted in its original red as found on some existing boards.
The Reynolds Cattle Company is still an active Texas entity in ranching, animals, livestock and agriculture.
Sources include newspaper articles and “Interwoven – A Pioneer Chronicle” by Sallie Reynolds Matthews.
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