The Wellington Leader June 9, 1966

John E. Reynolds, one of this area's earliest settlers and a resident of the Fresno and Dodson areas for three-quarters of a century, died in St. Joseph's Hospital at 7:05 p.m. Sunday, June 5. His death, attributed to a heart condition, followed an illness of only a few hours.

He was 83 years of age.

Mr. Reynolds was a retired farmer and only a few years ago moved from his farm near Dodson into Wellington.

Born at Saint Jo on August 20, 1882, he was the son of Elmina and John Taylor Reynolds.

Mr. Reynolds' mind was a treasury of memories of a pioneer Collingsworth County. The family reached Collingsworth County June 17, 1890 and settled two miles east of Fresno. He recalled, too, that the family "lived under the shade of a tree until my father could haul material from Childress for a dugout-not a half dugout, but a dugout".

They raised no crop that first year, but the next year, his father broke out land with a 9-inch turning plow and oxen and planted corn and a little grain.

Mr. Reynolds was perhaps the last man living here who helped break young oxen for farm work. He recalled some years ago that he did this for 50 cents a day-an 18 hour day. He never considered oxen hard to break.

He attended the country schools of the area, some almost forgotten, Fresno two terms, then Brewer School, located on the place where Mr. Reynolds lived many years. It was moved a mile and a half south to be nearer the center of the district and called Red Hill. He attended that school too.

On September 24, 1908, Mr. Reynolds was married to Miss Lessie Hamman in the home of Preacher Thompson near what is now Dodson.

Mr. Reynolds is survived by his wife, Mrs. Lessie Reynolds of Wellington, a daughter and son, Mrs. W. S. Berry of Skellytown, and Wayne Reynolds of Wellington.

Also surviving are a brother and sister, L. M. Reynolds of Plainview and Mrs. Mary Presnal of Gainesville, and there are two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.