John Merriman Reynolds (March 5, 1848 – September 14, 1933) was a lawyer, publisher and politician from the

state State may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Literature * ''State Magazine'', a monthly magazine published by the U.S. Department of State * ''The State'' (newspaper), a daily newspaper in Columbia, South Carolina, United States * ''Our S ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

Early life

Reynolds was born in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, near Quarryville, about twelve miles south of the city of Lancaster, to parents Patrick Hewitt and Ann (née Barnett) Reynolds. His father, Patrick, was one of the well-to-do farmers of this locality and an influential citizen. He dealt quite extensively in livestock, and he also operated a grist-mill. Patrick, a native of

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, was eight years old when he arrived in Lancaster County with his parents.

Education

John Reynolds attended the public schools in Lancaster and graduated from the First Pennsylvania State Normal School,

Millersville, Pennsylvania Millersville is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, United States. At the 2020 census the population was 7,629 and in 2021 it was estimated at 7,593. Geography Millersville is located in central Lancaster County at (40.006148, -76.35134 ...

, (now

Millersville University of Pennsylvania Millersville University of Pennsylvania (commonly known as Millersville University, The Ville, or MU) is a public university in Millersville, Pennsylvania. It is one of the fourteen schools that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher ...

) in 1867 and from Columbian College (now

George Washington University The George Washington University (GW or GWU) is a Private university, private University charter#Federal, federally chartered research university in Washington, D.C. Chartered in 1821 by the United States Congress, GWU is the largest Higher educat ...

) in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

, in 1895. He was principal of public schools of

Bedford, Pennsylvania Bedford is a borough and spa town in and the county seat of Bedford County in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is located west of Harrisburg, the state capital, and east of Pittsburgh. Bedford's population was 2,861 at the 2020 census. Hi ...

, 1867-1869. He studied law, was admitted to the bar February 15, 1870, and commenced practice in Bedford. He became publisher and half-owner of the ''

Bedford Gazette The ''Bedford Gazette'' is an American daily newspaper serving Bedford, Pennsylvania, with a circulation of approximately 10,000 copies. It is run by Sample News Group. History Launched as a Federalist weekly on September 21, 1805, its founder Mc ...

'' in 1872, which he edited until August 1, 1880, when he devoted full attention to his growing law practice.

Political activities

Pennsylvania offices

Reynolds was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in October 1872, taking his seat in January 1873 as the youngest member of the body at age 24. He was re-elected in 1873 and was actively concerned in framing much of the legislation necessary to put in force the new constitution of the state adopted in 1873. He declined to be a candidate for re-election but was elected prosecuting attorney of Bedford County, serving from 1875 to 1879, at which time he declined renomination. In 1882, he was an unsuccessful candidate for the

Pennsylvania Senate The Pennsylvania State Senate is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered ...

. He was president of the board of education of Bedford 1884-1900. He was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1888 and 1892. He engaged in the banking business in 1893.

National offices

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Grover Cleveland Stephen Grover Cleveland (March 18, 1837June 24, 1908) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 22nd and 24th president of the United States from 1885 to 1889 and from 1893 to 1897. Cleveland is the only president in American ...

appointed Reynolds Assistant Secretary of the Interior, serving from April 15, 1893, to June 1, 1897. In 1896, unable to support the policies of the Democratic presidential candidate,

William Jennings Bryan William Jennings Bryan (March 19, 1860 – July 26, 1925) was an American lawyer, orator and politician. Beginning in 1896, he emerged as a dominant force in the Democratic Party, running three times as the party's nominee for President ...

, Reynolds left the party and actively campaigned for the

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

candidate,

William McKinley William McKinley (January 29, 1843September 14, 1901) was the 25th president of the United States, serving from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. As a politician he led a realignment that made his Republican Party largely dominant in ...

. In 1897, Reynolds was admitted to the bar of the Supreme Court of the United States.

House of Representatives

In November 1904, Reynolds was elected as a Republican to the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for the 59th, 60th, and 61st Congresses.

Pennsylvania Lieutenant Governor

He resigned in 1911 to become the tenth

lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania The lieutenant governor is a constitutional officer of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The lieutenant governor is elected for a four-year term in the same year as the governor. Each party picks a candidate for lieutenant governor independently o ...

, which he held from January 17, 1911 to January 19, 1915. He resumed the practice of law and again engaged in banking in Bedford. He was a member of the commission to revise the banking laws of the State of Pennsylvania 1917-1925.

Death and burial

Reynolds died in Bedford and is interred in Bedford Cemetery. He was an active member of the Episcopal church, having served as vestryman, warden and superintendent of the Sunday-school. He was also a

Royal Arch Mason Royal Arch Masonry (also known as "Capitular Masonry") is the first part of the York Rite system of the Masonic degrees. Royal Arch Masons meet as a ''Chapter'', and the Royal Arch Chapter confers four degrees: ''Mark Master Mason, Past Master, ...

and a Knight Templar.

References

External links

''BEDFORD, Biographical Review''
1899, Bedford Co., PA, pp. 183 – 242

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reynolds, John Merriman Members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Lieutenant Governors of Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Democrats People from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania American people of Irish descent 1848 births 1933 deaths Republican Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania Columbian College of Arts and Sciences alumni