James Israel Reynolds
25 Sep 1844-21 Jun 1918
 
Vitals

James Reynolds was born 25 Sep 1844 in Dublin Township, Wayne County, IN. He was the son of Josiah and Elizabeth (Burgess) Reynolds. They were Quakers but had several descendants who served in the Civil War. On 3 Dec 1864 James married Lucy Artemis Bemis in La Porte, IN. She was born 5 Aug 1848 in Port Huron, MI, the daughter of Benjamin and Esther (Webb) Bemis. They were in Chester, Eaton County, MI in 1875 for the birth of Mary Elmira. The couple settled in Montcalm County 15 May 1880.

Mr. Reynolds is listed in the records as James Israel and Israel James Reynolds.

They had four children: Alberto (1867-1867); Cora Alta (1869-1941) wife of Jerome Wheeler, Elonzo David, Fred Mesing and Eugene Church; Mary Elmira (1875-1951) wife of George Covert and Eugene Darken; and Maude Effie (1878-1967) wife of Frank Elmer Gilbert.

Lucy Reynolds died 21 Sep 1889.

On 20 Jan 1900 James married Hannah Pelton Cornell in Charlotte, Eaton County, MI. He was living in McBride at this time. Hannah was the daughter of David Pelton and Hannah Smith. She had been married to Thomas Cornell who died in 1898. James and Hannah divorced on 21 April 1903 in Eaton County, MI. She then married Alfred Z. Smith in 1904. She died in 1934.

On 23 Mar 1909 James married Sarah H. (McCarm) Reynolds in La Grange, IN. He had been living in Eagle, Clinton County, Michigan. She was born in Benton Township, Elkhart, IN, 15 May 1872 to Jacob McCarm and Martha Matilda Alford. She had been married twice before as well. Her husbands had died.

James is described as being 5 feet, 11 and one-half inches tall, fair complexion, hazel eyes and light hair. He died of cancer in 1918 in Portland, Ionia County, MI.
Service At 20 years of age, James Reynolds enlisted on 15 Feb 1865. He had been employed in La Porte, Indiana as a farmer. He became a private in Company K, 151st Indiana Volunteer Infantry. He was promoted to Corporal and received an honorable discharge 19 Sep 1865 in Nashville, TN. He was pensioned.
GAR Post #94
Siblings Three brother of James Reynolds served in the war: David B. Reynolds and Stephen G. Reynolds were in the 151st Indiana Volunteers, the former in Company K and the latter in Company A. The third brother John N. Reynolds was in Company K, 73rd Indiana Volunteer Infantry. Charles Bemis, a brother of Mrs. Reynolds, served in Company A, 151st Indiana Volunteer Infantry.
Records 1850 Census New Durham, La Porte County, IN Josiah is listed as a lumberman.
1860 Census New Durham, La Porte County, IN Listed alone at age 16 with an Elizabeth, age 10
1870 Census Cool Spring, La Porte County, IN  
1880 Census Ferris Township, Montcalm County, MI  
1890 Veteran Census    
1900 Census Walton Township, Eaton County, MI  
1910 Census La Grange, La Grange County, IN South Street
Obit  
Death
Burial Ferris Center Cemetery
Vestaburg, Montcalm County, MI
Find A Grave #49861836
  Some biographical information from Presidents, Soldiers, Statesmen Vol II, 1892.