From History of Walworth County Wisconsin by Albert Clayton Beckwith, Vol. II, 
Publ. 1912 - Page 935-936
 
MERRIOTT E. REYNOLDS.  In the old countries of the world, particularly those 
governed by kings or emperors, there is a sharp contrast drawn between persons 
of title and the laboring classes.  The aristocratic members of these 
countries, from time immemorial, tried to make it appear that the kings or 
emperors ruled by divine authority, and the families of the nobilities 
attempted to establish their superiority over the working classes on much the 
same basis.  As a consequence labor has always been looked upon in those 
countries as degrading, whether in the fields or the factories and mills, 
instead of being the highest employment to which man can turn his hand.  In 
our country, on the contrary, it has been largely the tendency to ennoble 
labor, and this tendency has been largely successful, because, aside from the 
weak-minded aristocrats of the cities, all of us regard labor as wholly 
dignified and honorable.  Even the President himself may have descended from 
the wilds of the West.  Among those who have been content to spend their lives 
in agricultural pursuits and who have added to the dignity and respectability 
of labor by fair and honorable conduct in Walworth county is Merriott E. 
REYNODS, of Delavan township.
 
Mr. REYNOLDS was born in Sugar Creek, Wisconsin, on May 17, 1870, and he is 
the son of John and Margaret (DALRYMPLE) REYNOLDS, the father a native of the 
state of Vermont and the mother of New York.  John REYNOLDS came to Wisconsin 
in 1851 and first settled in East Delavan, Walworth county; but after 
remaining there a few months he went overland to California, being among the 
great horde that crossed the western plains to the gold fields in 1849.  
Remaining in the Pacific coast country two years, he returned to East Delavan 
where he became well established through industry and honest dealings and 
became well known, making this his home until his death, on June 7, 1907; his 
widow survives and lives in East Delavan.  They were the parents of the 
following children: John and Amos are deceased; William Henry, Wilbur James, 
Louis E., Marion E. (deceased) and Merriott E., of this review, were twins.
 
Merriott E. REYNOLDS grew up on the home farm and assisted with the work on 
the place during the summer months, attending the public schools in the winter 
time at Elkhorn.  On October 12, 1898, he was united in marriage with Fannie 
M. SMITH, daughter of August P. and Hannah (BLUER) SMITH, a highly respected 
family.  To this union two children have been born, Mildred DeWitt, whose 
birth occurred on September 1, 1903, and Marion Elizabeth, born September 30, 
1907.
 
Mr. REYNOLDS has farmed all his life and has been very successful in his 
various operations.  He is now the owner of a fertile and well improved place 
of eighty acres in section 10, Delavan township, and he has a very comfortable 
home and good outbuildings and always keeps some good live stock.

Mr. REYNOLDS votes the Republican ticket and he is a member of the Baptist 
church at Delavan.  He belongs to the Modern Woodmen and he and his wife are 
members of the Mystic Workers.
 
Submitted by Carol