John Reynolds (Indiana politician)
John Reynolds | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date near Lancaster, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | March 30, 1890 (aged 75) Terre Coupee Prairie, St. Joseph County, Indiana, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Politician, businessman, bank president |
| Years active | 1850–1884 |
| Known for | Indiana House of Representatives (1850–1851, 1867), Indiana Senate (1862), banking leadership in Indiana |
John Reynolds (July 12, 1814 – March 30, 1890) was a prominent figure in Indiana's political and business spheres. His legislative service included terms in the Indiana House of Representatives during 1850–1851 and again in 1867, as well as a tenure in the Indiana Senate in 1862.
Early life
Reynolds was born near Lancaster, Ohio, and his family relocated multiple times before eventually settling in Indiana. Early in his career, he engaged in agricultural labor and contributed to infrastructure development, holding supervisory roles on projects such as the Wabash and Erie Canal and Michigan Road near South Bend, Indiana. Additionally, he was involved in the manufacturing of plow irons based in La Porte, Indiana.
Career
After briefly claiming land in Illinois, Reynolds returned to Indiana to undertake a construction contract with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway. Following the departure of his partners, he managed the finished segment independently for a period of three years. Together with his brothers George and Ethan, he operated a mercantile enterprise before retiring from that venture to concentrate on banking and financial interests by 1860. At that time, he was recognized as the wealthiest individual in Indiana.
Originally affiliated with the Whig Party, Reynolds later aligned himself with the Republican Party. In 1862, he assumed a seat in the state Senate after John F. Miller resigned. His political involvement extended to serving as a delegate at the 1864 National Union National Convention, acting as a presidential elector during the 1884 Republican National Convention, and participating in Indiana’s Constitutional Convention.
During the Civil War period, Reynolds arranged for substitutes to fulfill his military obligations. He held controlling stakes in both the First National Bank of South Bend and the First National Bank of Michigan City, presided over Buchanan’s Bank located in Michigan, and maintained significant shareholding in Chicago’s Union National Bank. By the end of his life, he was acknowledged as a millionaire entrepreneur wielding substantial influence within regional banking circles.
Personal life
In 1844, Reynolds married Clara Egbert; together they had five children. Clara passed away in 1856. He sustained a close friendship with Governor Oliver P. Morton throughout his life.
Reynolds died from complications related to a gastric ulcer on March 30, 1890, at Terre Coupee Prairie in St. Joseph County, Indiana. His final resting place is Hamilton Cemetery within St. Joseph County.