Portrait and biographical album of Ingham and Livingston counties, Michigan, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the counties ... the governors of the state and of all the presidents of the United States.

848

PORTRAIT AND BIOGRAPHICAL ALBUM.

here Mr. I'laceway has added new material to his
office until it is now an exceedingly well equipped
country office, and is as progressive and bright as
one ever finds.
The gentleman of whom it is our pleasure and
privilege to here give a short biographical sketch,
was married ()October 1, 1881, to Miss Alta E. Case.
a native of Brighton and a daughter of Ira W. Case,
one of the oldest merchants in the county. Mir.
and Mrs. Placeway are the pa ents of two children,
William C. and Edna S., who are bright and interesting children. He of whom we write is a Republican in his political predilection, and has held
various offices in the gift of the town. Hle has
been Village Clerk for three years and Township
Clerk for four years, also School Inspector for four
vears. I-e is now an incumbent of the office of
Town Clerk. The citizens in electing him delegate
to county and State conventions, have felt that
they were sending one of their best representatives.
Socially our subject belongs to the Knights of
Macabees, and is also a Son of Veterans. lie is by
profession an auctioneer and acts in this capacity
whenever called upon, having been thus employed
for ten years. He is also largely interested in the
real-estate business. lie himself owns eighty acres
of good land in this county and eighty acres in
Leroy Township, Ingham County. IHe is a good
salesman and is largely employed as an agent by
various property owners.
~4 -- ------ - -" I'
ICE ELBERT A. REYN()LDS. Among the
pushing, energetic, successful business men
(<' ~of Lyons, lonia County, is the subject of
this biographical notice. Mr.. Reynolds
came to Lyons with his family in 1881 on account
of its excellent railroad facilities, he being at that
time engaged as a traveling salesman in Michigan.
In the summer of 1882, the Grand River Echo, published at Lyons, suspended publication, and in
September, of the same year, the Muir Vidette met
a like fate. Mr. Reynolds, in company with W.
1). Pennington, Jr., bought the two plants, put in

a quantity of new material and the necessary
energy, launching the Lyons IHerald in October, of the same year. From that time the business
has continued to grow until at this writing Mr.
Reynolds is sole owner of one of the best newspapers and job printing offices in Central Michigan,
from which is issued the Patrons' Guide. The current issue of this paper is a little over ninety-three
thousand copies, while it carries a pay-roll of over
twenty men and women.
Personally, Mr. Reynolds is conservative, prudent and sagacious; editorially he is fearless, nonpartisan, and the terror of tricksters, political or
social rings. Born in Isabella County in 1854, lie
modestly claims the distinction of being the first
child born of white parents in that then Indian
reservation, and his education was such as could
be obtained among the Aborigines. Young Reynolds spent his time in driving the cows to pasture
and watching the hopper in his fatler's gristmill;
naturally inclined to literary pursuits he also devoted considerable attention to the study of history, books of travel and current newspaper
literature. Upon the death of his father in 1870,
he went to Maple Rapids, where he finished his
trade as a miller, but was soon taken with a protracted illness that kept his lungs in a very delicate
condition and almost undermined his entire constitution.
Turning his attention to the classics Mr. Reynolds soon fitted himself for teaching, which vocation he followed for eight winters, devoting his
time during the summer months to the subduing
of a small farm in Clinton County, and incidentally
becoming strong and healthy. During the years
spent on the farm he gave to the literary world
some very choice productions, which have won for
him a reputation as a writer, in which his friends
take a very commendable pride. The last eight
vears of his life have found his leisure hours employed in securing the data for what will be the
crowning effort of his literary career.
Mr. Reynolds is the only son of John and Catherine Reynolds, of old Puritan stock; the former
died in 1870),and the wife survived but two years.
The other members of the family are: Mrs. Delia
Davis, Mrs. Harriet Mullins and Mrs. Katie Helm.