The History of the Yakima Valley, Washington, Comprising Yakima, Kittitas and
Benton Counties, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1919, Volume II, page 751 

OTIS A. REYNOLDS.

Otis A. Reynolds is engaged in the further cultivation and development of
seventy acres of land in Yakima county, of which he owns thirty acres on the
Tieton. He is largely engaged in orcharding and raises some of the finest
apples produced in this section of the northwest. Much of his life has been
passed in the Pacific coast country although he is a native of Illinois. His
birth occurred in Woodford county, that state, on the 29th of August, 1880, his
parents being Albert and Betsy Madeline (Lawrence) Reynolds. The father died in
Illinois in 1883, after which the mother became the wife of W. B. Shannon, of
Oregon, and they are now residents of Sherman county, that state.

Otis A. Reynolds was but three years of age at the time of his father's death.
He was reared by his mother and stepfather in their Oregon home and the public
schools afforded him his educational opportunities. A spirit of patriotism
prompted his enlistment for service as a member of Company A. Second Oregon
United States Volunteer Infantry, during the Spanish-American war. He joined
that command on the 28th of April, 1898, almost as soon as war was declared, and
served throughout the period of hostilities between the two countries. He was on
active duty in the Philippines and was mustered out at the Presidio in
California on the 7th of August, 1899.

Mr. Reynolds then went to Seattle, where he engaged in blacksmithing, and later
was employed in the navy yard at Bremerton, where he engaged in mechanical work.
On the 5th of March, 1908, he came to Yakima county and purchased nine and
sixteenths acres of land on Selah Heights. This he further developed and
improved for a decade and in 1918 sold that property, which he had converted
into fine orchards. In August, 1918, he purchased thirty acres of land on the
Tieton, of which ten acres is in orchard. He also rents his father-in-law's
place of forty acres, of which twenty-seven acres is in apples. His business
affairs are most wisely and carefully conducted. He is working most persistently
and energetically for the further development of his orchards and displays
scientific care of his trees and the handling of the fruit.

On the 22d of July, 1914, Mr. Reynolds was married to Miss Nina E. Hersom, a
daughter of E. B. and Evaline E. Hersom. They now have one child, Madeline
Darling. In his political views Mr. Reynolds is a republican but the honors and
emoluments of office have no attraction for him, for he prefers to concentrate
his time and energies upon his business affairs, which are wisely directed and
are bringing to him substantial success.

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Submitted to the Washington Bios Project in January 2008 by Jeffrey L. Elmer.
Submitter has no additional information about the subject of this article.