Uintah County, Utah Pioneers

Obituary (died Nov 13, 1900) From the Vernal Express:

END OF AN ACTIVE LIFE- Father Reynolds

The Oldest Man in the County Passes Away-Was one of the Early Settlers of Utah and Assisted in the Building of New Settlements.

It was well known that Father William P. Reynolds, who has been an unusually active man almost up to the last month of his mortal career, had been suffering from a complication of diseases incident to old age and his recovery had been despaired of by his family and friends for some time. Therefore the news of his death was not unexpected. The sad event occurred at his home in Mill ward early Tuesday morning, and as the news spread among the people it caused a great deal of comment.

Throughout life he had been a man of strong character, honest, up right, generous to a fault, cheerful under adverse circumstances, devoted to his family and friends and a consistent Latter Day Saint. He was an indefatigable worker and his strength of mind and body were phenomenal. He was more than able to support himself up to the date of his last ill- ness. On the county records we find a claim for services rendered the county allowed him at the October meeting of the county commissioners. He enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest person in the county. Had his life been prolonged until next April he would have been eight-five years of age.
The funeral services were held at the Mill ward Social Hall under the auspices of the Mill ward bishopric. A large cortege followed the remains from the residence to the meeting place. Six members of the High Council acted as pall bearers, A large throng of people attended the funeral, giving evidence of the high esteem in which the aged veteran was held.

The speakers were Elders J.H. Glines, George D. Merkley, I.J. Clark, George A. Davis, Thomas Karren, R.S. Collett and S.R. Bennion. All of the speakers referred to the good character and the sterling integrity as well as the great labors of the deceased. Elder I.J. Clark had known him for fifty-eight years. After the services the remains, followed by an immense cortege, were interred in the Mill ward cemetery.

BIOGRAPHICAL

William Pitt Reynolds was born at Benton, Yates county, New York, April 3rd, 1816. He was married to Melissa Bardwell October 6th, 1841, at Erie, Pennsylvania, after which he returned to New York and resided in Livingstone county. He was baptised into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints by Elder William Hyde in 1844.
In 1848 he moved to the state of Michigan where he buried both his parents. His removal to Utah took place in 1853 and his first residence in the new settlements was at Provo. While there he was an active member of the Utah Militia. During the winter of 1858 he assisted in rescuing the last of the hand cart companies that were snowbound in the mountains.

In Wasatch county he was a pioneer. As he settled at Heber City in 1861. He moved to this valley in 1880 and has ever been a prominent man in this community. He and his sons built the first flouring mill here. One term he served as county prosecuting attorney. Since the organization of the stake he has been a member of the High Council. His aged wife survives him as does also ten of his fourteen children. He has eighty grandchildren and thirty- three great-grandchildren.