James Reynolds Day: Celebrating an American Patriot in Somers
Events for history and nature lovers alike at Reis Park and Angle Fly Preserve on May 17
By Lauretta Jones
When I moved from Ohio to Westchester, I was struck by how rich this area is in American history – much of it hiding in plain sight. Yet as busy schedules take us quickly from work to shopping, from school to play, we are only vaguely aware of the centuries-old cemeteries we pass and the many “Mills” in our road names. How much time do any of us have to wonder about the lives of the people who walked and rode their horses over the same ground that now disappears in a flash beneath our tires?
On Sunday, May 17, from 1:30 to 5, you can reconnect for an afternoon with some early Somers residents who are our neighbors “in time”. The Reynolds family no longer live just down the street, but once they did. In an earlier era, you may have attended church with them, discussed the weather and the price of cattle, or courted one of their daughters.
The patriarch, James Reynolds, was born in Greenwich, Connecticut, in 1759 and served in the Revolutionary War in Connecticut’s 9th Regiment in 1776 and 1777. After moving to Cross River, New York, James and his wife Abigail Knapp had fifteen children. Later, they relocated to Somers. Their fifth child, Silas, lived and farmed for 50 years on the homestead at the entrance to Angle Fly Preserve on Primrose Street in Somers. James and Silas – together with their wives and other members of the Reynolds family – are buried in the Mt. Zion churchyard in Reis Park, just down the street from the Silas Reynolds homestead. Their great-great-great grandchildren remain our neighbors today.
The Somers Land Trust and the Enoch Crosby Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) have come together to remember James Reynolds and the mark the Reynolds family has left on our town with a series of events for history and nature lovers alike on May 17, James Reynolds Day from 1:30 to 5:00.
In honor of James Reynolds’ service to our country, the DAR will initiate the afternoon’s events by unveiling a commemorative marker at his grave. The ceremony will be supported by Boy Scout Troop 376 and Revolutionary War re-enactors led by Bill Wienecke. James Reynolds’ gravestone has been cleaned and repaired for the occasion courtesy of the Somers Land Trust. We expect to have some of James Reynolds’ great-great-great-and-even-greater grandchildren in attendance.
After the ceremony, you can learn how to research your own family tree at a genealogy workshop in Mt. Zion Church. Mt Zion was built in 1794, is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places and is managed by the Somers Historical Society.
Following the genealogy workshop, drive the half mile down Primrose Street/Route 139 to Angle Fly Preserve for a tour of the Silas Reynolds house. The Somers Land Trust, stewards of the 654-acre preserve in partnership with the Town and Somers Parks and Recreation, are currently spearheading the volunteer-led rebuilding of the1770’s-era farmhouse. The goal is to create affordable housing for a town employee while restoring the exterior as it would have originally looked during the Revolutionary War. Several hundred years of interior renovations have already been stripped away revealing hallmarks of 18th Century hand-built techniques. Once the restoration is complete, many of those elements will again be hidden, so take this opportunity for a peek into our not-so-distant past.
While you’re in the preserve, enjoy fresh air and exercise by hiking some of the 10-mile trail system created by a dedicated group of land trust volunteers. Join the official guided hikes offered by Heritage Hills Hiking Club and DAR members or take off on your own. The trails are all well marked.
Where: Mt Zion Church and Angle Fly Preserve. Both are on Primrose Street (Rt. 139) in Somers, New York.
When: Sunday May 17, 2015 from 1:30 to 5:00
All events are open to the general public:
1:30-2:00 DAR grave marker ceremony in Mt. Zion Cemetery
2:15-3:15 Genealogy Workshop in Mt. Zion Church (National Register Site)
Revolutionary War Reenactors
2:30 & on Tours of the Reynolds House, Angle Fly Preserve
2:30 & 3:30 Guided hikes in Angle Fly Preserve
