Bio
George Thomas Reynolds (1844–1925), a pioneer cattleman, was born on February 14, 1844, in Montgomery County, Alabama. His family moved to East Texas in 1847 and eventually settled in Golconda (later Palo Pinto) before relocating to the Brazos River in Stephens County. At fifteen, Reynolds rode the pony express through hostile territory, and at seventeen, he joined the Confederate Army, serving in the Nineteenth Texas Cavalry. After receiving a medical discharge, he returned to Texas with little to his name but soon became involved in cattle driving.
In 1865, Reynolds drove one of the first cattle herds to New Mexico. A year later, his family moved to the Stone Ranch near Camp Cooper. In 1867, Reynolds married Lucinda “Bettie” Matthews, and with her dowry of 200 cows, they expanded their herd. The Reynolds brothers formed a partnership, establishing the Long X brand and driving cattle across several states and territories, including Colorado and California, where they made significant profits.
The Reynolds brothers continued their cattle operations, moving to Bent County, Colorado, before relocating back to Texas due to drought and conflicts with Native tribes. Their ventures thrived, leading to the establishment of ranches in Haskell, Shackelford, and Throckmorton counties. By 1884, their partnership became the Reynolds Cattle Company. Over the years, the company acquired vast ranchlands, including 232,000 acres in Jeff Davis County and 64,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle.
Reynolds died on March 5, 1925, in Fort Worth, leaving behind his widow and one adopted daughter. At his death, the Reynolds Cattle Company owned over 460,000 acres of ranchland, making it one of the largest in Texas.
