Thomas C. Reynolds

Thomas Reynolds (1796 – 1844) was the seventh Governor of Missouri from 1840 to 1844.

Thomas Reynolds was born 12 March 1796 in Bracken County, Kentucky. He died 09 February 1844 at the Executive Mansion, Jefferson City, Cole County, Missouri.

Parents: Nathaniel and Catherine Vernon Reynolds

Married:

1. on 02 September 1823 in Fayette County, Kentucky to Eliza Ann Young

A sofa with pineapple shaped legs

The [second executive] mansion suffered a fire during the 1840s during the administration of Thomas Reynolds. A sofa with pineapple shaped legs belonging to Reynolds is now one of the oldest pieces of furniture in the current mansion.

Brief Biography

Thomas Reynolds (D) was a native of Kentucky but moved to Illinois as a young man. While there, he practiced law and was elected as a state representative then attorney general, circuit court judge, and finally chief justice of the supreme court of Illinois. In 1829, he moved to Fayette, Missouri, and soon was elected as representative from Howard County in 1832 and was immediately chosen as Speaker of the House. After his term, he was a circuit court judge and then was elected as the seventh governor of Missouri in 1840. As governor, he held limited-government views and abolished the practice of imprisoning debtors. While in office, he committed suicide on February 9, 1844, the reason given as the "slanders and abuse" of his political opponents. (1)

Death

On his writing table was a sealed message addressed to Missouri Secretary of State G. Minor which read:

• "I have labored and discharged my duties faithfully to the public, but this has not protected me from the slanders and abuse which has rendered my life a burden to me…I pray to God to forgive them and teach them more charity."

Links

• Thomas Reynolds' Gravesite
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Reynolds_(governor)
• History of the Missouri Governor's Mansion

Citations

1. Missouri State Archives Finding Aid 3.7