Overview

In this second edition, historians Chuck Parsons and Donaly E. Brice present a complete picture of N. O. Reynolds (1846–1922), a Texas Ranger who brought a greater respect for the law in Central Texas. Reynolds began as a sergeant in famed Company D, Frontier Battalion in 1874. He served honorably during the Mason County """"Hoo Doo"""" War and was chosen to be part of Major John B. Jones's escort, riding the frontier line. In 1877 he arrested the Horrells, who were feuding with their neighbors, the Higgins party, thus ending their Lampasas County feud. Shortly thereafter he was given command of the newly formed Company E of Texas Rangers. Also in 1877 the notorious John Wesley Hardin was captured; N.O. Reynolds was given the responsibility to deliver Hardin to trial in Comanche, return him to a safe jail during his appeal, and then escort him safely to the Huntsville penitentiary.

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9781574415728

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Reviews

A brilliantly written and meticulously researched biography . . . brings out of obscurity the life and times of a most remarkable man. . . . [V]ery highly recommended for community and academic library American Biography and Texas history collections, as well as to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history and personalities of the Texas Rangers. -- Midwest Book Review The authors have chosen to cast light on an obscure Frontier Battalion-era Texas Ranger, bringing forth an even more vibrant history of the famed organization in the process. In the end, N.O. Reynolds is shaped into a living, breathing character. This book should be of interest not only for the study of the Texas Rangers, but to those interested in the entire 19th Century West. -- WWA Roundup Magazine This book is exceptionally well researched and written. . . . The Appendix A of the Reynolds biography contains a short biographical sketch of each of the 35 men of Company E, Frontier Battalion, personally selected by Reynolds after he was given command of the company in 1877. That such information exists and was obtained by Parsons and Brice is remarkable. -- Plum Creek Almanac This is an impressive book, rich in detail . . . . It is a welcome contribution to nineteenth-century Texas history, and an entertaining read. -- Southwestern Historical Quarterly The saga of the Texas Rangers as a formally organized law enforcement entity stretches back to 1874, with the initiation of the Frontier Battalion. From the beginning, and for the nextfour-and-a-half years, N.O. Reynolds was there, quickly establishing himself as a leader. Reynolds led his men in the fight to head off Indian incursions, cope with deadly local feuds, and track down the numerous outlaws plaguing the state. His own men described him as 'good, noble, kind, just and impartial, brave and true as steel.' Chuck Parsons and Donaly Brice, both of whom are well steeped and respected in exploring Ranger history, have diligently and thoroughly scoured the records and other important sources to bring Reynolds to life, giving him the proper recognition as one who, through personal grit and tenacity, helped forge the sterling legacy of the Texas Rangers we know today. Rick Miller, author of Texas Ranger John B. Jones and the Frontier Battalion, 1874-1881 N. O. Reynolds encountered some of the worst outlaws and feudists Texas produced from the infamous Hoo Doo War to the violence prone Horrell brothers. Parsons and Brice have produced a fast-paced and thoroughly documented work that is another important book on the Rangers that ably separates fact from folklore. David Johnson, author of John Ringo, King of the Cowboys and The Mason County Hoo Doo War, 1874-1902 The authors should be commended for putting together an informative and thorough biography of N. O. Reynolds, who took part in major events such as the Mason County War and the chase and death of Sam Bass. Harold J. Weiss, Jr., author of Yours to Command: The Life and Legend of Texas Ranger Captain Bill McDonald He never made Captain but he should have. Lieutenant N. O. Reynolds was arguably the most courageous, principled, effective, and relentless Ranger leader in the history of the Frontier Battalion. In this long-awaited biography, Parsons and Brice have documented Reynolds brilliant five years service (1874-79) as a Ranger along the western Texas Hill Country frontier, setting it in the context of his long life as soldier, Texas Ranger, County Sheriff, and family man in post-frontier Texas. Good history shouldn t be this much fun to read! Peter R. Rose, author of The Reckoning: The Triumph of Order and Law on the Texas Outlaw Frontier

This book is exceptionally well researched and written. . . . The Appendix A of the Reynolds biography contains a short biographical sketch of each of the 35 men of Company E, Frontier Battalion, personally selected by Reynolds after he was given command of the company in 1877. That such information exists and was obtained by Parsons and Brice is remarkable. -- Plum Creek Almanac

A brilliantly written and meticulously researched biography . . . brings out of obscurity the life and times of a most remarkable man. . . . [V]ery highly recommended for community and academic library American Biography and Texas history collections, as well as to the attention of non-specialist general readers with an interest in the history and personalities of the Texas Rangers. -- Midwest Book Review

This is an impressive book, rich in detail . . . . It is a welcome contribution to nineteenth-century Texas history, and an entertaining read. -- Southwestern Historical Quarterly

Author Information

Chuck Parsons is the author of Captain John R. Hughes: Lone Star Ranger; The Sutton-Taylor Feud, John B. Armstrong: Texas Ranger, Pioneer Rancher; and coauthor of A Lawless Breed: John Wesley Hardin, Texas Reconstruction, and Violence in the Wild West. Donaly E. Brice is currently Senior Research Assistant of the Texas State Library and Archives Commission and is the author of The Great Comanche Raid and coauthor of The Governor's Hounds: The Texas State Police, 1870-1873.

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