Hall of Fame/1929

In 1930 Charles did some Military Training at Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis Mo.

Here is a brief history of memories of him.

by Jean Reynolds Carroll

Charles Edwin Reynolds was born February 1, 1912 in Jersey County and passed away February 20, 1991 in Jersey County at the age of 79 years. He was 6th of 9 children and the first boy born to the family. The story was always told that with 5 older sisters, the girls like to dress him like a girl and call him Gertie. His father was a farmer and they lived in East Newburn which is by Dow, Illinois. When Charlie was 13 years old his father died of typhoid fever. Life was hard in those days for a larger family especially when Charles' father was taken so young. Charlie used to say that he lived in the last house on Rough Street. Charlie loved sports, especially football and cherished his high school years. It was in football that he got a broken nose. When teased about his crooked nose, he would chuckle and you could tell that he wore it with pride. He was also in track and liked boxing. One story he told about his football days that would make him laugh, was when his mother went to one of his games. As they were talking after the game, she was excited and said, "Everything was going just fine until a big ugly thing started playing rough." That big ugly thing turned out to be her son, HIM!

After high school in 1930, Charles did some military training at Jefferson Barracks, in Missouri. In 1936 Charles met Mary Elizabeth Smith during a box social at Hawkins Prairie School. He said that she was the prettiest girl he thought he had ever seen and they married in 1937. Early in their marriage he worked at the Western. He told the family that he was delivering a load of supplies from the Western to Grafton when he heard about the bombing of Pearl Harbor in 1941. He went into farming northeast of Jerseyville until retiring in 1973. After that he went to St. Francis School where he spent many years as custodian and loved being around the kids.

Charles and Elizabeth raised three children which all live in the Jerseyville area. They are Sam & Mary Lou Reynolds (Sam also played football at JCHS from 1952 to 1955), Jean and Roger Carroll and Roger & Peggy Reynolds. They are blessed with seven grandchildren; Paul & Lisa Reynolds, Beth & David Brand, Marsha and Paul Boschert, Roger (Billy) & Monica Carroll, Betsy Carroll, Steve & Kim Reynolds and Hanna Reynolds. And from that, have Shannon & Adam Mahan, Samantha Boschert, Nathan Carroll, Greg & Mathew Reynolds, Abraham Ritchey and Maggie Reynolds who are or will be proud to call him "Great" - Grand Pa.

1929-30 Football Letter Men. Paul Horn is top row, second from left and Charles Reynolds is in the front row center holding the football.

To some he is known as "Horny." Those who attended Jersey Township High School in the late 1920's knew him as "Squawk horn." And to residents of Jerseyville he is known as a model citizen.

With the help of Chris Skinner and Tom Goetten, I got the opportunity to meet Paul Horn. At 93, Horn is the oldest living football player in Jersey history. He was born October 20, 1911 in Jerseyville. Paul was the only child, and lived with his parents just a couple of doors down from where he currently calls home. His father John was a tailor.

Horn saw his first football action in the 1926-27 season as a freshman. "The Coach didn't like me, so he put me in to stop him", Horn replied when I asked him what his most memorable football moment was. This particular incident involved future Chicago Bear captain and NFL Hall of Fame inductee, George "Moose" Musso. At the time, Musso was a member of the Collinsville Kahoks. "He damn near killed me" he said with a chuckle, they beat us 62-6."

The year 1927 also rekindled another unusual memory. Paul went to Greenfield for a basketball game by train and came home by train. "We had a railroad back in those days that ran to Springfield and then back through Greenfield, those were the good old days." Horn continued by saying that nobody had any money and nobody worried about it. Horn then said with a bit of sarcasm, "The reason I got to play is because I had a football and a basketball, if they wouldn't let me play, I would just take my football and basketball and go home."

Horn attended Illinois College upon graduation in hopes of becoming a doctor. His fondest memory from college was a track meet race against Ronald Reagan, who attended Eureka College. Reagan won the race while Horn finished third; "If I would have caught him, I would have been vice president," he joked.

Paul married his high school sweetheart, Ginny in 1931 and have one daughter, Janet Feyerabend. Janet also resides in Jerseyville after a career in travel and tourism. The Horn's have been married for 73 years, Ginny is 92. Horn owned and operated three movie theatres and was a banker before becoming a general insurance agent. The agency, "Whitworth-Horn-Goetten" is still in existance today.

Until just recently the Horn's made every Jersey football game. "Dewey Skinner was the best football player to ever wear a Panther uniform, it seemed like he scored every time he got the ball," Horn exclaimed. Quite a compliment coming from someone whose lettermen sweater sits in the Jerseyville historical museum. "I am the oldest living three time (football, basketball and track) letterman around," Horn said in closing.

As I sat there I couldn't help but wish I was Marty McFly from the movie "Back to the Future". How great it would be to travel back in time just for a day or two. I can almost feel the vibration of that train as we head to Greenfield or the smell of the leather helmet that Paul strapped on just before entering that game against Collinsville in 1927. But then I realized how lucky I was just to be sitting in the Horn living room and hearing all these wonderful stories first hand.

To those who pose the curious question, "Why are you so interested in documenting the long ago past?" Well thats easy, I do it for all the current players that I have enjoyed watching. I do it for all of my favorite players from the recent past and I do it for all those players that I never got a chance to see play. But I also do it for my new friend Paul Horn, a member of the 1927-30 Jersey football team.

As I was leaving the Horn house, his caretaker walked up to me and said "Mr. Horn has been anxiously awaiting your visit all day," I couldn't help but think, me too Mr. Horn.

by Mike McInerney