The Southern Star, Newton, AL, Wednesday, October 4, 1911

UNCLE WASH REYNOLDS DEAD

It is with profound regret that we chronicle the death of Uncle Wash Reynolds, which sad event occurred at his home at Newton last Sunday morning, after a lingering illness of many months. Uncle Wash, as he was known, by everybody, was one of the oldest and best known citizens of the County, and numbered his friends by the score, who will be pained beyond measure to hear of his death.

He was a good friend of the writer, and we loved him, and in his death we feel a peculiar sadness.

To the grief stricken family we extend our heartfelt sympathy in their sore bereavement.

Wed. Oct 25, 1911

In Memory of Wash Reynolds. 

There has no man died in Dale county perhaps who was so familiar known, and his quaint sayings. [He] Was born, I suppose at the Lige Reynolds' Homestead, this side of Newton in the early settling of this country. Indeed Mr. Reynolds was perhaps one of the oldest natives of Dale. Wash Reynolds had his faults as we all do, but had many good and noble ones. 

The writer joined the Confederate Army to Liuetenant Reynolds at Newton, Ala. Aug18th 1863. Myself and beloved cousin, Jesse Hallford, joined at the same time and place. There was one of his good traits. He gave us a furlough for 18 days, 18 days those days were like months now. We joined him at the proper time and went to his Company in West Florida. Wash, as we boys always called him, was 2nd Lieutenant Splendid drill office, genial and kind to his men in every respect. But he's no more with us, his sayings will be quoted many years to come. 

In the fifties his father owned and operated the Reynolds mill. In those; times we raised wheat. Having a mill there for the purpose father would send two sacks, one corn and one wheat. Mr. Wash frequently was there to grind it. Thus the name ReynoIds became almost a byword. Glad his last days were perhaps his best. He joined the Methodist church and professed to be a changed man. I went to see him before he passed away, and he talked very lovingly of his future, and his good wife remarked at this point, that her prayers were answered. 

He was laid to rest at the Lee Cemetery near Ewell. Ala., where some of bis Sainted sisters sleep, to await the Resurection morn. N. P. Dowlng.

The Southern Star, Wednesday, August 26, 1914

Pranks of the Spooks. 

Now, boys, pull, your hat down over your heads so tight that your hair can't push them up, and you, girls. take a nerve tonic so strong. you can't scream, for I am going to tell you a spook story, a sure enough spook story, which seem strong enough to be called a demonstration. 

For a half century it has been carried from one to another until nearly every one in Southeast Alabama has become familiar with it. and more, it has been given wide spread circulation through the public prints, including the Montgomery Advertiser, thus furnishing the story to the public abroad. Now, listen. 

In November 1864, a good man by the name of William Sketo was hanged to the limb of a post oak tree near the foot of the bridge on the west side ol the Chocktawatchee river at Newton by Capt. Brear's Home Guard. The limb stood out towards the south and was so low that when the buggy was pulled from under him his feet touched the ground while he was struggling with the last enemy of man. George Echols took his crutch and dug a hole under his feet with it so they might swing clear. From that day until now that hole has been cleaned out by some hand, seen, or unseen, and thousands have personally noted this strange phenomena. It has always been thought that the late Wash Reynolds, who sympathized with the doomed man, had kept it cleaned out as reminder to those who either took part in the tragedy, or sympathized with those who did. But Uncle Wash told a gentleman who stands very high in Ozark, that lie was not responsible for it, and knew no more about it than other people did. 

Now comes the story. In 1871 the late Thomas Pain built a new-bridge there. When it went away John Knight was employed to build a wooden one to take its place This was sometime in the nineties. Later on A. E. Rountree, who is a prominent citizen living three miles below Newton at the present., and who gave me this story Thursday of last week, together with his brother Thomas, were employed to wall up and cover the new bridge They pitched their camp under the oak tree referred to. Tom Roundtree was nervy and not afraid of spooks. He wanted to make their bed right over the hole dug by Echols, A. E. felt a little creepy about such a performance and the bed was placed a little to one side. Now, they watched that hole with a zealous eye and saw that it was it filled up every night. One morning soon after they had pitched their camp they got up to find the trash alll carefully cleaned out and the hole made smooth. They looked for tracks, or the print of a hand and for a stick with which it might have been cleaned, but found nothing but the empty hole and a very unkenny sensation creeping up and down their spinal columns. Nothing daunted they filled up the hole again, but there was little said between them about spooks. They watched carefully every night, but several times they got up in the morning during their two or three weeks encampment there, to find the hole cleaned out without finding any signs made by a human being. No. You can't make Mr. A E. Rountree believe otherwise than that the hole has been cleaned out all these years by a supernatural power.

As to the post oak tree from which Mr. Sketo was hung it was blown down by a storm which came up from the south about 5 o'clock in the afternoon of April the 6th, 1907. Whether the road crew which has been working the road there recently have disturbed this historic hole I am not informed. W. L.A.