REYNOLDS, John, governor of Illinois, born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, 26 February, 1789 ; died in Belleville, Illinois, 8 May, 1865. He was of Irish descent, and, with his parents, emigrated in childhood to Kaskaskia, Illinois, where he obtained a common-school education, and was admitted to the bar. He served as a scout in the campaigns against the Western Indians in 1812-'13, subsequently practised law in Cahokia, Illinois, became a justice of the state supreme court in 1818, served for many years in the legislature, and was speaker of the house in 1852-'4. He was governor of Illinois in 1832-'4, commanded the state volunteers during the Black Hawk war in May and June of the former year, and was a member of congress in 1835-'7, and again in 1839-'43, having been elected as a Democrat. He edited the " Eagle," a daily paper in Belleville, for several years, and is the author of " The Pioneer History of Illinois" (Belleville, Illinois, 1848) ; "A Glance at the Crystal Palace and Sketches of Travel" (1854) ; and "My Life and Times" (1855).