William REYNOLDS was one of the three children of Richard REYNOLDS known to have been born in England before the family emigrated to America. He and his twin Robert, were only about four years old at the time of the crossing. Another brother Edward, was about two years.
Upon reaching manhood, William moved to a tiny settlement of English and Swedish pioneers on the broad Delaware river, which seperates what is now the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware. It was known as Upland, but was later named Chester, and was about 85 miles north of where his father had settled the family upon their arrival from England. In 1634 when he was about 28, he married Margaret Exton in Chester. She is mentioned as having emigrated from the county of Kent in England, although her parents and grandparents died young as the names William and John were repeated with later children, a practice often followed in earlier times.
A curious anomaly exists regarding the place of one child's birth. Although William and Margaret ostensibly lived in Chester, Pennsylvania their entire married lives, the family pedigree lists the eighth, Henry, as being born in England. Did she have the baby while on a business trip with her husband? Wouldn't a two month voyage across the Atlantic on a wave tossed sailing ship be difficult for a woman heavy with child? Where were the other seven children? Research or compilation error may be the answer as Chester was located in Chichester Township, the same name as the town in England shown as his birthplace. The child likely was born in Chester as were his brothers and sisters.
Like his father and grandfather, William REYNOLDS was engaged in trade. This required him to make repeated trips to England, during one of which, in February 1668, he died at about age 62. His business probably required that he dress better than the average colonial of the time who wore mostly rough, homemade breeches and long linen shirt along with a loose woolen coat in winter. William, on the other hand, most likely could purchase tailored garments of smooth cloth while in England. He may have worn breeches fastened at the knees with bows or silver buckles, linen shirt with ruffles at the neck and wrists, a brightly colored waistcoat and knee-length coat with several rows of fancy buttons.
William probably was in the first category of the three classes into which colonial society generally was stratified. At the top were merchants, planters and professionals known as the "gentry" or "better sort"; farmers, shopkeepers and others who owned property were the "middling sort"; and unskilled laborers, slaves and indentured servants were called the "meaner sort." But in the more democratic colonies, unlike much of the world, members of the lower classes, except slaves, could easily rise to a higher position through industry and education. (Taken from:A Family History, by Donovan Faust)
