Conger Reynolds Farm Records, 1941-64 | University of Illinois Archives

Description: Records of the Conger Reynolds 197 acre farm, "Anchorage Acres", in White Rock Township (Ogle County) and 400 acre farm "Ups 'n Downs" in Grafton Township (McHenry County). Recorded on Illinois Farm Bureau Farm management Service Farm Account Books (1943-61 for Ogle & 1951-58 for McHenry), the records contain detailed information on farm operations for each year including an inventory of land, improvements, buildings and livestock; livestock fees and sales; dairy and egg sales; machinery, equipment and automobile inventory and operating expenses; map of the farm and crop-system summary; crops raised and sold; inventory of feed, grain and supplies; cash receipts and expenses; summary of expenses including taxes and unpaid family labor; capital purchases and sales; products used on the farm and a financial business analysis summary. Reynolds lives in Kennilworth, worked in Chicago, leased the farms to tenants and contracted with the Doane Agricultural Service for farm management. For "Anchorage Acres", the records include correspondence with bankers & attorneys relating to land purchase & loan (1941); leases (1941-60) & correspondence with tenants Oscar Meling (1941-43), Grant Adamson (1943-45), consultant Marshall Clark (1941-43), county agent D.E. Warren (1941-45) & Doane Agricultural Service representatives (1943-62). For "Ups 'n Downs" the records include files on purchase (1950-51), Doane Service reports (1951-57, 1959-61), correspondence (1950-51, 1955-58) and correspondence with Doane representatives (1952-58). The series includes a biographical statement on Conger Reynolds.