From a short biography in Jeanne Miller's papers, about "The McReynolds Clan":

In 1837 moved from Virginia to Illinois. In 1838, moved to Missouri. In 1850 some of the McReynolds Clan made their first trip to California, and in 1853 the entire family came out.

Jacob McReynolds is listed as the 50 year old (bp. VA) head of household living at dwelling #442 (Real Estate= 4,5000) in the 1850 Census for LaFayette County (District 46) in Missouri (thanks to Susan Zeni). Also enumerated in this household are Christina (a. 49, bp. VA), Stephen (a. 18, bp. VA, in School), Isaac (a. 11, bp. IL), Susana (a. 12, bp. IL), John (a. 26, bp. VA, "Gold Hunter"), Francis (a. 6, bp. MO), Thomas (a. 4, bp. MO), James (a. 26, bp. VA, "Gold Hunter"), Elizabeth P. (a. 19, bp. VA), William (a. 24, bp. VA, "Gold Hunter" with 200 in Real Estate), and Jacob (a. 22, bp. VA, "Gold Hunter").

Jacob McReynolds also appears to have been married before (about 1817) according to family stories.

Also from Jeanne Miller:

Jacob McReynolds and his wife Anna Christina (Miller) and a large family came in the 1853 train. James M., the oldest son, and William had evidently preceded them, most probably in the 1849 Hudspeth-Myers party, as William later married Virginia Hudspeth, daughter of Charles M. Hudspeth, in Sonoma County CA. James' first wife, Elizabeth Patience Gaulden, was the daughter of another family also in the 1853 train. She died in the spring of 1853 in Sonoma County.

...No record was found of remaining members of the family in Sonoma County, but a descendant, Mrs. Glenva Conklin, of Carmichael CA, has done research on the family. She is a granddaughter of Isaac McReynolds and Julia Braden. Another descendant of the family was located in Pilot Rock, OR, a descendant of John McReynolds and his 2nd wife, Olivia Cockrill.

Henry McReynolds, the son of John and Olivia, had settled in Pilot Rock, apparently following his father who had come up to Oregon to a gold strike in the John Day area around 1860. Jeanne interviewed Henry's granddaughter in Oregon around the 1970's.

Jeanne Miller had believed that Jacob and Anna had been members of the 1853 Hagans-Cockrill immigration. However, he and his family are listed in the 1852 California Census for Sonoma County (recorded on 10 Sep 1852), page 49: Jacob McReynolds (a. 53, bp. VA), Cristina McReynolds (a. 52, bp. VA), Robbert McReynolds (a. 17, bp. VA), Joseph McReynolds (a. 16, bp. VA), Isaac McReynolds (a. 15, bp. IL), and (female -- Suzanne?) McReynolds (a. 15, bp. IL).

Glenva McReynolds Conklin is Jacob McReynolds' great granddaughter. She eventually self-published her family history as McReynolds Family Westward Bound & Related Families of Finleys and Braden and distributed it among family members and possibly a few libraries.

From McReynolds Family Westward Bound by Glenva Conklin (copied for me by Susan Zeni) pp. 8-10:

Our McReynolds family were pioneering families, constantly moving West, first Virginia, then to Illionois, and on to Missouri. Three of the boys and a cousin, George Ragle, came to California with "The Gold Rush of 49" so the parents got a first-hand report of California, especially Sonoma Valley.

In 1852 Jacob and James were back home to help their folks make the move. William already had bought a farm and stayed in California. It would seem their experience paid off as in April Jacob and Anna Christina started out across the plains with their seven sons and their daughter and their new daughter-in-law. James had married. Also, Anna's sister came with the wagon train and it appears the Ragles family as well. They made the trip in much shorter time than most wagon trains as they were in Sonoma County for the special California census taken August 20, 1852 (the Sr. George Ragle was married to one of Anna's sisters). This was a very short time for the trip and maybe William listed them in the August California Census.

1852 was a hard year for the emigration as it was unusually rainy and cholea was very bad. It appears James' new wife was taken ill on the train and never fully recovered, dying the first year in California. From a descendant of Robert, the 17 year old son, I am told that Robert brought a pet monkey with him and during the trip the older brothers wanted to kill it for meat but Robert would not let them and it created a rift between the brothers that lasted all of their lives...

After settling in the Sebastopol area of Sonoma County, California the family of boys and the daughter married and settled nearby until after the father, Jacob, died. Then most of the boys started branching out, Robert and his family to Stanislaus County, California, Isaac and his family to Lewis County, Washington. William and Jacob and their families to Oregon. Joseph had died already. James and Steven continued to remain in Sonoma County.

Further remarks about the inconsistency of when the McReynolds family are believed to have arrived in California from Susan Zeni (email 3 May 2007):

John, William and James McReynolds all were back and forth to California - I think that may have confused some of the dates. And John McReynolds at least was a member of the 1853 wagon train. It is generally thought that Jacob and Anna Christina and MOST of the other McReynolds came in 1852, although it wasn't uncommon in those days for a family member already in California to fill out census showing those on the way there as already residing in California. I don't know of any specific wagon train that lists Jacob, wife, and children, though, to verify one way or another.

In the 1860 Census for Sonoma County, Jacob is listed living in the Analy Township, dwelling #95 as Jacob McReynolds (a. 67, bp. VA). He is a farmer with $3000 of Real Estate and $2500 of personal property. Also enumerated in his household are Anna C. McReynolds (a. 61, bp. VA), Joseph McReynolds (a. 23, bp. VA, occupation: School Teacher; no Real Estate or personal property), Isaac McReynolds (a. 22, bp. IL, occupation: Farmer, no Real Estate and $200 or personal property), and Charles Lewis (a. 4, bp. CA). William McReynolds and his family is enumerated in dwelling #94. Stephen McReynolds is enumerated with the Robert Barnett family in dwelling #96, James McReynolds and his family are enumerated in dwelling #107.

From Sonoma County Deed Index (compiled by Susan Zeni):

Jacob McReynolds' obituary in McReynolds Family Westward Bound pp. 10-11, as an uncited "Sonoma County paper" (Sonoma Democrat, July 25, 1874, page 5, column 3):

DEATH OF JACOB McREYNOLDS

Jacob McReynolds, Sr., a respected resident of this county for the past twenty-two years, died at his farm in Green Valley, on Saturday the 18th last. Mr. McReynolds was born in Buncombe County, North Carolina, July 9th 1799. He went, when a young man, to Washington County, Virginia, where he married. He removed with his family in 1837 to LaFayette County, Missouri. In 1852 he joined the tide of emigration for California with seven sons. William McReynolds, of this township, had proceeded him. He settled in Green Valley, where he has since continuously resided. Five of his sons, with their families, live in this county, one in Mendocino, and one in Stanislaus. Mr. McReynolds was attended during his last illness, which was long and painful, by faithful ministrations of his aged wife, who joined her fortune with his, years and years ago, in the blue mountains of western Virginia. The remains of Mr. McReynolds were buried in Spring Hill Cemetery, Green Valley, on Monday last.

Photographs of Jacob McReynolds' gravesite at the Spring Hill Cemetery (from Susan Zeni):

Jacob McReynolds

A native of Washington Co. Va

BORN July 9, 1799

DIED July 18, 1874