Reeve(s), John

Summary

Father: Unknown, but possibly Thomas Reeves
Mother: Unknown

Birth: c1713, probably Virginia
Birth Source:

Death: 1782, Prince William County, Virginia
Death Source: Will written 1782 and probated August 1782

Spouse1: Unknown Joshua

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Narrative

Known children of John Reeve:

1. George Reeve, born before 6 June 1731
2. Jemima Reeve(s), m. Unknown Williams
3. Ann Reeve. The terms of John Reeve's will suggest that Ann may have been disabled. Her father's land in Prince William was not sold until 1809, suggesting that Ann may have died about that time.

There is a deed of gift from George Reeves to John Reeves on 19 April 1732, the deed specifically identified John as "my Loving Brother John Reeves."

John Reeve was taxed in Dettingen Parish in 1747; his son George was taxed in his household, indicating that he was born between 6 June 1726 and 6 June 1731. Isaac Reeve was taxed nearby, in the household of James Bridges, who was a frequent associate of the Reeve(s) family during the 1750s and 1760s.

In the 1751-1752 Northern Neck rentals list for Prince William County, John Reeve was listed with 313 acres "two years due." The 1760 rentals list showed John with 313 acres. His name appeared as "John Reive, Sr." He appears with the same 313 acres in the 1761-1762 rent roll. The 1762 Prince William landholder list showed him with 313 acres.

On 23 March 1761, Richard Melton, John Hooe, Gent., George Reeves, and John Reeve were ordered to appraise the estate of William Hewitt. (Prince William Co., VA, Order Book, 1759-1761, p. 231). It is not clear whether this was George Reeves, Sr., John's brother, or George Reeves, John's son. See the note below regarding William and Jemima Hewitt, who had frequent associations with the Reeves family.

In 1765, Peyton's List of Tithes for Prince William County showed John Reeve charged with 318 acres of land and four tithables — himself, James Wyatt, Ambrose Legg, and a Negro woman named "Moreah." George Reeve, probably his son, appeared within the same district with only one tithable. (Note that Lewis Reno's list of tithables, land, and wheel carriages, dated the same year, shows this same John with 313 acres of land and four tithables.) At the time of the 1767 rent roll, John was taxed with 313 acres. At the time of the 1767 Prince William County rent roll, he was shown with 313 acres of land.

On 30-31 March 1767, George Reeve, John Reeve, James Wyatt, and Fortunatus Legg witnessed a deed from William Durham of Bute Co., NC, to Caleb Smith of Prince William County. Durham was selling 75 acres that he had acquired from William Colclough. (John Gott, Fauquier Co., VA, 1759-1778, p. 72.)

At the time of the 1773 Prince William County rent roll, he was shown with 313 acres 1 year in arrears.

At the time of the 1773 Prince William County rent roll, John Reeves was shown with 313 acres 5 years in arrears; the rent roll — confusing him with his nephew, John Reeves, contains the mistaken notation "200 to John Hoe in futer." John Reeves actually continued to own this tract for the rest of his life, and it was shown in land tax records as owned by his estate until 1809.

John Reeve(s)' 1782 will names a son George, who predeceased him, who is presumably the George Reeve who wrote his will in Prince William County in 1778 and died sometime before 2 August 1779.

Legatees named in John Reeve's will also include Isaac Reeve whose relationship is unstated, children of his son George, daughters Jemima Williams and Ann Reeve. His will also mentions the following who may or may not be relatives - Daniel OBrian, Thomas Bird, William Matthew and Mary Shaw. Daniel OBrian was charged with caring for and maintaining John Reeve's daughter Ann Reeve.

A descendant of William Reeve, son of George Reeve as named in his 1778 will has participated in the Reeves DNA Project and was placed in DNA Group 10 which includes a descendant of George Reeves and Ann Doggett through their son Benjamin's son Austin Smith Reeves. This matching DNA confirms a family connection between this John Reeve(s) and his brother George.

Research Notes

Members of the John and George Reeve family seem to have had a close relationship with a Jemima Hewitt, wife, and then widow, of William Hewitt, who died about 1761. It is possible that she may have been the same person as Jemima Reeve Williams, but more research needs to be undertaken to prove or disprove this possibility. On 25 August 1764, Mary Forbess, "a mulatto bastard...born to Isbal Forbess, a Christian white woman" was bound until age 31 to Jemima Hewitt, and on the same date "a mulatto bastard about 18 months of age, born to Isbal Forbess, a Christian white woman, servant to Moses Reeves" was bound until age 31 to Moses Reeve. (Dettingen Parish Records, Historic Dumfries Transcription, p. 114.) In November 1773, Jemima Hewitt also witnessed the deed in which Moses Reeves and wife Jane sold their Prince William County land.

Sources

Death:      1782 Will - John Reeve - Prince William County, Virginia WB G, pp173-174
History:   1747 Prince William Co., VA, Tax List, Dettingen Parish