William Reeves

Reeves, William

Summary

Father: James Reeves
Mother: Millicent

Birth: Between 1747 and 1752, North Carolina
Birth Source: Tithe of James Reeves on 1768 Rowan County NC Tax List (=Age 16-21)

Death: c Nov 1816, Wilkes County, Georgia
Death Source: 1816 Will, Probate Records of Wilkes County, Georgia

Spouse1: Hannah (probably Rhodes), before 1784, Guilford County, North Carolina

---

Narrative

Children of William Reeves and Hannah (Rhodes):

1. John Reeves
2. Lucretia Reeves, m. Robert Cunningham
3. Elijah Reeves, m. Lillie Ann Moore
4. Hannah Reeves, m. Robert Graham on 19 Dec 1811
5. Hezekiah Reeves
6. William Reeves Junr.∗
7. Judith Reeves
8. Jeremiah Reeves
9. Elizabeth Reeves, m. Alex Seal
10. Cynthia C. Reeves, m. Jarvis Seals on 5 Jan 1828
11. Sally Reeves, m. Joseph Wheatley

William was named an executor of his father James Reeves' will of 1781. A deed dated 1 Apr 1784 recorded in Guilford County, NC Deed Bk 3 Pg 95-96 names his wife as Hannah as does a 1791 deed by William and his mother Millicent. In that deed dated 22 Nov 1791, William and his mother Millicent sold 320 acres to Samuel Mileham. The deed stipulates that this was the plantation conveyed by James Reeves' Will unto his Son & wife "the said William Reeves & Milley Reeves". Hannah Reeves, wife of William, signed the deed as well.

William Reeves is one of the providers of bail or security for Fortune Reeves and her son, Jesse, for the administration of the estate of Malachi Reeves in November of 1784. He also appears in the Guilford County Court Minutes serving on juries in Feb 1785, May 1785, May 1787, Aug 1787, Nov 1787, Feb 1790 and May 1790.

In the 1790 US Federal Census of Guilford County NC, William Reeves' household consists of 1 Male over 16, 3 Males under 16, 5 Females and 1 Slave. This must be William, the son of James Reeves, not a son of Malachi and Fortune Reeves since James' son William is still living in Guilford County in 1791 when the above transaction selling James' plantation to Samuel Mileham takes place.

William left Guilford County sometime prior to the 1800 US Federal Census. The above deed of 22 November 1791 in which William Reeves and his mother, Milly, are conveying to Samuel Mileham the plantation left to them by James Reeves in his will, would appear to be in preparation for their removal from Guilford County. Several members of this Reeves family can be found in Wilkes County, Georgia in the early part of the 19th century, including James Reeves' son Jeremiah and the William Reeves listed below who names wife Hannah in his will.

William was also an appraiser of the inventory of the estate of James Holdenness on 2 Apr 1796 in Wilkes County. (Inventories and Appraisements Dec. 20, 1784 to Apr. 10, 1798, Page 76)

On Sept. 1, 1800, in Wilkes County, William Reeves along with Azariah Bailey was Security for his son-in-law Robert Cunningham who was appointed guardian of his younger brothers John, David and Alex orphans of Patrick Cunningham. (Minutes of the Inferior Court 1799-1801, Page 55)

Early Records of Georgia, Volume 11, Wilkes County
ORIGINAL PAPERS Part III, pages 257-288
REEVES, WILLIAM dec'd est. Receipts Cinthia C., Elijah, Hezekiah, Jeremiah and Judith Reeves, Robt. Graham, Thos. Roberts for himself and John Reeves, Jos. Wheatley who married Sally Reeves, all in full of their legacies, Feb. 12, 1827. Eustis H. Rhodes, excr. (See will Vol. 1 p. 98).

∗ An abstract of the 1816 will of William Reeves which is listed in numerous places on the internet omitted William Reeves, Jr. who is very clearly named in the will per the original document. (WB HH:56)

Note

The Reeves Review has listed this William Reeves as a son of Malachi; however, there is an abundance of documentation to substantiate that the William Reeves who died in Wilkes County, Georgia, was actually the son of James who had previously been misidentified in that book as William Reeves of Madison County, KY. Based upon research of the probate, deeds and other records of Guilford County, there is no record that Malachi and Fortune Reeves had a son William. Among all the deeds by Fortune Reeves conveying property to their sons after Malachi's death, there are NO deeds to a son William. The only reference to a William Reeves was in the will of John Rhodes which then must be William, the son of James Reeves. The will lists no bequest to the wife of William Reeves and daughter of John Rhodes but neither is there a bequest to his son John Rhodes, Jr., yet both William Reeves and John Rhodes, Jr. (with their relationships stated) are named in the will as Executors.

The Reeves Review II also identified the wife of this William Reeves as Hannah Smith. Hannah Smith married William Rives on 14 Dec 1820 in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina - 4 years after the death of William Reeves of Wilkes County.

Sources

1781 Will of James Reeves, Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County Court Minutes, 1785 to 1790
1790 Census of Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County, NC Deed Bk 3 Pg 95-96, 1784
Guilford County, NC Deed Bk 5 Pg 299, 1791
Wilkes County GA Inv and Appr, Dec. 20, 1784 to Apr. 10, 1798, p. 76
Wilkes County GA Minutes of the Inferior Court 1799-1801, p. 55
Wilkes County GA Will Book HH, p. 55-57

---