The Lone Star State reference to Edward Reeves and family

Introduction

Verbatim transcript

Transcript

Edward Reeves – More than a century and a half ago there came from England and settled in Virginia one Edward Reeves. He had a son named Robert, who was born in Virginia and who, when a young man went to North Carolina, where he married, settled and raised a considerable family of children, five of whom were sons. The eldest of these, name Edward, was born in Bladen county, North Carolina, about 1799, and at about the age of twenty-seven married Nancy Melvin, daughter of Robert Melvin of that county, and by this marriage had three children, the eldest of whom, bearing the old family name of Edward, is the subject of this sketch. Edward Reeves, of whom we here write, was born in Bladen county, North Carolina, July 11, 1838. He was reared in that county to the age of sixteen, when, in 1854, his parents with their three children started for Texas. In accordance with the custom of those days the trip was undertaken by boat, and had been accomplished successfully as far as Vicksburg, Mississippi, when the father, who had been taken with cholera on board the steamer, died. The widow instead of continuing her journey went to relatives in Rankin county, Mississippi, where several years were spent in that state of uncertainty and sorrow which had been brought about by the sudden death of the husband and father. In the meantime, letters having passed between the family and a relative, Tolbert Reeves, who was then in Texas, young Edward decided to come and try his fortunes in the land to which the family looked forward as their future home. Through the influence and assistance of his uncle he came out, in 1860, located at Caldwell, Burleson county, where Tolbert Reeves then lived. He was given a clerkship in his uncle Tolbert’s store, and from his earnings soon saved enough to assist his mother and younger brother and sister to move out. They came in 1861 and settled in Caldwell. The mother died here in 1869. The brother and sister continue to reside in this county, the former James T. Reeves, being a well-to-do farmer residing in Caldwell; and the latter is now Mrs. Mary A. Smith, wife of Ellis D. Smith.

Edward Reeves, like most of the successful businessmen of this country, began with little scholastic or other training. He had just passed his majority when he came to Texas. His boyhood and youth had been spent on the farm, and what schooling he had received had been such as he could get during the brief winter months when there was a slackness of work. He handled his first article of merchandise in Caldwell, in which place his entire business life has been spent. After clerking one year he took $250, which he had saved, and with this and a like amount borrowed from his uncle Tolbert, he began business for himself. He was only fairly prosperous during the period covered by the war, but with the return of peace and the settling of the country, from 1870 on his mercantile interests grew rapidly, until now, after thirty-two years of active business life, his establishment is one of the largest, and his rating the highest of any merchant in Burleson county. Mr. Reeves has sold thousands and thousands of dollars’ worth of goods since he first opened his small $500 tock of merchandise in Caldwell, and has witnessed the development not only of the mercantile industries of this place, but of every interest of this locality. When he began business here thirty-two years ago, Houston was the market where the country merchants purchased most of their goods, and the point to which the products of the country were taken for sale. Very little cotton was then grown, the main dependence being cattle and hogs. Caldwell in those days controlled a large trade in this general section. Mr. Reeves grew with the town, confining himself strictly to business pursuits, his chief reliance being merchandise. He has had investments, however, in other lines and now owns considerable realty, including lands and lots, and is a partner in interest in the banking house of W. Reeves & Co. at Caldwell. He has been exceptionally fortunate, and is credited by those who have known him long as deserving all he has achieved in the way of success.

In his domestic life, however, Mr. Reeves has not been as fortunate as in his business career. Some shadows have fallen across his pathway. In 1866 he married Miss Mary J. Simpson, a daughter of R. S. Simpson, then residing in Caldwell, but originally from Alabama, whence he had moved to Texas in 1854. This lady died about 1874, leaving three children: Lula Jane, now the wife of Neill Cromartie, of Caldwell; Edward and James. Two years later Mr. Reeves married Miss Annie Eliza Cromartie, who like himself was a native of Bladen county, North Carolina, being a daughter of William K. Cromartie. To this union, two children were born: Annie and Xemines. The wife and mother died in 1882. Since that time, Mr. Reeves has made his home with his daughter, Mrs. Cromartie.

Mr. Reeves’ parents and grandparents were members of the Methodist Church, and he was reared under the influence of the doctrine of John Wesley, but on arriving at maturity he took membership in the Baptist Church, whose customs and ordinances he has since observed.

Mr. Reeves has always enjoyed good health, and, having led a moral and temperate life, he has the prospects of many years of activity and usefulness before him. He comes of a long-lived stock, and has by heredity a strong hold upon this world. His grandfather Reeves died at the age of ninety-eight, while his grandfather Melvin lived to be ninety. His father was one of a family of brothers and sisters in which there was not a death until the youngest was past fifty. They were all of good, strong, robust constitutions, sound alike in body and mind, in national faith and religious convictions, which qualities have been transmitted in a reasonable degree to their descendants.

Commentary

Source

The Lone Star State, History of Texas with a biographical history of Milam, Williamson, Bastrop, Travis, Lee and Burleson Counties
The Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, 1893, pp. 519-520
https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth29785/m1/1/