Reaves, William

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c 1730
Birth Source: Presumed adult in 1757 deed records of Dobbs County, NC

Death: c April 1793, Wayne County, North Carolina
Death Source: Wayne County Probate Records

Spouse1: Elizabeth Carraway

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Narrative

From the reference in William Reaves' 1790 will referring to old patent land purchased from Andrew Bass, it would appear that the William Reaves of Wayne County, North Carolina is the same William Reaves who was named on the 1769 tax lists of Old Dobbs County. The index of deeds for Dobbs, Lenoir and Johnston are the only extant deed records due to a fire in the Lenoir Courthouse. The grantor index of Book 5 - April 1757 to April 1758, lists a deed from Andrew Bass to William Reaves on Page 638.

A Timothy Reaves is listed in the Dobbs tax list of 1769 along with William Reaves, however, if a family relationship exists, there is no evidence at present. Other Reaves recorded in Dobbs at this time are Drury, James, Joseph and Thomas Reaves. The original of the Dobbs 1769 tax list lists only one white male tithe and one slave. The lists names "William Reaves & negroe Joe".

Children of William Reaves and Elizabeth Carraway as named in his will are:

1. Adam Reaves
2. John Reaves, Sr.
3. Jesse Reaves
4. William Reaves, Jr.
5. Liddy Reaves, m. John Slocomb
6. Stephen Reaves
7. Elizabeth Reaves
8. Peggy Reaves
9. Lovett Reaves, b. after 1773
10. Lee Reaves, b. after 1773

Research Notes

The results of DNA testing for two recent participants in the Reeves DNA Project who descend from William Reaves who died in Wayne County, North Carolina in 1793 have revealed that they are DNA Group 3 and appear to be descended from William Reeves who died in Granville County in 1751.

William Reeves, Jr. is last found in the records of Granville County in 1753 and the appearance of William Reaves in the records of Old Dobbs County can be placed around 1758 based upon the extant deed indexes of Old Dobbs. These recent DNA results may indicate that at least some of the Reeves' individuals found in Old Dobbs and later in Wayne County were descendants of William Reeves, Jr.

Sources

1769 Dobbs County Tax Listing
Index, Dobbs County Deed Book 8, 1769-1771
Wayne County Court Records
Wayne County Deed Records
Wayne County Probate Records, 1790 Will of William Reaves
1790 Census - Wayne County, North Carolina