Reavis, Turner

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: 18 Jun 1811, Johnson County, North Carolina
Birth Source: Headstone

Death: 13 Jun 1872, Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama
Death Source: Headstone

Spouse1: Mary S. Jope, m. 18 Nov 1841, Sumter County, Alabama

Narrative

Children of Turner Reavis:

1. Susan G Reavis, b. c1838

Children of Turner Reavis and Mary S. Jope

1. Lucy Reavis, b. c1842
2. Mary T. Reavis, b. c1848

Turner Reavis was appointed as postmaster for Smithfield C. H., Johnson County, North Carolina in 1837.

Toscaloosa Times, 26 Jun 1872
Turner Reavis, Esq., died suddenly at his residence, in Gainesville, on the night of the 13th inst. He was a lawyer by profession, and much admired and loved, as any man that ever lived in this state.

From Alabama, her history, resources, war record, and public men: from 1540 to 1872:

The late TURNER REAVIS resided for a third of a century in Sumter. Born in Johnson county, N. C., June 18, 1812, he passed not a day in the school-room. Apprenticed to a confectioner at the age of 12 hears, he removed with his employer from Hillsboro to Raleigh, and there soon entered a dry-goods store as a salesman. Embarking in business on his own account, he was much involved by the monetary crash in 1837. Having read law meantime, he was admitted to the bar in 1838, and the same year came to this county. Here he entered on the practice, associated with Hon. Harrison W. Covington, and worked his way by slow gradations and unremitting labor. In 1848 he published his “Digest of the Decisions of the Supreme Court of Alabama,” a task executed with very decided credit to himself and entire satisfaction to the profession. In September 1851 he was appointed by Gov. Collier to the bench of the circuit court, without the least solicitation on his part, and held the office till the May following. In 1854 he was again appointed to the bench by gov. Winston, and held the office a few months. Elected without opposition to the senate from Chocta, Sumter, and Washington in 1861, he served for four years in that body. He remained thereafter devoted to his professional pursuits till June 13, 1872, when he died suddenly of apoplexy, at his home in Gainesville. Judge Reavis was stoutly built, and his features were well developed. His manners were cordial and courteous. “As a speaker he was plain, argumentative, clear and correct. “Love of order and method were displayed in all the employments of life, and enabled him to dispatch an amount of business that would have staggered any two ordinary men. He as full of bon hommmie, genial, jovial, humorous, and witty, and he was steadily and habitually benevolent and philanthropic.” He was a profound lawyer, and was thoroughly read in ancient and modern literature; his literary library being the best in the State.

Advertisement from The Independent newspaper:

Law Notice.
THE undersigned will practice as an Attorney, in all the Courts of Sumter, Greene, and Pickens; in the Supreme Court at Montgomery; in all the Courts of Kemper and Noxubee in Mississippi; and in the Hugh Court of Errors and Appeals, of that State.
T. REAVIS
July 29, 1854

President Johnson issued a presidential pardon to T. Reavis of Gainesville, Alabama in 1865.

Research Notes

Note that headstone states he was born in 1811, while the biography states 1812.

Sources

Birth:          Headstone, Old Cemetery, Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama
Marriage1:  Alabama, Select Marriage Indexes, 1816-1942
Death:        Headstone, Old Cemetery, Gainesville, Sumter County, Alabama
                   Toscaloosa Times, 26 Jun 1872

1840 Census:  Sumter County, Alabama
1850 Census:  Sumter County, Alabama
1860 Census:  Sumter County, Alabama
1870 Census:  Sumter County, Alabama

Brewer, Willis. Alabama, her history, resources, war record, and public men: from 1540 to 1872, (1872)
The Independent, 27 Jan 1855
U.S., Pardons Under Amnesty Proclamations, 1865-1869 (Ancestry)
U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971 (Ancestry)