Reeve, Benjamin

Summary

Father: Rev. Abner Reeve
Mother: Mary Landon

Birth: c1739, Long Island, New York
Birth Source: Headstone

Death: 29 or 30 Oct 1819, Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont
Death Source: Headstone, Obituary

Spouse1: Huldah Hill, m. 31 Jan 1764, Goshen, Connecticut

Narrative

Children of Benjamin Reeve and Huldah Hill:

1. Mary Reeve, b. 29 Dec 1764
2. Lucina Reeve, b. 11 Apr 1767
3. Huldah Reeve, b. 26 May 1769
4. Rachel Reeve, b. 7 Jul 1771
5. Lydia Reeve, b. 6 Jun 1773
6. Achsah Reeve, b. 15 Oct 1775
7. Erastus Reeve, b. 7 Jan 1778
8. Amanda Reeve, b. 11 Sep 1781
9. Achsah Reeve, b. 2 Mar 1784

Daughter Mary's birth is recorded in Goshen vital records. The births of the rest of the children are recorded in Richmond, Massachusetts vital records.

In 1810, he was living in Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont with his son Erastus listed next to him.

National Standard, 9 Nov 1819
DIED - In Cornwall, on the 30th ultimo, Mr. BENJAMIN REEVE, in the 81st year of his age. Mr. Reeve was the son of the late Rev. Abner Reeve, of Brattleborough, in this state. He was born on Long Island, in the state of New York; lost his mother when an infant, and was given to his aunt, who removed him to Goshen in Connecticut, where he lived till 1757, when he entered the army as a soldier for his country or the honor of the British Crown, under Geo. the 2d - fought at the great defeat before the walls of Ticonderoga, was by the side of lord Howe, when he fell; the next day on the French lines under general Abercrombie; and the succeeding year under general Amherst, at the reduction of Ticonderoga; and in 1760 and 61, under George the 3d, in the reduction of the Canadas. He was also a soldier in the American revolution, and fought at Bennington and on the Plains of Saratoga. He was admitted a member of Dr. Swift's church, at Richmond, in Mass. when about 35 years old. He removed to Cornwall when about 47 years old, where he ended his days. He was an husbandman, and got his living by the sweat of his brow, or tilling the ground.

From History of the town of Cornwall, Vermont:

Lieut. Benjamin Reeve, a brother of the late Hon. Tappan Peeve, of Litchfield, Conn., built where William Atwood now lives. lie was an officer in the revolutionary army, and held a Lieutenant's commission at the surrender of Burgoyne. He was highly esteemed by his neighbors for his intelligence and his inexhaustable fund of humor. His family consisted of one son and eight daughters who were married and settled in life. He used to say in a playful way, that "the Lord never gave any man eight daughters better suited to make good wives." Since his death, his farm hiss been owned by his son, Erastus Reeve, Joshua Stockwell, Benj. F. Haskell and 'William Atwood, already named.

Research Notes

Although Wesley Baker surmised in his book that this Benjamin may be the one listed in the 1759 and 1760 militia lists for Suffolk County, his obituary implies he was under the command of George III fighting in Canada at the time.

Sources

Marriage1:  Goshen Vital Records 1739-1854, Connecticut, U.S., Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection) (Ancestry)
Death:        Obituary, National Standard, 9 Nov 1819
Burial:       Findagrave - West Cemetery, West Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont

1790 Census:  Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont
1800 Census:  Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont
1810 Census:  Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont

Massachusetts, U.S., Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (Ancestry)
FamilySearch - Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906
Matthews, Lyman. (1862). History of the town of Cornwall, Vermont, p79