Reeve, George Washington

Summary

Father: William Reeve
Mother: Nuttey (Netty) White

Birth: 19 Oct 1781, South Carolina
Birth Source: Date Undocumented

Death: 12 May 1850, Alabama
Death Source: Gravestone in Bristow Cemetery, Etowah County, Alabama

Spouse1: Ruth (probably Mitchell) ∗

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Narrative

Children of George Washington Reeve and Ruth:

1. Ezekiel Reeve, b. 1805
2. Cynthia Reeve¹, b. 24 Nov 1806
3. Wiley Reeve¹, b. 06 Jul 1808
4. James Anderson Reeve, b. 22 Aug 1814
5. Andrew Jackson Reeve, b. 01 Oct 1815
6. Dicey Reeve, b. 11 Sep 1817
7. William G. Reeve, b. 14 Oct 1821
8. Eliza Caroline Reeve, b. Feb 1824, d. Jul 1925
9. Nettie Irene Reeve, b. 11 Jan 1829, d. 27 Jul 1905, m1 William Lawrence Jones, m2. John Franklin Edwards
10. Senny Onsimus Reeve, b. 17 Apr 1830
11. Noah Vann Reeve, b. 05 May 1832

The heirs of one John Mitchell who died in 1806, conveyed to Nimrod Mitchell (Jr.) in 1818, a tract on Turkey Creek- the signatories were Dicey Mitchell, (widow of John Mitchell) William Mitchell, James Mitchell, Lucy (Reeve) Mitchell, Henry Mitchell, Stephen Mitchell, Larkin Mitchell, James McGray, William Spruill, George Reeve, Richard Grubbs. Wit. Wm. Ware, Wm. Reeve. The details of this transaction could prove whether Ruth, wife of George Reeve, was in fact a member of this Mitchell family which is suggested by George Reeve having been listed among the heirs of John Mitchell.

In an 1828 General Sessions case from Greenville County, John Clark alleged that George Reeves and Noah Reeves of Abbeville district and Frances Davenport of Greenville district had threatened him and his wife. He stated that they came to his house and "the sd George Reevs did get an axe and threaten to strike him the deponant and broke down the door of the sd Clarks house and puled? the wife of the deponent about in a very rough manner." And that "Noah Reevs and Francis Devanport did aid and assist the sd George Reevs in a riotous manner contrary to the peace and dignity of the State."

The will of George W Reeve was recorded in DeKalb County, Alabama, although the heirs chose not to implement it. Rather the executor was chosen to administrate the estate and the heirs chose to "share and share alike just as though no will had ever been made by the said testator with this exception that the said Ruth Reeve widow of the said testator agrees to take & receive a chiles (sic) part only."

DeKalb County GA Sales and Appraisements Book B (1852 1858), Page 294
Estate of George M. (sic W.) Reeves, decd in account with Ezekiel Reeves, Admr from first of Jul 1853 to first Jul 1854
Cash paid Ruth Reeves, legatee, James A. Reeves, legatee, S. W. Reeves, legatee, N. V. Reeves, legatee, E. Garrett, Gdn of F. M. and Nutty L. Reeves, Elizabeth Slaten, Stephen Nailor, E. Bowen, R. C. N. Reeves, N. R. Reeve, A. Johnson, W. G. Reeves. Sworn 7 3 1854 /s/Ezekiel Reeves, Admr
Note: Although George Washington Reeve died in Dekalb County, Alabama and some of his estate was probated there, the above document was in fact, probated in Georgia and is found in the book and page shown. It is possible that this is an error and should be Alabama

¹ These children of George Washington Reeve are also documented in the estate files of Marshall County, AL that reference Mary Jane Reeves, Martha Ann Reeves, Francis Louisa Reeves (children of Wiley), Francis Mariah Reeves and Nutty Louisa Reeves (children of Cynthia) as his heirs.

Many of the above children and grandchildren were named in an heirs deed from 1852 in which they quit claim as heirs to George W. Reeve to the land so that the administrator William L. Reeve could sell it.

Research Notes

∗The maiden name of Ruth, wife of George W. Reeve, is variously listed as Crump and as Mitchell in different online sources. Although the most prevalent use online is of the name Crump, the family of John Mitchell who died in Abbeville, SC in 1806 is more credible than the Crump connection. The only known connection to the surname Crump is that the family of George W. Reeve has been included in the family of R.(Rolen) and Elizabeth Whitt Crump when Ancestry.com transcribed the 1850 census of DeKalb County, Alabama. Two households in Civil District No. 25 were given the residence number 641. It is obvious when looking at the original census pages that Rolen Crump and family are the last listed on the left column of page 360 with the right side of page 360 beginning with George W. Reeve's family. A mistake was made in numbering the residences on the right side of page 360 and the original numbers have been overwritten and began with residence 641 creating the confusion.

Several descendants of George Washington Reeve and his wife Ruth were given Mitchell as a middle name and numerous female children in their family were named "Dicey". That name is noteworthy since John Mitchell's wife is documented as having been named Dicey.

Descendants of this family should search the deed records of Abbeville SC for more records regarding the settling of the affairs of John Mitchell after his death.

Additional Research notes for wife Ruth.
Although the surname isn’t proven, --I-- descendant Beverly Robinson believes that it is likely Crump and that Robert Green Crump III could be her father for the following reasons:
Robert Green Crump has a proven son named John Crump. John Crump had a son named Roland Cornelious Crump (1808-1901). John and Roland both lived in St. Clair Co. AL in 1840. Roland and his family were indexed in the same household of Division 25 in Dekalb County AL in 1850 (Whether in error or on purpose we can’t be sure. Notes about that above) Both of these families showed up in Dekalb County at the same time. In 1860, Roland Crump moved to the Duck Springs area of Dekalb Co. AL which is the same area that George and Ruth Reeves are buried. Roland Crump had a sister named Nancy Crump who married Burrell McClendon. After Nancy died, Burrell took a 2nd wife, Elizabeth Reeves, the daughter of Anderson Reeves. They both lived in St. Clair County where John Crump lived. It seems that several Crumps and Reeves all traveled together to Dekalb County Alabama. In addition, my the grandmother of TRP member Beverly Robinson took a DNA test. Ruth would have been her 3rd Great Grandmother. My The grandmother of Beverly Robinson has over 269 DNA matches to Robert Green Crump III who married Alice Parr. She also has 106 DNA matches to John Parr, Alice’s father. Could Anderson Reeves be related to George Washington Reeves? If descendants have been tested, it would be interesting to see if the two men are in the same DNA group. AboutMe_Beverly_R

Sources

Burial:       Findagrave - Headstone, Bristow Cemetery, Etowah County, Alabama

1810 Census:  Abbeville, Abbeville, South Carolina
1820 Census:  Abbeville, Abbeville, South Carolina
1830 Census:  Abbeville, South Carolina
1840 Census:  DeKalb County, Georgia
1850 Census:  DeKalb County, Alabama

1850 Will & Proceedings - George W. Reeve - DeKalb County, Alabama Probate Record Book C, p200
DeKalb County GA Sales and Appraisements Book B (1852 1858), Page 294, scanned document online at Family Search
DeKalb County, Alabama Probate Records
Marriage of Nettie I. Reeve - Georgia, Compiled Marriages, 1754-1850, Ancestry database
1852 Deed - George W. Reeve Heirs to William L. Jones - DeKalb County, Alabama Deed Book D, p232
Greenville County, South Carolina General Sessions Case #860, State Vs. Geo Reeves Noah Reeves & Frances Davenport