Reeve, Jonah

Summary

Father: Thomas Houston Reeve
Mother: Ann Holman

Birth: 18 Jun 1810, Braintree, Essex
Birth Source: Baptism, Census

Death: 1q 1898, Brighton, Sussex
Death Source: Death Registration, Obituary

Spouse1: Eliza Fry, m. Mar 1838

Narrative

Children of Jonah Reeve and Eliza Fry:

1. Thomas Fry Reeve, b. c1840
2. Alfred Reeve, b. c1841
3. Miriam Reeve, b. c1843
4. Gilfred Reeve, b. 1847
5. Arthur Reeve, b. c1853
6. Walter Reeve, b. c1855
7. Florence Reeve, b. c1857

Jonah's birth and baptism is recorded in the Bocking Independent Registers:

• Jonah Reeve son of Thomas Reeve of Braintree (Ironmonger) and of Ann (Holman) his wife Born June 18 1810 Baptized Novr 15 1810 by me Thos Craig

On the 1841 census, he was in Bromfield, Cumberland, age 30, with wife Eliza (20), and children Thomas (20) and Alfred (2mo).

On the 1851 census, he was in Morley, Yorkshire, age 40, born in Braintree, Essex, with wife Eliza (34), children Alfred (10), Gilford (3), Frederic (5), Ellen (1), and servant Mary Varley (23).

On the 1861 census, he was in Stowmarket, Suffolk, age 50, born in Braintree, Essex, with wife Eliza (44), children Miriam (18), Gilford (13), Arthur (8), Walter (6), Florence (4), and servant Rosehannah Robinson (19).

On the 1871 census, he was in Stowmarket, Suffolk, age 60, born in Braintree, Essex, with children Walter (16) and Florence A. (14).

Rev. Jonah Reeve is listed in an 1880 directory for London Suburban Post Office Directory under a Mrs. Davis in South Side, Lower Clapton.

On the 1881 census, he was in Hackney, Middlesex, age 70, born in Braintree, Essex, with wife Eliza (64), daughters Marian (38), Florence (24), and servant Agnes Hammond (21).

On the 1891 census, he was in Combs, Suffolk, age 80, born in Braintree, Essex, a visitor in the household of Joseph Vertue Webb.

Jonah's death was registered in 1q 1898 in Brighton, Sussex, age 87.

Essex County Chronicle, 11 Mar 1898
THK LATE REV. JONAH REEVE.
BOKN AT BOOKING.
The death has occurred at Brighton of the Rev. Jonah Reeve, Congregational minister. The deceased was born at Bocking on the 18th June, 1810. He was a descendant on the mother’s side of the Rev. W. Holman, who began a history of Essex, and left a large mass of notes, which were afterwards used largely by Morant when writing his history of the county. Some of the documents are in the Museum at Colchester, some in the British Museum, and some in the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The deceased gentleman's father was descended from a rector of Kettering, whose grandson was the Rev. James Foster, D.D., of whom Pope wrote
"Let modest Foster, if he will, excel
Ten Metropolitans in preaching well;"
and who was chaplain to the Lord Kilmarnock, and was with him on the scaffold when he was beheaded on August 18th, 1746. When quite a youth the deceased minister went to Mill Hill preparatory school for a short time, but returned home and attended a day school. In 1820 his father removed to London, and lived in Thames-street almost opposite the Custom House, where he carried on the business of a coppersmith and ironmonger, and his son Jonah was apprenticed to him. In 1833 he consulted Mr. Binney about entering the ministry, and as Mr. Binney’s verdict was favourable he left home, and went to study for a short time with Mr. Scott of Rothwell. After leaving college he had his first settlement at Wigton, in Cumberland, and in March, 1838, was married to Eliza Fry, daughter of Thomas Fry, sugar broker, of London, by Dr. Reed, in Wycliffe Chapel. He stayed at Wigton about three years, and was subsequently at Aspatria, at Uppermill (Saddleworth), at Morley (near Leeds), and at Stowmarket. In December, 1877, lie retired from the ministry, and at a farewell meeting held in the chapel a purse containing, £500 was presented with an illuminated address, to him, and to Mrs. Reeve a marble clock. Mr. Reeve leaves five sous and two daughters to mourn his loss, besides grandchildren and other friends.

Research Notes

Sources

Birth:          G4, Essex Independent Registers, Piece 1501 (Bocking, 1792-1838), folio 40
Marriage1:  England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1837-1915 (Ancestry)
Death:        England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1837-1915 (Ancestry)

1841 Census:  HO107, Piece 0160, Book 17, Folio 14 reverse, Page 23
1851 Census:  HO107, Piece 2322, Folio 129 face, Page 26, Schedule 109
1861 Census:  RG 9, Piece 1147, Folio 32, Page 1, Schedule 1
1871 Census:  RG 10, Piece 1734, Folio 125, Page 16, Schedule 88
1881 Census:  RG 11, Piece 306, Folio 59, Page 24, Schedule 5
1891 Census:  RG 12, Piece 1456, Folio 41 reverse, Page 10, Schedule 67

London, England, City Directories, 1736-1943 (Ancestry)
Obituary, Essex County Chronicle, 11 Mar 1898