Reeve(s), Joshua

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c1746, Suffolk County, New York
Birth Source: Militia List

Death: c1797
Death Source: Probate

Spouse1: Mehitable Howell?
Spouse2: Abigail Haff, m. 27 Apr 1786, Goshen First Presbyterian Church, Orange County, New York

Narrative

Children of Joshua Reeve(s) and Mehitable Howell?:

1. Joshua Reeves, b. 10 Apr 1772
2. Lydia Reeves
3. Howell Reeves, b. 11 Oct 1777

Children of Joshua Reeve(s) and Abigail Haff:

1. Kitsey Reeves, b. 11 Jan 1787
2. James Reeves, b. c1791

Joshua is listed in the 1762 Suffolk County Militia list, age 16, born in Suffolk County. He is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall with light eyes, dark hair, and slender. He was a shoemaker.

Wesley Baker claims this is the Joshua who moved to Orange County. He appears in tax lists in 1779.

His wife was named Mehatible in a deed from 1782 registered in Orange County.

The following marriage appears in the Goshen Pres Church records from Orange County:

• Apr 27 1786 Joshuah Reeve & Abigail Haff

In addition, the following baptism was recorded:

• (1791) Feb 4 Kitsey Born Jany 11 1787 Daughter of Joshua Reeves

Joshua's will was written 27 Aug 1796 in which he states he was living in Romulus, Onondaga County, New York. It was probated in that county on 12 Oct 1797. He mentions wife Abigail and children Joshua, Lydia, Howell, James and Kitsy. The name of his wife Abigail and daughter Kitsey are strong indication this is the same one from Orange County. In addition, his son Howell remained in Orange County.

In an 1813 deed in which Howell sold some land inherited in Romulus (at that time Seneca County), the deed is "subject to the right of dower claimed by Abigale Moore formerly widow of Joshua Reeves deceased."

Abgail's second husband was Daniel Moore. She died 11 Dec 1835 and was buried in White Settlement Cemetery in Lansing, New York, where her son James is also buried.

Research Notes

Mather in his book Refugees claims that Joshua's first wife was Mehitable Howell. There was a Joshua Reeves (10 Apr 1772 - 3 Sep 1829) buried in the same cemetery as Howell who it is reasonable to assume is the son Joshua.

Mather claims he moved to Romulus, Seneca County, New York and died there before 1813. He was apparently unaware of the will recorded in Onandaga County. Seneca County was formed in 1804 from Cayuga, which was formed from Onondaga in 1799.

Wesley Baker reports that descendants of Joshua claim that he had a brother named Daniel. Based on this, Baker suggests he may have been a son of Daniel (d. 1746) and brother of Daniel who moved to Orange County. Benjamin Reeve of Southold also had a son named Joshua. However, he would appear to have been a born a bit earlier than this Joshua. Further research is needed to clarify this and also determine who is mentioned in the Southold Pres Church Records. At first glance, the son Joshua of this Joshua appears to have been baptized there, but Baker argues against that.

Sources

Marriage1:  Goshen First Presbyterian Church Records - 1773-1851 Record Book

May 1762 Militia List - Suffolk County, New York
1779 April Tax List - Goshen, New York
1779 October Tax List - Goshen, New York
1782 Deed - Joshua & Mehatible Reves to John Vail - Orange County, New York Deed Book D, p454
1796 Will - Onondaga County, New York Will Book A, p9
1813 Deed - Howel & Elizabeth Reevs to Stephen Miller - Seneca County, New York Deed Book L, p1
Findagrave - Abigail Moore - White Settlement Cemetery, Lansing, Tompkins County, New York