Reeve, Paul, Capt.
Summary
Father: Abner ReeveMother: Mary Landon
Birth: c1734
Birth Source: Militia List
Death: 1827, Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
Death Source: Statement by Josiah Reeve
Spouse1: Bethiah Young, m. 9 May 1762
Narrative
Children of Paul Reeve and Bethiah Young:- Josiah Reeve, b. c16 Aug 1763
- Paul Reeve, Jr., b. c25 Feb 1765
- Moses Reeve, b. c1767
- Bethiah Reeve, b. c1773
- Mary Reeve, b. c1776
Griffin's Journal, a history of Southold and its early families by Augustus Griffin, was published in 1857. In it the author mentions a number of facts about various Reeve(s) families. In a section concerning his father James Griffin, he states:
When about sixteen years of age, he was apprenticed to learn a trade at or near Southampton. With him, at the same time, were two boys, of the same age. This was 1755. In 1760, they all became of age and entered on the busy world to act for themselves. After this period, they each -lived more than seventy years — James Griffin, John Darrow and Paul Reeve. The first died in his eighty-sixth year; John Darrow, in his ninety-first year; and Paul Reeve, in his ninetieth year...
Paul Reeve was son of the Rev. Abner Reeve, a preacher at Riverhead. Judge Tappen Reeve, of Connecticut, a lawyer of high standing and a Judge, was his brother.
Paul's marriage is recorded in the Salmon Records:
- 1762 May 9 Paul Reeve & Bethier Young
Several of his children were baptized at Mattituck Presbyterian Church:
- Josiah Reeve | Paul & Bethiah | Oct 7, 1770
- Paul Reeve | Paul & Bethiah | Oct 7, 1770
- Moses Reeve | Paul & Bethiah | Oct 7, 1770
- Bethiah Reeve | Lieut Paul & Bethiah | Oct 31, 1773
- Mary Reeve | Capt Paul & Bethiah | Aug 4, 1776
Paul's name is on a list of those from Brookhaven, Suffolk County who signed the Association with the Continental Congress in 1775.
Paul is listed in the 1776 census of Suffolk County in Southold. He was under age 50 and appears to have a wife, three sons and two daughters with him.
Paul was a captain of a company from Southold in the New York Militia in 1776. The list states he was 5 feet 8 inches tall, dark complexion, age 42 at the time. Note that this puts his birth around 1734 while Griffin's statement would seem to make him about five years younger.
The following statements are included among a set of petitions of Suffolk County Refugees in Connecticut:
Saybrook, June 12, '77. Petition of 45 Suffolk Co. refugees for relief and permission to pass over to L. L for forage for their families and breadcorn growing on their land which otherwise will fall into the enemy's hands.....Paul Reeve...
John Franks, Elias Howell, Dan'l Fordham, Henry Hopping, Silas Jessup, David Woodruff, Geo. Fordham, Dan'l Rackett and Capt. Paul Reeve, want permits to cross to L. I. Nov., '80 ? [1780?]
Paul Reeve, L. I. to Saybrook — was Captain in the army and discharged— can't support his family and asks to return — negatived. [Date unclear]
He returned later to Long Island from Connecticut. Paul is listed in Southold in the 1790 census next to Josiah Reeves. In 1800, Paul, Paul Jr., and Moses Reeve are listed as neighbors on the census in Riverhead
Paul, Paul Jr., Josiah, and Moses are all listed in Riverhead, Suffolk County from 1799 through 1803 in tax lists.
In 1810, Paul, Paul Jr. Moses and an Ezra Reeve, possibly Ezra son of Hezekiah are listed by each other in Riverhead.
In 1820, he was still in Riverhead, a couple doors down from Paul Jr. and Moses.
There was a later veterans stone placed in the Aquebogue Cemetery for him which claims he was born 1734 and died 1825. Griffin states he died at age 90, so this is approximately correct. Baker notes that the original stone stated he died age 92 with no dates and concluded it was incorrect. His wife Bethiah is buried there as well. She died in 1810.
The Revolutionary War Pension Application file for John Smith of New York contains a statement by Josiah Reeve from 26 Dec 1834 in which Josiah Reeve of Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York stated that he was a son of Paul Reeve, former resident of Riverhead who died in Riverhead in 1827, age 93 years. He also stated that Paul commanded a company of the Militia in Colonel Josiah Smith's Regiment in 1776, known as the Eastern Long Island Regiment
Research Notes
Sources
Marriage1: Salmon RecordsBurial: Findagrave - Aquebogue Cemetery, Aquebogue, Suffolk County, New York
1790 Census: Southold, Suffolk County, New York
1800 Census: Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
1810 Census: Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
1820 Census: Riverhead, Suffolk County, New York
Griffin, Augustus. (1857). Griffin's Journal, p95
1776 Militia List - Paul Reeve's Southold Company
1776 Census - Suffolk County, New York
Onderdonk, Henry. (1846). Documents and letters intended to illustrate the revolutionary incidents of Queens county, pp. 70, 90-91
New York (State). Dept. of State. (1868). Calendar of historical manuscripts, relating to the war of the revolution, in the office of the Secretary of State, Albany, N.Y., p63
Mattituck Presbyterian Church Records - 1751-1809 Record Book
New York, U.S., Tax Assessment Rolls of Real and Personal Estates, 1799-1804 (Ancestry)
Findagrave - Bethiah Reeve - Aquebogue Cemetery, Aquebogue, Suffolk County, New York
Revolutionary War Pension Appliation, John Smith, R9761