Reeve, William

Summary

Father: Thomas Reeve James Reeve
Mother: Mary Purrier

Birth: c1615 c1648
Birth Source: Headstone

Death: 29 Apr 1697, Southhold, Suffolk County, New York
Death Source: Headstone, Salmon Records

Spouse1:

Narrative

The following information was published in A history of Mattituck, Long Island, N.Y.

The eastern part of the Reeve lot was owned wholly or in part by William Reeve, who died in 1696, a son of I St (sic 1st) Thomas. This appears from a release given by Thomas Terrell in 1704 in the following terms : "These may certifie to all persons to whom It may come that I Thomas Terell Mason doe acknolledge that William Revs desesed did formorlly purchas a pasell of saltte medow of me...that did formorlly belong to me but was within his the above said Reevs Range between the, wollfe pit swamp and his froont boonds."¹ The wolf pit swamp, now a beautiful lake on the property of Capt. Ellsworth Tuthill, locates the range of William Reeve...

¹The above is quoted from the original paper in possession of George B. Reeve, of Mattituck. An abstract, with more orthodox spelling, is in Southold Printed Records, Vol. II., p. 107.

William is listed in the 1675 and 1683 Southold Estimates for tax rates.

William was listed in the 1686 census of Southold with two males and four females in the household.

Based on the numbers in the 1686 census, it's almost certain that the household of Mary Reeve in the 1698 is that of his widow and children. The household contained Mary (head), William, Abigail, Margarett, Sarah, and Thomas. If that is the case, then the following entries from the Salmon records would appear to pertain to this family:

• 1699? Mar 26 Wid Reeve a son b.
• 1707 Mar 17 Widw Mary Reeves child

William Reeve was named as one of the executors of his brother James's estate in the 1692 will written by James Reeve and probated 4 Jul 1698. By the time the will was presented in court for probate, William was deceased and there was no mention of him in court when the will was recorded, only his nephew, James' son James, the other executor named in the will.

William's death is mentioned in the Salmon records. His headstone, although apparently hard to read, was recorded in an old book of epitaphs for Long Island. The headstone is from the Old First Pres Southold burying grounds. It reads:

HERE LYETH
Ye BODY OF W...
REVE WHO D...
IN THE 49 YEA.
OF HIS AGE DYED
APRIL Ye 29 1697

His age places his birth around 1648 which is further confirmation that he is not a brother to the earliest James Reeve of the Osman Declaration, but rather his son.

Research Notes

Although formerly thought to possible have been a brother to the eldest Thomas and James Reeve of Southold, the reference in the will of James Reeve dated 1692 shows he must have been the son of the elder James Reeve and Mary Purrier. For further analysis on the identification of the James Reeve of the will, see talk_NY_Southold_Area_Families.

Sources

Death:        The Salmon Records
Burial:       FamilySearch - Ancient Long Island epitaphs, from the towns of Southold, Shelter Island and Easthampton, New York, p3

1675 Estimate - Southold, New York
1683 Estimate - Southold, New York
1686 Census - Southold, New York
1698 Census - Southold, New York
1692 Will - James Reeve
A history of Mattituck, Long Island, N.Y. pub. 1906 by Rev. Charles E. Craven
Salmon Records