Reeves, Amos

Summary

Father: William REEVES
Mother: Sarah WARE

Birth: April 1825
Birth Source: Baptism (Non Conformist Register)

Death: 1897
Death Source: FreeBMD

Spouse1: Mary Ann JESSUP

Narrative

Amos REEVES, who was born in April 1823 at Stansted in Kent, is the fifth sixth of nine ten known children of William REEVES and his wife Sarah (nee WARE). He was baptised in May 1823 at the Borough Green Particular Baptist Chapel, Borough Green, Kent.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Amos appears within his parent household at Stansted, Kent. It is noted he is 15 years old, was born in county (that is to say in Kent) and is working as an Agricultural Labourer.

At the time of the 1851 census on 30 March, Amos is found in his widowed mother's household again at Stansted, Kent. He is now 27 years old, claims birth in Stansted and is working as an Agricultural Labourer. His eldest brother John, younger brother Jessee and sister Esther complete his mother's household, who are all enumerated with the surname variant REAVES.

Amos REEVES married Mary Ann JESSUP in June 1853 at Maidstone, Kent. See Research Note 1 below. FreeBMD has a corresponding marriage entry during the second quarter of 1853 in the Maidstone Registration District.
The known children of Amos Reeves and his wife Mary Ann (nee JESSUP) are

1. Mary Reeves, born c1856
2. Louisa Reeves, born c1856
3. Hephzibah Reeves, b.reg. 1q1857, bapt Aug 1857
4. William James Reeves, b.reg. 2q1859, bapt Aug 1859
5. Henry Reeves, b.reg. 3q1861, bapt Oct 1861
6. Stephen Reeves, b.reg 2q1863, bapt May 1863
7. Sarah Reeves, b.reg 1q1865, bapt. Jan 1867(sic)
8. Fanny Reeves, b.reg 2q1867, bapt. Apr 1867
9. Frank Reeves, b.reg 1q1869, bapt. Mar 1869, d.reg. 1q1870 Malling Reg. Dist.

The birth registration of Hephzibah and her younger siblings were all recorded in the Malling Registration District. Likewise Hephzibah's baptism and that of her younger siblings were all performed at Stansted, Kent.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Amos Reeves and his wife Ann (sic) living on Horse and Groom Road in Stansted, Kent. They are living in the same dwelling as his widowed mother Sarah REEVES. Amos is enumerated on a separate schedule as Head of Household. His age is recorded as 40, he was born Stansted and is working as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to his wife Ann (age 30) are their children Mary (5), Louisa (5), Epsebar (sic, Hephzibah)(4) and William (2), all born Stansted, Kent.

On the 1871 census Amos and his wife Ann (sic) are living on Labour in Vain Road in neighbouring Wrotham parish. Amos is now 46 yeras old and remains an Agricultural Labourer. The eldest child living in the parental home is enumerated as Hepby (age 12) and helpfully the enumerator has added underneath in small script "(Hephzibah)". Also present are William (10), Harry (sic Henry) (8), Stephen (6), Sarah 4) and Fanny (3).

At the time of the 1881 census Amos and Anne (sic) have again moved and are now living "by Hook & Hatchet" in Stansted. (The Hook and Hatchet is the next property listed; its head of household being described as a Beer House Keeper.) Amos is now 60 years old and working as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to Anne (58) and their children William (22, unmarried), Mary (24, unmarried), Henry (19, unmarried), Stephen (18, unmarried), Sarah (16) and Fanny (14) are two grandchildren; Frank (3) and Kate (1). See Research Note 2 below.

On the 1891 census Amos is to be found in the household of his son-in-law William GUNNER and his daughter Sarah GUNNER (nee REEVES) at Parsons Farm, Stansted, Kent. He is now 67 years old, a widower and again claims birth in Stansted. He is again recorded as being an Agricultural Labourer.

Amos has not been identified on the 1901 census. FreeBMD notes the death registration of an Amos Reeves, age 76, in the Malling Registration District during the third quarter of 1897 which would match this individual.

Research Notes

(1) The IGI Batch number indicates the place as simply Maidstone, Kent, but after 1841 the ancient Parish of Maidstone (All Saints) had been subdivided with the creation of two ecclesiastical parishes; Holy Trinity, Maidstone and St Peters, Maidstone

(2) Fully identifying the grandchildren Frank (3) and Kate (1) found on the 1881 census has not been undertaken, but it is possible they were the children of daughter Hephzibah, who married James HEAVER during 3q1880 and is enumerated elsewhere with him. Frank A Reeves is listed on the 1891 census with James & Hephzibah HEAVER with relationship of son to head of household. There is a death registration for both Frank A Reeves and Frank A Heaver during 1q1960 in Dartford Registration District, aged 82, sharing the same reference details.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   RG4, Piece 881 - Register of Births and Baptisms at Borough Green Particular Baptist Chapel, Borough Green, Wrotham, Kent From 1818 - 1837
Marriage: FreeBMD     1853, June quarter, Maidstone Registration District
                 FamilySearch     https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:NNFT-56N
Death:      FreeBMD     1897, December quarter, Malling Registration District
                 FamilySearch    
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0462, Book 6, Folio 6 face, Page 6
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1612, Folio 511 reverse, Page 5
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0486, Folio 35 face, Page 3
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 0919, Folio 67 face, Page 3 and continues Folio 67 reverse, Page 4
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0903, Folio 42 face, Page 17
1891 Census: RG12, Piece 0671, Folio 36 reverse, Page 12