Reeves, Benjamin Marvin

Summary

Father: Manassah Reeve
Mother: Esther

Birth: 21 Feb 1825, Cayuga County, New York
Birth Source: Bio

Death: 4 Oct 1894
Death Source: Headstone

Spouse1: Eliza H. Sellers, m. 30 Sep 1856, Delaware County, Iowa

Narrative

Children of Benjamin Marvin Reeves and Eliza H. Sellers:

1. Evelyn "Kittie" Reeves, b. c1859
2. Hubert H. Reeves, b. 12 Jan 1862
3. Edward Reeves, b. c1864

A biography is included in the History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa:

B. M. Reeves was born in Cayuga county, New York, February 21, 1825. He is a son of Manassah and Esther (Perry) Reeves, who were married in Cayuga county, New York, March 27, 1817, and were the parents of eight children, seven of whom are living. His parents were poor, and his father had to work by the month to support a large family. For six years he worked for $13 per month, and in that time, with the help of his wife and older children, had accumulated $600. When B. M. was thirteen years of age, his father purchased a tract of land in the wilderness, which B. M. was active in helping to clear. When twenty-two years of age he left home without a cent in his pocket, having given his last penny to his father. In the fall of 1848, he came west, locating in Boone county, Illinois, where he was soon after employed in a mill, where he remained for six years. He again started west, stopping at Manchester until the fall of the same year, when he came to Waverly, where he soon after embarked in the milling business. September 30, 1856, he married Miss Eliza H. Sellens. She was born November 25, 1834, in Oneida county, New York. Three children blessed this union — Kittie E., Hubert H. and Edward M. Mr. and Mrs. Reeves have a beautiful farm in the limits of Waverly, on which he has one of the finest orchards with the choicest fruit in the county. Mr. Reeves has taken an active interest in the county, holding several important offices. He has also always taken an active part in educational matters, his own opportunities being very limited, he saw the necessity of giving his children a good education. During the war for the Union, Mr. Reeves was a member of the board of supervisors, and it is doubtful if any man in Bremer county, did more towards raising soldiers to fill the quota of this county; and certainly none did more towards looking1 after the families of the soldiers, and alleviating their sufferings. During the entire war he had charge of all the soldiers’ families in this vicinity, and such was the great confidence placed in his integrity and ability, that he was asked by the. three companies, raised in this county, through their captain’s, Captain Beebe, Captain Tinkham and Captain Avery, to take charge of, and pay over to the several families of these companies, all of the money paid to them by the government. This request was made by these conpanies without a single dissenting voice. Although crowded with business, private and public, Mr. Reeves accepted this trust, and faithfully distributed to all of these families, during the war, over $10,000, in money, and, let it be said to his credit, that he did it without receiving one cent for his trouble, and never received an unkind word from any of the families, save one. During the sanitary fair, held at Dubuque, for the benefit of the sanitary commission, Mr. Reeves donated twenty-one barrels of Hour, together with a premium of $40.00, which was paid him by the fair, for the largest amount of flour furnished by any one firm in the State, making upwards of $400, donated by him at that time, to the sanitary commission. Mr. Reeves has a stack of letters and papers, all of them complimentary to him, which if compiled, would make a volume the size of the one before you. But time and space does not admit of more, but suffice it to say, that Mr. Reeves has a war record that he and his friends may be justly proud of.

Kittie's name is reported as Evelyn on her father's headstone where we learn she was lost at sea. The Back Hills Weekly Journal of 15 Jul 1898 reported on her death and mentioned her father's death on 4 Oct 1894, although not by name. It mentions that Evelyn had previously lived in Waverly, Iowa.

Research Notes

Sources

Marriage1:  FamilySearch - Iowa, County Marriages, 1838-1934

1850 Census:  Belvidere, Boone County, Illinois
1860 Census:  Washington, Bremer County, Iowa
1870 Census:  Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa
1880 Census:  Waverly, Bremer County, Iowa

The Back Hills Weekly Journal, 15 Jul 1898
Union Publishing Company. (1883). History of Butler and Bremer counties, Iowa, p1311