Reeves, Drury

Summary

Father: Jordan Reeves Sr
Mother:

Birth: abt 1781, probably Watauga Settlements, Washington County, TN
Birth Source: 1850 federal census says SC, 1860 says TN. TN is more likely.

Death: 1861, Madison County, AR
Death Source:

Spouse1: Mary LNU

Narrative

Children of Drury Reeves and Mary:

1. Barrester Jourdan Reeves, b. 1821 in Tennessee
2. James Rutherford Reeves b. 23 Feb 1826 in McNairy, Tennessee
3. Drury Pinkney Reeves, b. 27 Dec 1829 in Henderson, Tennessee, United States
4. Isabell Cordellia Reeves, b. 1831 in Tennessee
5. Jonathan Dewitt C Reeves, b. 1834 in Henderson, Tennessee
6. Morgan George Reeves, b. 15 Dec 1837 in Aurora, Madison Co., Arkansas
7. Francis Reeves, b. 1845 in Arkansas

Drury Reeves was most likely born at the Watauga Settlements in eastern Tennessee. The 1850 census says he was born in South Carolina while the 1860 census says Tennessee. Tennessee is more likely as that is where his father was living at the time.

The earliest record found so far for Drury Reeves is in Davidson County Tn in
the 1802 Petition for a New County signed by residents of an area near the Big Harpeth River. Jordan Reeves Sr and several of his sons, including Drury, signed this petition.

The next record of Drury is in Wilson Co TN.
P 12 Wilson Co TN Marriages
Beurriah Bateman and Sally Magness June 7 1810
Drury Reeves BM
Sally Magness was the sister of Mary Magness who married Jordan Reeves Jr, brother of Drury. Both were daughters of Jonathan Magness who sold land to Drury Reeves in the next deed.

From Wilson County Deedbooks 1793 -1829

Jonathan Magness sells land to Drury Reeves:

• P 38 Deed Book D. Jonathan Magness to Drury Reeves 340 acres on Hurricane Creek. 16 April 1811 P 421

The next deed establishes that Drury Reeves was living in Hickman County TN as early as 1813.

• P 75 Deed Book E. Drury Reaves of Hickman County, Tennessee to Benjamin Morris 77 acres on Cedar Creek 29 nov1813. p 589

Two Wilson Co TN deeds establish Jordan Reeves Jr and Drury Reeves being in Humphreys County TN in 1816/1817:

P 89 in Wilson Co TN Deed Abstracts
Jordan Reeves and Drewry Reeves to Perry Underwood 116 acres on Hurricane Creek. 25 June 1816 P 328 Deed Book F.
P 99
Jordan Reeves and Drewry Reeves of Humphreys County, Tennessee to Peter Leeth 147 acres on Spring Creek. 29 January 1817. P 452 Deed Book F

If Drury was married in 1818, the marriage likely occurred in Humphreys County, but no record has been found to give us Mary's maiden name as Humphreys County marriage records burned. Drury was 37 when he married Mary. Was there a first wife?

In 1820 Humphreys TN census, Drury is next door to William Reaves. In this census, he has one male < 10, 2 females < 10 and a female/wife < 25. Both Jordan Reeves Sr and Jordan Reeves Jr are also in the 1820 Humphreys County census.

By 1830, he has moved to Henderson Co TN where there is a birth record for his son Drury P Reeves. There is a Drury/Drewey Reeves in the 1830 Humphreys TN census, but he is a much younger man.

He arrived in Arkansas by 1838 per birth years of children. Children's names Morgan and Jourdan lend credibility to Drury being the brother of Jordan Reeves; Morgan is a Magness name used for generations in the Reeves family. Jordan named a son Drew/Drury.

In the 1840 census Drury is in Madison Co AR. It is worthwhile to note that a number of related Reeves arrived in adjacent Crawford and Johnson counties in the mid-1830s. They were sons and grandsons of Drury's uncles William Reeves and George Reeves Jr.

Drury received a land grant in 1843 in adjacent Newton County. He was assignee of David Perkins Walker. This may be the famous Judge David Walker of Fayetteville who was also a land speculator.

Sources

1820 Census - Humphreys County, Tennessee
1830 Census - Henderson County, Tennessee
1840 Census - Madison County, Arkansas
1850 Census - Madison County, Arkansas
1860 Census - Madison County, Arkansas
Find A Grave Index
Find A Grave