Reeves, Elias Morgan

Summary

Father: Jordan Reeves
Mother: Mary Magness

Birth: 28 Sep 1816, Tennessee
Birth Source: Family Bible and 1850 federal census

Death: 19 June 1862, Arkansas
Death Source: Family Bible

Spouse1: Terrissa Gilbreath, married 25 March 1841, Independence Co., AR
Spouse2: Mariah Engles, married 1862 Independence Co., AR

Narrative

Children of Elias Morgan Reeves:

1. Christopher Grinup Reeves, b. 24 July 1842, Independence County, Arkansas
2. Cynthia Jane Reeves, b. 15 Apr 1844, Independence County, Arkansas
3. Burrell Reeves, b. Sep 29, 1845, Independence County, Arkansas
4. Elias Kirkwood Reeves, b. 19 Feb 1848, Independence County, Arkansas
5. William Clark Reeves, b. 14 Aug 1850, Independence, Arkansas
6. Amelia Ann Reeves, b. 20 Nov 1852, Independence County, Arkansas
7. Martha Clingham Reeves, b. 22 Jan 1855, Independence, Arkansas
8. David Robertson Reeves, b. 3 Aug 1857, Independence, Arkansas
9. Susan Margaret Reeves, b. 15 Dec 1859, Independence County, Arkansas

Jordan Reeves moved his family from Humphreys Co TN by 1825. Mary's father Jonathan Magness and some of her siblings were already in Independence Co AR.

Possible source of name: an Elias Morgan posted bond for Zacharias Magness (brother of Jonathan Magness who was grandfather of Elias Morgan Reeves) in Morgan District of Rutherford Co NC in 1788. Morgan is a common given name in the descendants of Jonathan Magness.

Marriage announcement in Arkansas Gazette (April 21, 1841 Marriage and Death Announcements) as found on arkansasties.com:

Married,
At the house of Samuel Gilbrath, in Independence county, on Thursday last, by D.W. Lowe, Esq., Mr. Elias M. Reaves to Miss Teressa Gilbreath.

Although the 1850 census says that Morgan was a blacksmith, at least one descendant says that he was a steamboat captain on the White River. His occupation needs to be confirmed.

Found several land records in Independence Co AR 1855-1859. Earlier ones show his name as Elias Morgan Reeves. Some show Elias M Reaves. Land sales in 1859 are for another man named Morgan Reavis/Revis who was in Bedford TN in 1850 and Independence AR in 1860.

Morgan (as he was known) and his wife both died about 1862 in Independence County, leaving several young children. So many of my civilian ancestors died that year in Independence or other nearby counties, that I am looking for possible epidemics that might have killed them. There was a known epidemic among Confederate soldiers at a camp in nearby Lonoke County in 1862.

Sources

1850 Census
Family Bible