Reeves, Eliza Jenet

Summary

Father: Frederick Reeves
Mother: Mrs. Nancy C. Smith (maiden name is also Smith)

Birth: 23 Mar 1846, Orange County, North Carolina
Birth Source: Estate of Frederick Reeves and Gravestone photo

Death: 3 Apr 1923, Durham County, North Carolina
Death Source: Gravestone, Mt Moriah Baptist Church Cemetery

Spouse1: John Cates, m. 20 Jan 1861, Orange County, North Carolina

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Narrative

Children of Eliza Jenet Reeves and John Cates:

1. Emily Geer Cates, b. 31 Dec 1861
2. John Wesley Cates, b. 31 May 1863
3. Andrew W. Cates, b. 1 Feb 1866
4. Lucius G. Cates, b. 23 Jul 1867
5. Maria Belle Cates, b. 15 Jan 1869
6. Susan Coretta Cates, b. 19 Jun 1871
7. William Mitchell Cates, b. 19 Jan 1872
8. Gilmore P. Cates, b. 17 Mar 1875
9. Lillian Cates Gresham, b. 6 Apr 1876
10. Nady Milton Cates, b. 13 Feb 1882
11. Clarence Marshall Cates, b. 21 Feb 1884
12. Bessie Alma Cates, b. 27 Jan 1888
13. Mattie Cates, b. 2 Oct 1888

Frederick Reeves' first wife, Edith Currie was the mother of all of his children other than the youngest, Eliza Jenet. In the 1850 census, the name of Frederick's wife is given as Sarah and Eliza Jenet was four years old suggesting that he had married Sarah around 1845. In an 1845 deed by the heirs of George Smith, he was married to Nancy Smith, daughter of George Smith of Orange County, and widow of Lucius Smith. The census enumerator appears to have made a mistake when he listed Frederick's wife as Sarah for the name Nancy appears to be accurate based upon probate records. Nancy is the widow named in numerous different documents in Frederick's Orange County estate file.

Another puzzling document regarding this family is the death certificate of Eliza Jenet Reeves Cates which gives the name of her father as Lucius Reeves and her mother as Elizabeth Smith. The estate file of Frederick Reeves lists "Janet" as his daughter but the name Elizabeth does not appear among any records as his wife. The information for the death certificate was given by a C. M. Cates who was probably her son Clarence Marshall Cates, born 1884 who could have been confused about his mother's parents.

Two children, Lucien born 1839 and Emeline born 1835, are recorded in Frederick's household in the 1850 Orange County census as Reeves but they appear to have been step-children since they are not named in probate records as children of Frederick's. Nancy Reeves' 1860 Orange County NC household lists a son Lucien Smith along with her daughter Eliza.

Emeline Smith married William H. Stubbins in Orange County on 12 Mar 1854 which accounts for the fact that she is not mentioned in her mother's 1860 Orange County household.

A Tennessee death certificate for Lucien Clay Smith, born 15 Mar 1839 in Hillsboro, North Carolina gives the name of his father as Lucien Smith and just lists Smith as his mother's name. Lucien's Smith County Tennessee household in the 1880 census includes his widowed mother, Nancy Reeves, born in North Carolina.

It should be noted that the middle name of Eliza Jenet's first child was "Geer" which adds credence to the belief that Frederick Reeves' mother was Tabitha Geer.

Sources

Estate of Frederick Reeves
Orange County Deed Book 32 p. 86, 1845 Deed by George Smith Heirs
North Carolina, Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868, Ancestry database
1850 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1860 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1870 Census - Bingham, Orange County,North Carolina
1880 Census - Patterson, Orange County,North Carolina
1900 Census - Chapel Hill, Orange County,North Carolina
1910 Census - Chapel Hill, Orange County,North Carolina
1920 Census - Chapel Hill, Orange County,North Carolina
Find A Grave (Gravestone Photo)