Reeves, Frederick

Summary

Father: George Reeves, Sr.
Mother: probably Tabitha Geer

Birth: 1787, Orange County, North Carolina
Birth Source: 1821 Will of George Reeves, Sr. and 1850 Census for DOB

Death: Sep 1854, Orange County, North Carolina
Death Source: Statement by wife Nancy in Orange County Estate File

Spouse1: Edith Currie, c1808, Orange County, North Carolina
Spouse2: Mrs. Nancy C. Smith, m. 1845, Orange County, North Carolina

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Narrative

Children of Frederick Reeves and Edith Currie:

1. Azariah E. Reeves, 1809-c1850
2. Elizabeth Reeves, b. 1811-1820, m. Moore Daniel
3. William David Reeves, 1810-1885
4. James M. Reeves, b. 1811
5. George M. Reeves
6. Hugh C. Reeves, b. 1817
7. John Walter Reeves, 1824-1863
8. Mary Reeves, b. c1820
9. Sarah Reeves, 13 Feb 1826
10. Lydia C. Reeves, b. 1830
11. Edith Simpson Reeves, b. Mar 1832

Child of Frederick Reeves and Mrs. Nancy C. Smith:

1. Eliza Jenet Reeves, b. 23 Mar 1846

There is much evidence to support the belief that George Reeves, Sr.'s wife and Frederick's mother was Tabitha Geer, daughter of John Geer who died in Orange County in 1769. The fact that Frederick's daughter Eliza Jenet gave her first daughter the middle name "Geer" gives additional credence to that belief.

A petition filed by the heirs of Frederick Reeves against his administrator James M. Reeves and recorded in the Orange County NC estate file of deceased son Azariah Reeves names all of the children of Frederick as well. The petition also names his grandchildren who were children of his deceased children Azariah E. Reeves and Elizabeth Reeves Daniel.

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 1845, he was married to Nancy Smith, daughter of George Smith of Orange County, and widow of Lucius Smith which is confirmed in a deed by the heirs of George Smith's estate. The census enumerator appears to have made a mistake when he listed Frederick's wife 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 Jenet's 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.

In Frederick's household in the 1850 Orange County census, there are two children, Lucien born 1839 and Emeline born 1835, who appear to have been step-children since they are not named in the probate records as children of Frederick's. Nancy Reeves' 1860 Orange County NC household lists a son Lucien Smith and 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.

Source

Will of George Reeves, Sr.
1810 Census - Orange County, North Carolina (F. Reeves)
1820 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1830 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1840 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1850 Census - Orange County, North Carolina
1860 Census - Orange County, North Carolina (Nancy Reeves HOH)
Orange County Deed Book 32 p. 86, 1845 Deed by George Smith Heirs
Estate of Frederick Reeves
North Carolina, Death Certificates, 1909-1975
1880 Census - Smith County, Tennessee
Tennessee, Death Records, 1908-1958, Ancestry database