Reeves, George W.

Summary

Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown

Birth: c. 1810, North Carolina
Birth Source: 1850 Census of Pike County, Georgia

Death: 13 Dec 1887, Carroll Co., Georgia
Death Source: Obituary

Spouse1: Sabina Hill Daniel

Narrative

Children of George W. Reeves and Sabina Hill Daniel:

1. S. H. Reeves, b. 1835, GA. This child was male. He has not been found after 1850.
2. Mary Elizabeth Reeves, b. 1839, GA.
3. Charles King Reeves, b. 1841, GA.
4. Henrietta Dawson Reeves, b. 1843, GA.
5. Emma G. Reeves, b. 1845, GA.
6. Alice Ophelia Reeves, b. 1847, GA.

George W. Reeves married Sabina Hill Daniel on 15 June 1834 in Pike Co., GA. As Sabina Hill, she had married Lunsford Daniel on 13 January 1825 in Warren Co., GA. She may have had a son, Lunsford Daniel, born about 1830, who was enumerated with George Reeves in Pike Co., GA, in 1850.

As George W. Reaves, he was a defaulter in Captain Wilson's District, Pike Co., GA, in 1831. He was assessed with the poll tax only.

He appears to have bought some land in Cherokee County. In 1837, P. J. Marshall sold some land in Cherokee County to George Reeves, both of whom were denoted as of Pike County (DB D, p195).

George W. and Sabina Reeves appear to have had a troubled marriage. They were enumerated in separate households in 1850, and Sabina and George were taxed from 1851 onwards separately (although in the same district). She appears in Pike County in 1851 but in Spalding County in 1852. In 1851, GMD 1001, Griffin, then Pike but later Spalding Co., GA, two men named George W. Reaves were shown. One paid only poll tax, while the other paid tax on one slave and two tracts of land, one of 405 acres and the other of 202.5 acres. One William Reaves paid poll tax only. Sabina G. Reaves paid tax on 12 slaves but no land. (Although it is not clear who the William Reaves shown in 1851 was, it is worth noting that in 1852 Sabina was taxed near the estate of William Reaves. The 1852 tax digest for GMD 1001, Griffin, Spalding Co., GA, showed that J. F. and H. J. Reeves both paid poll tax and that H. J. Reeves was taxed as administrator of the estate of William Reeves, which included 9 slaves.) In 1852, Sabina Reeves was taxed with twelve slaves.

George and Sabina formally divorced in 1860. Salina was enumerated in Griffin, GMD 1001, Spalding Co., GA, in 1860, at which time she was a boarding house keeper with property valued at $4,000/$18,000.

George W. Reeves was enumerated in Griffin, Georgia, in 1870. He was a Cotton Buyer and was living in a local hotel.

The Carroll Free Press, 16 Dec 1887
Death of George W. Reaves
"Uncle George" Reaves as he was familiarly known was stricken with paralysis on last Friday at dunner, at his hotel the Chambers House, from the effects of which he never rallied. He lingered until Tuesday morning at 4 o'clock, when dessolution took place.
He was never conscious after he was stricken and it was soon evident that his death was only a question of short time.
His daughter, Mrs. Mann of Griffin, came up Saturday and Mrs. Curtis another daughter Monday and were with him until the end came. Mrs. Drake, also a daughter, came up on the same train Tuesday that bore back to Griffin the dead body on its return trip.
Messrs. T. H. West, T. W. Dimmock, Sank McCoy and F. N. Cobb, accompanied the remains to Griffin on Tuesday.
"Uncle George" had many friends in our community who were shocked by his sudden death. He was, we understand, about 80 years of age at the time of his demise.

George W. Reeves died in December 1887 at his hotel, "The Chambers House," in Carrollton, Carroll Co., GA. His death notice mentions daughters Mrs. Mann of Griffin and "another daughter, Mrs. Curtis" and "Mrs. Drake, also a daughter." The notice states that "'Uncle George' had many friends in our community who were shocked by his sudden death. He was, we understand, about 80 years of age at the time of his demise." His body was returned to Griffin for burial.

Research Notes

George W. Reeves seems to have been a close relative of Sidney King Reeves who also settled in Pike County, Georgia. The relationship is supported by the 1898 obituary of Henrietta Dawson Reeves Drake published in the Pike County Journal, which indicates that she was a "relative" of Mrs. M. E. Green and Mrs. E. F. Dupree, daughters of Sidney King Reeves.

The 1887 death notice of George W. Reeves mentions a daughter identified as "Mrs. Curtis." One Rhoda Reeves married Robert Curtis in Pike Co., GA, in 1873, but this appears to have been an African-American couple. In 1880, Robert Curtis, 26, African-American, was enumerated in Spalding County. His household included two Reeves stepsons. The correct identity of George W. Reeves's daughter was Mary Elizabeth Reeves Curtis.

Sources

Marriage:   Georgia, County Marriages, 1785-1950 (FamilySearch)
Death:        The Carroll Free Press, 16 Dec 1887

1840 Census:  Pike County, Georgia
1850 Census:  Pike County, Georgia (Sabina Reeves, HH 1350/1350).
1860 Census:  Spalding County, Georgia (Sabina Reeves, HH 42/42).
1870 Census:  Spalding County, Georgia (G. W. Reaves, HH 555/595: George W. Reeves).
1880 Census:  Carroll County, Georgia (GMD 714, HH 6/6).

Cherokee County Deed Book D, p195