Reeves, Henry

Summary

Father: John Reeves
Mother: Elizabeth mnu

Birth: c 1787 at Bossington, Hampshire
Birth Source: baptism and 1861 & 1871 census

Death: before 10 September 1875 at Crawley, Hampshire
Death Source: burial

Spouse1: Sarah Ann BAKER

Narrative

Henry Reeves is the third known child of John & Elizabeth Reeves who was baptised at Bossington, Hampshire in July 1787.

Henry has not been identified with certainty on the 1841 census, although it is highly possible he is the Henry Reeves, age 50 at Farmer born in Hampshire who is living at Upsomborne Farm at Kings Somborne, Hampshire. Also present in the same household is one Elizabeth REDING, also aged 50 who is described as a being Independent. This may well be Henry's sister Elizabeth, which in turns points to the marriage for Elizabeth Reeves to Joe Russell REDING at Andover in June 1804.

Henry marries Sarah Ann BAKER in December 1841 at Andover, Hampshire. He would have been 54 years old and she 23 years old at the time of their marriage. It is not known whether Hanry had been previously married, but at the time of his daughter Caroline's marriage she is described as the only child of Henry Reeves. ¹

Known children of Henry Reeves and Sarah Ann (nee BAKER) are

1. Caroline Reeves, bapt May 1844, marr Rev. William DRUITT in 1864.
2. Ada Reeves, bapt September 1852, bur April 1853

At the time of Caroline's baptism in May 1844 the family are living at Rookley House, Crawley, which remains Henry's home until his death. This was not however an ancestral family seat; the property was previously occupied by George LOVELL Esq who died in January 1841 and the house was unoccupied on the 1841 census. ²     It was no longer occupied by the family at the time of the 1881 census. ³

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Henry and his wife Sarah A. Reeves are living at Rookley House, Crawley. Their daughter Caroline is visiting her maternal grandmother at this time. Henry claims birth in Bossington, but has been very economical with his age of 50, when he was in fact in his mid-60's. He is described as a Farmer of 400 Acres employing 12 labourers.

Henry's wife Sarah was buried less than two weeks after the baptism of their second daughter Ada in September 1852, age 34. These baptisms and burials are recorded in the Parish Registers for the Parish Church of St Mary, Crawley. ⁴

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Henry as a widower, living with his daughter Caroline (16 years old) plus a housekeeper and two servants at Rookley House. Henry claims birth in Bissington (sic Bossington) and is 73 years old. He is a Landed Proprietor farming 380 acres employing 5 men and 13 boys.

On the 1871 census, Henry is still living at Rookley House, by then known as Rookley Mansion. He claims birth at Bossington and is widower of 83 years of age. His occuaption is given as a Farmer and Landowner of 500 Acres employing 7 labourers and 5 boys.

Henry's burial in September 1875 at the aged of 88 is noted in the Parish Registers of the Parish Church of St Mary, Crawley⁴ and FreeBMD has a corresponding entry.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N1RT-MVW
Marriage: FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NVJQ-W5Z
                 and https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/N68B-SM8
Death:      Burial Register for St Mary's Crawley http://www.downs-benefice.hampshire.org.uk/benefice/cbur2.pdf
                 FreeBMD Death Registrations in Winchester Registration District during 3q1875, aged 88.

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0404, Book 3, Folio 3 reverse, Page 5
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1673, Folio 174 reverse, Page 27
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0690, Folio 62 reverse, Page 2 and continued on Folio 63 face, Page 3
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 1203, Folio 56 face, Page 1

¹ Bucks Herald of 8 October 1864, Page 3 from http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/
² Rookley House is listed in the 1841 census on HO107, Piece 0403, Book 5, Folio 10 reverse, Page 31. Note the page numbers in this book are not consecutive, but the folio numbers are.
³  Rookley House in 1881 census RG11, Piece 1230, Folio 67 reverse, Page 24
⁴ Parish Register Transcripts for St Mary's Crawley are available online at http://www.downs-benefice.hampshire.org.uk/benefice/stmary.htm

Description of Rookley House http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-145580-rookley-house-kings-somborne-hampshire