Reeves, James
Summary
Father: Stephen ReevesMother: Mary Howell
Birth: 13 Oct 1762, Southampton, Suffolk County, New York
Birth Source: Military history of Wayne County, N.Y.
Death: 19 May 1838, Palmyra, Wayne County, New York
Death Source: Headstone and Military history of Wayne County, N.Y.
Spouse1: Mehitabel
Narrative
Children of James Reeves:- Polly Reeves, m. William Terry
- Nancy Reeves, m. Hiram Foster
- Fanny Reeves, m. Stephen Sweezy
- Amanda Reeves, m. Dennis Clark
- Stephen Reeves
- Lyman Reeves
- James Reeves
- Phebe Reeves, m. Gilbert Howell
In 1790, James Reeves was living in Southmapton, Suffolk County, New York.
James, his father Stephen, and brother Elias Reeves begin appearing together in the same section in Palmyra highway taxes in 1805. In 1804, just Stephen and Elias are listed, which fits with James's statement in his diary (see below) that he was one of the younger brothers.
In 1800 and 1810, he was listed next door to his father Stephen in Palmyra on the census. He is listed next door to his brother Elias in 1820. In 1830, his son Lyman is listed next door to him.
His brother Stephen's will from 1818 mentions ""my nephew Stephen Reeves (son of Brother James)."
The following details of James's life are included in the Military history of Wayne County, N.Y. which draws from a number of entries from his diary:
James Reeves, who died May 19, 1838, aged seventy-seven years, had served in the Revolutionary war on board a vessel bearing letters of Marque. He was born at Southampton, Long Island, October 13, 1762. His father was Dr. Stephen Reeves. The maiden name of his mother was Mary Howell. Long Island, or a large part of it, was under the control of the British during several years of the Revolutionary war. A letter written about that time says:
"The people are as a torch on fire at both ends. The Connecticut Whigs carry off their stock and produce, and the British punish them for letting them go."
He served on the ocean against the enemy, as shown in the following extracts from a diary kept by him:
"I felt myself a man and a good navigator, and with my fathers consent, I left home. My elder brother, Stephen, was in the battle of Long Island, and at that time a soldier. I left Long Island in a small open boat in the fall of 1782, in the evening, in company with James Sawyer, two years my senior, for New London, Conn., thirty miles across the Sound, taking the North Star for a guide."
He gave the British fleet at the north of Fisher's Island, the slip, though they fired a few distant shots at the little boat.
"We arrived the day after Arnold left with his fleet. The ruins of the city of New London were still smoking."
He shortly reached Nantucket and shipped on a privateer, the brig Digby, at seven dollars a month, and a small share of the prize money. The vessel carried six guns, nine pound calibre, a good supply of small arms, a crew of fortysix men, and a cargo of salt beef, corn, beans, etc. Their destination was the port of Havana, Cuba.
"Eight days out, we discovered a vessel on our larboard side bearing down upon us under British colors; from Bermuda, carrying nine guns, and having the wind in her favor. She gained rapidly upon us and fired a shot across our bow. We hove to, got in readiness, and answered her with a broadside. The battle continued over an hour, when they hoisted sail and drew off. We did the same; our loss four men killed and nine wounded."
Soon after they were in the friendly port of Havana, unloading the vessel, making repairs and getting ready for sea, protected by the Moro Castle.
England being then at war with Spain, Havana was blockaded by a fleet consisting of one fifty gun ship, one frigate, twenty guns, and two sloops of war. The fleet lay on and off, convoying merchant vessels from the Bermuda Islands, and sending their prizes which they captured.
"In July our repairs were completed. On the 18th, we sailed in a north-east direction, to get into the track of the Bermuda fleet, which convoyed heavy loaded merchant vessels that often fell behind and might thus be captured by a privateer. We followed in the wake of the fleet four days, when one of the frigates dropped astern and we did the same. We considered our situation critical and hazardous. Night coming on, we changed our course more to the south in hopes of making a prize of an East India ship, but found none. We then took a westerly course toward the continent. When about twenty miles from shore, we were hotly chased by a British armed vessel. Our Captain said: 'Boys, she carries too heavy metal for us. head for the shore; she will require more depth of water than we.' Our vessel grounded, (the order being given to put the helm hard a starboard); we secured a level position. The British vessel also grounded and careened over. The action lasted twenty minutes, we firing at the side of their vessel, they firing over our heads and into our sails. When the British colors came down, their Captain hailed us, asking for our boat. The reply was, 'use your own boat.' They answered that their boat was shot away, and they were in a sinking condition. We manned a boat and sent it to them. Our shot had riddled the side of their vessel.
"Her crew consisted of ninety men and fifty-two American prisoners. Our men took command. In the middle of the night, I was landed on the beach in charge of the money, twenty small leather bags, containing 8,900 Spanish milled dollars; one man was with me. In the morning a company of militia came, led bv the noise of the action. We were at Cape Hatteras. The British prisoners were taken to Northampton Jail, the Americans were released.
"In a day or two a severe storm broke both vessels to pieces. This was in November, 1783. Here ended a cruise of thirteen months. If not so brilliant as some, it was attended with constant danger. At twenty-one years of age, I possessed a roving spirit of adventure, a love for the sea and an eagerness to redress the wrongs of my country. From the time I left Long Island until I was wrecked on the coast of Virginia, there was continual danger of losing mv life or of being captured."
James Reeves died in East Palmyra, and was buried on the old Reeves homestead.
James wrote his will on 23 Apr 1831 and it was proved 7 Oct 1839. He mentions his wife Mehitabel, daughters Polle Terry, Nancy Foster, Fanne Swezy, Amarida Clark, Phebe Reeves, and sons Stephen, Lyman and James. Austin Reeves, a son of his brother Elias, witnessed the will. He also mentioned "my first devision of land maid with Elias Reeves."
On 14 Jun 1839, the Albany Argus advertised that Lyman Reeves made application to have the will of James Reeves proved. The heirs at law were requested to appear and were named as follows: Polly Terry, the wife of William Terry, of the town of London, in the London district, in the province of Upper Canada; Stephen Reeves, of Pontiac, in the county of Oakland and state of Michigan, Phebe Howell wife of Gilbert Howell of Oak Orchard in the county of Orleans, James Reeves (an executor), Nancy Foster wife of Hiram Foster, Fanny Sweezy wife of Stephen Sweezy, and Amanda Clark wife of Dennis Clark, all of Palmyra.
His headstone in the East Palmyra Cemetery reads: "James Reeves Esq./died May 19, 1838,/aged 76 yrs. 6 mo./& 22 ds."
Research Notes
Sources
Burial: Findagrave - East Palmyra Cemetery, East Palmyra, Wayne County, New York1790 Census: Southampton, Suffolk County, New York
1800 Census: Palmyra, Ontario County, New York
1810 Census: Palmyra, Ontario County, New York
1820 Census: Palmyra, Ontario County, New York
1830 Census: Palmyra, Wayne County, New York
Archive.org - Clark, Lewis H. (1883). Military history of Wayne County, N.Y.: Military register. Wayne County in the Civil War, 1861-1865, p102
1831 Will - James Reeves - Wayne County, New York Will Book B, p381
1818 Will - Stephen Reeves - Suffolk County, New York Surrogate's Court Will Liber E, p450
FamilySearch - Palmyra, New York Highway Taxes, 1805
FamilySearch - Palmyra, New York Highway Taxes, 1806
FamilySearch - Palmyra, New York Highway Taxes, 1807
FamilySearch - Palmyra, New York Highway Taxes, 1808
Advertisement to heirs of James Reeves, Albany Argus, 14 Jun 1839