Reeves, John

Summary

Father: Robert Reeves
Mother: Frances

Birth: c. 1691, Northumberland Co., VA
Birth Source: Estimated based on birth of first child in 1720

Death: After 14 July 1740, Northumberland Co., VA
Death Source: Northumberland Co., VA, Deeds, Wills, Etc., 1737-1743

Spouse1: Elizabeth Sanders

Narrative

John Reeves and Elizabeth Sanders were the parents of at least one child:

1. Richard Reeves (18 March 1724, Northumberland Co., VA - after 1745).

John Reeves and Elizabeth Sanders were probably also the parents of these children, whose births are listed in Northumberland County's St. Stephen's Parish register, which also documents Richard Reeves's birth:

2. Martha (Marthew) Reeves (8 October 1720, Northumberland Co., VA - ).
3. Eliza Reeves (23 March 1722, Northumberland Co., VA - ).
4. Ann Reeves (10 June 1726, Northumberland Co., VA - ).
5. Sarah Reeves (16 March 1729, Northumberland Co., VA - ).

John Reeves administered the estate of William Hammond in Northumberland County on 19 April 1727 (Northumberland Co., VA, Order Book, 1719/20-1729, p. 259).

Two deeds filed in Lancaster County Deeds Wills Etc. No. 13 in 1736 and 1737 establish the maiden name and paternity of Elizabeth Sanders Reeves. Another deed, dated 11 March 1747/8, relates to the same matter. At that time, Richard Reeves of Northumberland County sold to Peter Conway of Lancaster County 190 acres that had formerly been land of Capt. Edward Sanders. Sanders had left 200 acres to his daughter Josian, then wife of John Frame. Josian died without issue, and the land fell to her sisters. Richard Reeves was the son & heir of Elizabeth, "sister of the whole blood to the sd Josian, who is since dead, and her right is devolved to her son Richard." (Lancaster Co., VA, Wills, Administrations, Deeds, Inventories, Etc., Book 14, 1743-1750, p. 102, citing original page 363).

On 14 July 1740, John Reeves and wife Elizabeth sold to Ellis Gill 150 acres on Mariner's Creek, Great Wicomico River, "adjacent ye Glebe land...whereon Capt. Sanders, deceased, lived & left by him to ye said John & Elizabeth his now wife."

On 14 June 1741, the Northumberland Court ordered George Conway, Vincent Garner, and James Oldham to value the estate of John Reeves. The document does not specify whether John Reeves was then deceased; it may be that this was only an attachment to satisfy a debt and not a probate record. The order mentions an amount which was to settle a debt owned to Leroy Griffin of Richmond County as well as an amount set apart for the use of John's wife Elizabeth Reeves and son Richard Reeves and states that the appraisers had met at the "plantation of John Reeves." An 11 July 1743 deed from John Christopher to George Christopher for 119 acres in St. Stephen's Parish mentioned that the land had been purchased in 1695 by Robert Reeves from Thomas Adams and then conveyed by Robert Reeves to his son John, who, in turn, conveyed it to John Christopher; the land lay between the two main branches of the Coan River and joined John Ward, Thomas Timmons, Thomas Dyer, Thomas Towers, and William Taylor.

John Reeves may have been alive as late as 13 October 1746 when an appraisal of the estate of John Broady, taken by Vincent Garner, George Oldham, & John Reaves, was filed in Northumberland County.

The 11 March 1747/8 deed from Richard Reeves to Peter Conway, referenced above, suggests that John and Elizabeth Sanders Reeves may have both been deceased by that date.

Sources

Mary Marshall Brewer, Northumberland County, VA, Deeds, Wills, Etc., 1737-1743, pp. 46, 73.