Reeves, John
Summary
Father: possibly William ReevesMother:
Birth: c1765
Birth Source: Estimate based upon census
Death: Before 1810
Death Source: 1812 Will of George Woolf, Greenville SC
Spouse1: Unknown
Narrative
Children of John Reeves:Very little is known of the John Reeves who appeared in the 1800 Second Census of Kentucky in Christian County along with a James Reeves, William Reeves and another unidentified William Reeves. There is evidence to indicate that James Reeves had migrated to Kentucky from South Carolina for he had married Nancy Goodwin there prior to arriving in Kentucky. Whether there was a family connection between James and John Reeves is unknown but the 1812 will of George Woolf in Greenville County, SC mentions a John Reeves whose sons appear to have been living with George Woolf at the time of his death in 1813. George Woolf's household in the 1810 census of Greenville County lists 3 Males 16-25 and 1 Female 16-25 (Elizabeth, wife of Ewel) in addition to George Woolf himself. The SC Archives holds a plat from 1795 for George Woolfe for 410 acres on Woolf's Creek in Greenville County. John Reeves is listed as owning land next to him.
The elder William Reeves is also associated in deeds with John. From Spartanburg County, South Carolina deeds compiled by Gerald Witt:
Page 176-Deed Book F, page 398-400-Mar. 30, 1793 Mathew Harper (Spartanburgh) to William Reeves, Sr. (same); for £150 sold 200 acres on both sides of South Fork of Pacolet River; where William Reeves lives; border; NW & SE-remainder of grant, SW-Samuel Fowler and NE-William McClure; part of grant to Joseph White then in North Carolina and granted again Feb. 3, 1775 Gov. William Bull to Mathew Harper, Sr. Witness: John Reeves and Jacob Fleming. Signed Mathew Harper. Wit: oath Sept. 22, 1795 John Reeves to James Hopper. Recorded: Dec. 30, 1799.
From Spartanburg County/District South Carolina, Deed Abstracts Book A-T (1785-1827) by Albert Bruce Pruitt
On 20 Aug 1793, John Reaves (Spartanburgh Co., SC) to George Woolf (same) for 30 pounds sterling sold 58 acres on George Woolf's Creek Waters of Middle Fork of Saluda River bordering George Woolf, granted March 7, 1787 by Gov. Thomas Pinckney to John Reeves. (Greenville County SC Deed Bk C p. 486)
The 1812 will of George Woolf probated in Greenville County in 1813 names "his brother John Reaves" and his nephews William Reaves, Ewel Reaves and John Reaves, sons of this John Reaves. Presumably, John Reeves' wife was the sister of George Woolf, or George Woolf had married a sister of John Reeves. It may also have been that John Reaves was a half-brother to George Woolf. That may be somewhat doubtful since Henry Woolf, Sr. is known to have died in 1776/1777 and John Reaves was too old to have been a child born to his widow from a marriage after that date.
The will creates the impression that John Reeves was deceased by 1812 but does not specifically state that. Several members of the family of George Woolf also migrated to Christian County, Kentucky in the early 1800's.
Another of the legatees in the will of George Woolf, his nephew Henry Woolf, Jr., migrated to Kentucky where he was granted 200 acres in Christian County on the Muddy Fork of the Little River. Land was surveyed on January 24, 1799 (Kentucky Land Warrants Bk. 17 p.305). Henry Woolf, Jr. appeared on the Christian County, Kentucky tax rolls for years 1798-1801 but moved back to South Carolina in 1802.
It appears that John Reeves joined these Woolf family members in the migration to Kentucky but died shortly thereafter and his children returned to South Carolina possibly with Henry Woolf, Jr. in 1802.
Although the George Woolf will does not name him, the War of 1812 pension statements include testimony that Asel Reeves was a brother of John's son William Reeves.
Sources
Spartanburg County/District South Carolina, Deed Abstracts Book A-T (1785-1827) by Albert Bruce Pruitt p. 176, DB F:398-400Abstracts of Deeds, Greenville Co. SC, Deed Bk C p. 486
1790 Census - Greenville County, South Carolina
1800 Second Census of Kentucky - Christian County
Greenville County SC Will Book A, p. 215 - Will of George Woolf
SC Archives - Series: S213190 Volume: 0032 Page: 00384 Item: 002