Reeves, John

Summary

Father: Abraham Reeves
Mother: Damaris Sayre

Birth: c1726
Birth Source: Headstone

Death: 1 May 1800
Death Source: Headstone

Spouse1: Mabel Johnson

Narrative

Children of John Reeves and Mabel Johnson:

1. Mabel Reeves, m. Mr. Leeke
2. Eunice Reeves, m Mr. Bishop
3. Johnson Reeves
4. Joseph Reeves
5. Abraham Reeves
6. Lemuel Reeves, b. c1755, d. 2 Nov 1777

From New Jersey Will Abstracts:
1792, July 25. Reeves, John, of Hopewell Twsp., Cumberland Co.; will of. Wife, Mable, use and profits of land bought of Stephen Ayres joining to Thomas Waithmans and Elnathan Davis; also 1/2 of personal. Daughters, Mable Leeke and Eunice Bishop, the other 1/2 of personal. Son, Johnson, tract of land bought of Stephen Ayres, after his mother’s death. Son, Joseph, plantation whereon he now lives purchased of Israel Morris; also remaining part of swamp purchased of Samuel Harris and Nicholas Johnson; it runs to Isaac Brown’s line. Son, Abraham, home plantation purchased of Thomas Mulford; also remainder of marsh lands and cedar swamps. Executors—wife, Mable, and son, Abraham. Witnesses—Nathan Miller, Thomas Reeves, Abraham Miller. Proved July 22, 1800. Lib. 39, p. 119.
1800, May 19. Inventory, $1,016.81; made by Seeley Fithian and William Miller. File 1188F

In a letter written in 1806 from Silas Harris, an apparent resident of Cumberland County, to his son Jones in Cincinnati, Ohio, he sent updates on many of their acquaintances in the area, including the Reeves family. Concerning John and his family, he states:

Old Mr. John Reeves departed this life on Sunday, May 4th *** at 10 o'clock. Mr. David Elwell died the same day at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Two good men, honest both, ascended to glory in one day. His widow, Mrs. Mabel Reeves, lives at her son's Jonathan Reeves' (sic). Mr. Reeves has five children living, namely, Johnson, Joseph, Abraham, Mabel and Eunice. Johnson lives near Sho***; has three sons married, namely, John, Stephen and Lemuel. Moved last spring to Warren in the Ohio state. Joseph Reeves has sold off his possessions here in order to go to the same place and has employed a man (Mark Westcott that married Polly Perry) to go out this fall to build him a house. Abraham Reeves lives by me where his father did. Abraham has with a number of others been out this spring to Warren, but he does not like the country.

Note that the death date here, 4th May, conflicts with the headstone which reads 1st May. Although he states he died the same day as David Elwell, no exact date for David Elwell has been found in other records so far. The letter confirms that Johnson (or at least his children), Joseph, and even Abraham for a short period, moved out to Warren, Ohio.

The will of Mabel Reeves was made in 1811 and proved 1 Dec 1813. It names Mabel Leake, Eunice Bishop, Joseph Reeves, and Abraham Reeves as children. Abraham was executor.

Deacon John Reeves is buried in the Greenwich Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Greenwich, Cumberland County, New Jersey. Headstone reads: "In memory of John Reeves Deacon who departed this life May 1st 1800 Aged 73 years."

Mabel and Johnson sold some land in 1807 they had inherited from her father James Johnson. It states James Johnson per his will gave the land to "Mabel Reeve his daughter during her natural life & then to Lemuel and Johnson Reeves her sons the said Lemuel Reed has been deceased upward of twenty years." Lemuel is buried in the Greenwich Presbyterian Church Cemetery where John and Mabel are.

Research Notes

Sources

Death:        Headstone, Greenwich Presbyterian Church Cemetery, Greenwich, Cumberland County, New Jersey

New Jersey, U.S., Abstract of Wills, 1670-1817, Vol. XXXVIII, p294
1806 Letter - Silas Harris to Jones Harris
1807 Deed - Mabel Reeves et al to John Harris - Salem County, New Jersey Deed Book L, p83
1792 Will - John Reeves - Cumberland County, New Jersey Will Records 1188F
1811 Will - Mabel Reeves - Cumberland County, New Jersey, Will Records 1645F