Reeves, John

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c1609
Birth Source: Essex County Deed

Death: Jun-Sep 1681, Essex County, Massachusetts
Death Source: Deposition & Will Probate

Spouse1:

Narrative

Children of John Reeves:

1. Elizabeth Reeves
2. Mary Reeves
3. William Reeves

John Reeves is first mentioned in Essex deed records on 23 Jul 1652 when it notes that Henry Cooke sold William Fflynt five acres in the South field lying between John Reeves & Elias Masons lotts (DB 1, p32). A deed from 7 Dec 1658 mentions land that was sold near Ipsiwch River "joyning to three acres of meddow layd out to John Reeves of Salem being now in the possession of the said Tho & Na Putnam." (DB 1, p130) A deed is recorded on the next page in which John Reeves sold this land to the Puttnams the same day.

It would appear from his will that John was sick for a time later in life and his daughter Mary helped take care of him. He gave her various goods "upon consideration of her dutifull care of me in the tyme of my health & also her extraordinary paynes with me in the tyme of my sickness."

An Essex County deposition from 22 Jun 1681 states that "John Reeves aged about 72 years testifieth to his knowledge..." This gives an approximate date of birth for John. His will was written shortly before this and it was proven on 29 Sep 1681, so this gives a range of June to September 1681 for his death.

Great Migrations notes there was a John Reeves who came to New England from London on the Christian in 1635 with Francis Stiles, to whom he was indentured. He first resided in Windsor. Past historians had identified this as the same John Reeves of Salem. However the ship's passenger list indicate he was born about 1616 which does not match the age of John from the 1681 deed.

Research Notes

The probate records concerning the estate of William Powell contains a deposition by Hannah Reeves on 18: 1m: 1669/70
Deposition of Hannah Reeves, aged about fifty years, that William Powell came to live with her brother Thomas Rootes, "ye tenth of December, was two years," where he spent some time that winter learning to read English, after which he went another voyage to Barbados with Mr. John Grafton and after that went to England in the same vessel with Mr. Cushion and lastly this voyage with Mr. Grafton wherein he was lost; before he went on his first voyage he said what estate he had was Thomas Rootes and this he said for three voyages, and in jesting him about having another heir, meaning Mr. Verins daughter, he said it was not so, that they got him to make a writing but he meant to take it up again."

It's possible this was John's wife.

Sources

1658 Deed - John Reeves to Thos. & Nath. Putnam - Essex County, Massachusetts Deed Book 1, p131
1681 Will - John Reeves - Essex County, Massachusetts - Massachusetts, Wills and Probate Records, 1635-1991 (Ancestry)
1681 Deposition - Essex County, Deed Book 6, p452
Great Migration, Vol 6, p40
Essex County, Massachusetts Quarterly Court Records
1635 Ship List - Christian of London
The probate records of Essex County, Massachusetts Vol II, p178 (1916)