Reeves, John

Summary

Father: possibly Elisha Reeves
Mother:

Birth: c. 1790, Lancaster County, South Carolina
Birth Source: Reeves-Blackmon Bible Record

Death: --3-- 4 Aug 1840, probably Sumter County, Alabama
Death Source: Reeves-Blackmon Bible Record

Spouse1: Nancy MNU

Narrative

Children of John Reeves and Nancy:

1. Elizabeth Reeves, b. 4 Oct 1818 d. 23 Dec 1886
2. William Reeves, b. 23 Aug 1820
3. Sarah Reeves, b. 16 Dec 1822
4. Susan Isabella Reeves, b. 21 Dec 1824, d. 30 Sep 1850
5. Jane Reeves, b. 31 July 1828, m. George William Brown

This John Reeves was probably the man who witnessed a 15 June 1818 deed from John Blackmon, Sr., to Benjamin Stogner (Lancaster Co., SC, Deed Book N, p. 31).

This John Reeves may be the man enumerated in Lancaster Co., SC, in 1820. His household included two males aged 16 to 26 and one female under age 10, two females aged 16 to 26, and two females over age 45. Other Reeves households in 1820 Lancaster County included James Reeves, Prestley Reeves, and Asa Reeves.

The 1830 census of Lancaster County records a John Reeves whose household consisted of 1 Male 5-9, 1 Male 15-19, 1 Male 30-39, 2 Females under 5 years old, 1 Female 5-9, 1 Female 10-14 and 1 Female 30-39.

The parentage of this John Reeves has not been conclusively established. He was known by descendants to be related to James Reeves, Elizabeth Reeves Williams, and Anna Reeves Blackmon. John could be a son of John Reeves or of John's probable son Elisha Reeves. It is currently thought that James and John were probably brothers and sons of Elisha and that Elizabeth and Anna were their aunts.

John's will was written on 4 Aug 1840, the same day he died according to the family Bible. The will mentions wife Nancy and children Elizabeth, William, Sarah, Susannah Isabel Jane, and Jenny(?). It was probated 3 Oct 1841 in Sumter County, Alabama, just across the state line from Lauderdale County, Mississippi where the family is found later. This is probably either John Reaves or John "Reves" who appear on the 1840 census in Sumter County, Alabama.

The 1850 Lauderdale Co., MS, Census, HH 938/952, showed Nancy Reaves, 53, SC, and Elizabeth, 32, SC. Single daughter Susan Reeves was living with a Tolman family in HH 939/953, and married daughter Jane and her husband George W. Brown appeared in HH 937/951.

The 1860 Lauderdale Co., MS, Census, HH24/24 (next door to William Reeves, in HH23/23) showed Nancy Reeves, Farmer, $4000/$16000, SC, with daughter Elizabeth, 41, Domestic Business, SC, and several boarders.

The Reeves-Blackmon Bible indicates that Nancy Reeves, wife of John Reeves, was born 7 November 1795 and died 8 August 1874. There is also the note that John A. Blackmon, son of Britton Blackmon and Anna Reeves and son-in-law of John and Nancy Reeves, "started for Mississippi January 7, 1842."

The list of those received for baptisms during the revival at Fork Hill during the fall of 1839 includes a Nancy Reaves, John Reeves Jr., John Reaves Sr., and Sarah Reaves, not listed together. These may be a reference to some members of this family.

Daughter Elizabeth appears to have never married. John A. Blackmon became administrator of Susan's estate in Lauderdale Co., MS on 9 Dec 1850.

Research Notes

John Reeves was known by family members to have been a close relative of James Reeves, Elizabeth Reeves Williams, and Anna Reeves Blackmon. The exact relationship among these three individuals is unclear. Viola Caston Floyd suspected that they were brothers and siblings, but this seems unlikely since James Reeves married a daughter of Elizabeth Reeves Williams. Hopefully further research will clarify the relationships among these individuals; until then, any discussion of how they were related one to another must remain speculative.

Sources

Death:      Blackmon-Reeves Family Bible

1820 Census:  Lancaster County, South Carolina
1830 Census:  Lancaster County, South Carolina
1840 Census:  Sumter County, Alabama

1840 Will - John Reaves - Sumter County, Alabama Will Book A, p126
Viola Caston Floyd Papers, Lancaster Co., SC, Public Library.
Viola Caston Floyd Collection, Folder 2-19 BLACKMON-CLARK, A List of Names of Candidates Received at the Fork Hill Church During the Several Protracted Meetings in the Fall of 1839, Lancaster Co., Library, SC