Reeves, John Joseph

Summary

Father: possibly Richard Reeves
Mother: Ann Evans

Birth: 24 Jul 1835, Staffordshire, England
Birth Source: Pennsylvania Death Certificate, Obituary

Death: 8 Sep 1909, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Death Source: Pennsylvania Death Certificate, Obituary

Spouse1: Sarah Townsend

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Narrative

Children of John Joseph Reeves and Sarah Townsend:

1. John Thomas Reeves, b. 28 Sep 1862 (name as listed on birth record)
2. Richard Reeves, b. 30 Jun 1865
3. Mary Jane Reeves, b. 2 Feb 1868
4. Fred Reeves, b. 21 Feb 1871, Oldbury, Worcestor
5. Ann Maria Reeves, b. 27 July 1872
6. Sadie Reeves, b. 31 Oct 1874
7. Joseph Reeves, b. 28 Feb 1878
8. Hary Reeves, b. 1879

This individual's name may have been Joseph John Reeves or John Joseph Reeves because his name appears alternately as both Joseph J. Reeves and John J. Reeves in the records of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania; however, both the record of his marriage and his obituary list his name as John.

A marriage is recorded on 15 Jul 1860 in the Church Records of Staffordshire England, 1538-1944 for John Reeves of West Bromwich, Staffordshire, to Sarah Townsend daughter of John Townsend. John Reeves father is recorded in the marriage record as Richard Reeves.

John and Sarah and the Parker Townsend family were living next to one another in 1861.

Pittsburgh Daily Post, 9 September 1909
John Joseph Reeves, 74 years old, of 16 Natchez street, Mt. Washington, one of the best-known residents of the Southside, died at 2 o'clock yesterday morning at his home. He was a carpenter and was employed for 27 years on the Smithfield street bridge until it was taken over by the city and became free in 1897.
He was born in Staffordshire, England, July 24, 1835. Mr. Reeves came to America and to Pittsburgh, accompanied by his wife, shortly after the close of the Civil war. He first lived in Brownsville avenue, but after two years moved to his Mt. Washington home, where he died. Mrs. Reeves died last New Year's day.
Mr. Reves (sic) is survived by two sons, John Reeves, South Eleventh street, and Joseph Reeves, South Sixteenth street, and two daughters, Mrs. Thomas Williams, 136 South Sixteenth street, and Mrs. George White, 36 Wyoming street, Mt. Washington.
Funeral services will be held at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Williams, in South Sixteenth street, tomorrow afternoon, at 2 o'clock.

The Pittsburgh Press, 3 January 1909
Reeves - On Friday, January 1, 1909, at 4:30 p. m., Sarah Townsend, wife of Joseph Reeves, in her 71st year.
Funeral from her daughter's residence, Mrs. Thomas Williams, No 136 Sixteenth street, South Side, on Sunday afternoon, January 3, at 2 o'clock. Friends of the family are respectfully invited to attend.

According to her death certificate, Sarah was born 11 October 1839 in England to John Townsend and Mary Parker.

John, Sarah, and most of their family were buried in the South Side Cemetery in Pittsburgh according to death certificates.

Research Notes

The birth record for Fred Reeves does not list a father, just the mother, Sarah Reeves, formerly Townsend.

Although Richard Reeves of West Bromwhich would seem the natural candidate for John's father, the 1861 census indicates he may have been from Launton. More research is needed to see if he may have actually been a son of Richard Reeves of Launton.

Sources

England, Staffordshire, Church Records, 1538-1944
Birth Record, Registrar Kingswinford District, Staffordshire, Great Britain
1861 UK Census - Oldbury, Staffordshire, England
1870 Census - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
1880 Census - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
1900 Census - Pittsburgh, Allegheny, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Death Certificate
Obituary of John Joseph Reeves, Pittsburgh Daily Post, 9 September 1909
Obituary of Sarah Townsend Reeves, The Pittsburgh Press, 3 January 1909
GRP Birth Record, Fred Reeves, West Bromwich, 1871 Mar, vol. 06B, p754