Reeves, Joseph

Summary

Father: James REEVE
Mother: Elizabeth PICKERING

Birth: c1834
Birth Source: Census

Death: 1913
Death Source: FamilySearch

Spouse1: Mary Ann WARD

Narrative

Joseph is the second of five known children of James Reeve and his wife Elizabeth (formerly Shaw, nee PICKERING). Joseph also had two older half brothers, from his mother's first marriage. Based on census returns, he was born at Ilkeston around 1834.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, Joseph REEVES appears in his parent's home on South Street, Ilkeston. He was eight years old and was born in county (that is to say in Derbyshire).

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, Joseph is again to be found in his parent's home in the hamlet of Riddings in the civil parish of Alfreton, Derbyshire. He is 17 years old, was born at Ilkeston and his occupation is given as Coal Miner.

During the second quarter of 1854, FreeBMD notes the marriage of Joseph REAVES (sic) and Mary Ann WARD in the Ashby de La Zouch Registration District. Joseph and Mary Ann were married at the Parish Church of St John the Baptist, Whitwick, Leicestershire in April 1854.
The known children of Joseph REEVES and Mary Ann (nee WARD) are

1. William Reeves, born 1855
2. John Reeves, born c1860
3. Mary Ann Reaves, b.reg. 1862
4. Joseph Reeves, b.reg.1864, d.reg.1866 age 1
5. Joseph Reeves, b.reg. 1867
6. Abraham Reaves, b.reg. 1869
7. Alfred Reeves, b.reg. 1872
8. Sarah Reeves, b.reg. 1874

A birth registration has yet to be identified for John and for Mary Ann. All of their other children's births were registered in the Belper Registration District and their mother's maiden name was given as WARD, with the exception of Abraham whose mmn is indexed as WALL (probably a transcription error, if you have a copy of the birth certificate, please let us know.)

A decade later and the 1861 census shows Joseph and Mary A REEVES living on Briddons Row in the hamlet of Riddings, Derbyshire. Joseph is now 27 years old, still claims birth at Ilkeston, Derbyshire and is employed as a Coal Miner. In addition to his wife Mary Ann (age 27, born Sheepshed, now known as Shepshed, Leicestershire) are their children William (age 6, born Alfreton, Derbyshire) and John (age 3, born Jump, Yorkshire) plus three lodgers, to whom there is no known relationship.

On the 1871 census, Joseph and Mary Ann REEVES are living on North and South Lane in Riddings. Joseph is now 38 years old, again claims birth at Ilkeston, Derbyshire and is still employed as a Coal Miner. In addition to his wife Mary Ann Reeves (age 38, born Shepshed, Leicestershire) are their children William (16, born Lea Brooks, Derbyshire, a Coal Miner), John (13, Jump, Yorkshire, Coal Miner), Mary Ann (8, Green Hill Lane, Derbyshire, a Scholar), Jospeh (4, Green Hill Lane, Derbyshire, a Scholar) and Abraham (1, Green Hill Lane, Derbyshire) plus two lodgers enumerated on their own Schedules. See Research Note 1 below.

None of this family group have been identified on the 1881 census or any subsequent census in England. It is strongly believed they emigrated to the United States of America between the birth of their daughter Sarah in 1874 and 1881.

A family group comprising Joseph's wife Mary A Reeves (age 46, wife), William (25, a Miner), Joseph (14, Miner), Abram (sic Abraham) (11, child), Alfred (8, child) and Sarah (6, child) arrived in New York from Liverpool on board SS Wisconsin on 03 November 1880. It is notable that neither Joseph or their second son John are part of this family group. See Research Note 2 below.

By the time of the 1900 US census, Joseph and Maryann (sic Mary Ann) Reeves are living in Uinta County, Wyoming. Joseph's Date of Birth is recorded as Dec 1831 and his age as 68. He and his parents had been born in England. Joseph and Mary Ann have been married for 46 years and have had eight children, six of whom are still living. Both claim to have arrived in the United States in 1881. Their widowed daughter Sarah WILSON and her three children share the same dwelling.

On the 1910 census Joseph Reeves appears in the household of his daughter Sarah WILSON at Evanston Town in Uinta County, Wyoming. He is a widower and his age is now given as 79 and his place of birth remains England.

Wyoming State Archives Vital Records notes the death of Joseph Reeves, of Evanston, Uinta County, in June 1913 aged 81 years.

Research Notes

(1) On the 1871 census son William's birth place is given as Lea Brooks, Derbyshire. Leabrooks is a small hamlet found between Somercotes and Riddings. Daughter Mary Ann plus sons Joseph and Abraham are shown with a birth place of Green Hill Lane, Derbyshire. Greenhill Lane is a small hamlet between Leabrooks and Riddings.

(2) Joseph and his second son's John's did not arrive in the USA with the other family members in November 1880.

That Joseph and his second son John might have travelled over in advance of the main family group to find employment, accommodation and even earn money for the fares of the remaining family members would make sense. However, their arrival in the United States of America has not been positively identified. It is probable they are the two individual who arrived on SS The Queen in New York from Liverpool on 9 June 1879. By age there is a strong match; 46 and 19 respectively and both are described as Labourers. However, the given name of both individuals seems to be Jno (John) rather than Joseph and John.

On the 1900 US Census, Joseph claimed to have arrived in the USA in 1881, but his son John gave his date of arrival as 1879.

If they did arrive in the USA during 1879, then Joseph and John should appear on the 1880 US Census. To date, they have yet to be identified.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage: FreeBMD     1854, June quarter, Ashby de la Zouch Registration District, vol 7a page 181
                 FamilySearch   https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP4W-BHC7
Death:      Wyoming State Archives Vital Records, 1908-1966 at FamilySearch   https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7DZQ-9XPZ
                 FamilySearch Image   https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CST8-B3X1-F?cc=2837991

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0189, Book 1, Folio 35 face, page 28, third household
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 2145, Folio 450 face, Page 14, Schedule 60
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 2515, Folio 70 reverse, Page 6, Schedule 37 and continued Folio 71 face, Page 7
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 3592, Folio 46 face, Page 1, Schedule 5
1881 Census:

1880 US Census:
1900 US Census: ED 59, Election District 3, Town of Red Canon (sic), Uinta, Wyoming - FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3VY-4JB
1910 US Census: ED 124, Evanston Town, Uinta, Wyoming, Sheet 13B, row 88 - FamilySearch     https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPJN-CKV

1879 Passenger List - SS The Queen - New York - Jno & Jno Reeves
1880 Passenger List - SS Wisconsin - New York - wife Mary A Reeves plus 5 children