Reaves, Martha “Patty” nee Epps

Summary

Father: Joshua Epps
Mother:

Birth: c1758
Birth Source: Will of Joshua Epps and deed to heirs of John Epps, Halifax County, Virginia

Death: after 1830, Halifax County, Virginia
Death Source: Absent from Halifax County records after 1830 census.

Spouse1: George Reaves, Sr.

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Narrative

Children of George Reaves, Sr. and Martha Epps:

1. Elijah Reaves, b. c1780, m. Elizabeth Wilson
2. Mildred Reaves, b. c1785
3. Polly Reaves b. c1786, m. William Wilson
4. George Reaves, Jr., b. c1790

Note that the children of George Reaves are presently undocumented with the exception of Polly Reeves whose marriage record to William Wilson in Halifax County names her father as George Reeves (Reaves). Elijah Reaves married Elizabeth Wilson, presumably a sister to William, on the following day in Halifax County. George Reaves had several children before marrying Patty around 1779 but that marriage is undocumented.

A George Reaves described as "of Wilkes County, North Carolina" is named in a Halifax deed dated September 6, 1793 as one of the legatees of John Epps, deceased. The deed refers to the heirs of a deceased son Joshua, as being: Nathaniel Epps, Moses Epps, David Powell, Sr., John Comer, Edy Epps, and Temperance Epps of Halifax County, Virginia; Ambrose Gresham of Lunenburg County, Virginia; and George Reaves of Wilkes County, North Carolina.

According to Joshua Epps' Will of 1778 (Halifax Co. Will Bk. 1, 1773-83, p 216) his children were: John, Nathaniel, William, Isham, Moses, Mary (m. David Powell, Sr. before 1767), Elizabeth “Betty” (m. Ambrose Gresham on 24 Mar 1787 in Halifax VA), Millison (m. John Clay), Dicy (m. Elisha Lacy), Amey (m. John Comer before 10 Sept. 1775), Temperance (unmarried in 1793), Edy (unmarried in 1793) and Patty who must then be the daughter who married George Reaves.

Martha Epps and George Reeves appear to have married around 1779 when a deed from George Reeves and Martha, his wife, to Luke Williams was dated 21 Oct 1779. This date of the sale of property in Halifax County agrees with the date of George Reaves migration to Wilkes County, North Carolina where he was issued Warrant No. 638 for 200 acres on Cub Creek on the Moravian line in 1780 which is that same tract of land which was sold by George Reaves to William Petty, Sr. on 9 Dec 1794 before the family's move back to Halifax, Virginia (Deed Book B-1, p. 416) Although the warrant is dated 1780, the survey was not completed and recorded until 1784. See survey of this warrant attached. Note that one of the chain carriers for the survey of this land warrant was George's brother-in-law Moses Epps.

Research Notes

Sources

Deed Records of Halifax County VA
Wilkes County, North Carolina Tax and Deed Records