Reeves, Mary "Polly"

Summary

Father: George Reeves
Mother: Jane Burton

Birth: c1770, Grayson County, Virginia
Birth Source: Probate of George Reeves Estate and Census

Death: after 1832, probably Ashe County, North Carolina
Death Source: Recorded as a living heir of Joseph Doughton in 1832 Ashe County deeds

Spouse1: Joseph Doughton, married c1790

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Narrative

Children of Mary Reeves and Joseph Doughton:

1. Irena Jane Doughton, b. 27 Sep 1793, d. 9 Mar 1883, m. David Cox
2. Joseph Doughton, b. before 1794, Undocumented
3. Elizabeth Doughton, b. Oct 1799, d. 1891 Omaha, Nebraska, m. George Reves
4. George H. Doughton, b. 1800, d. bef May 1837 Ashe County, NC
5. Grace Doughton, b. 13 Nov 1801, d. 23 Mar 1881, m. Samuel Phipps, Jr.
6. Charles Horton Doughton, b. 23 Dec 1803, m. Margaret Cox Reeves (widow of Jesse, son of George Reeves, Jr.)
7. Charity Ann Doughton, b. 29 Aug 1805, m. John Cox McGimsey
8. Mary Polly Doughton, b. before 1810, d. before 1840, m. Denny Robinson
9. Jesse Jasper Doughton, b. c1810, m. Artamesa Dougherty c1830 in Ashe County, NC
10. Rosamond Doughton, b. 23 Apr 1811

One of the earliest settlers to Alleghany County, North Carolina was Joseph Doughton, believed to have been a member of an early surveying team. He contracted typhoid fever and was taken in by Lieutenant George Reeves who had settled along the New River just north of Alleghany County in what is now Grayson County, Va. Doughton was nursed back to health by Lieutenant Reeves' daughter, Mary. During his convalescence, they fell in love and were married.

The Doughtons made their home in what was then Wilkes County, soon to become Ashe and later Alleghany County. In the Minutes of the Ashe County Court March Term 1806, Joseph Doughton is listed as a justice of the court along with his brother-in-law William Reeves. Joseph Doughton served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from Ashe County in 1817.

Joseph Doughton was deceased before 8 October 1832 for in a deed from the heirs of George Reeves to Andrew Cox recorded in Grayson County, Virginia Deed Book 6, Page 469, Joseph is not listed among the heirs and Mary is listed simply as Polly Doughton.

Not all of The children of Mary and Joseph Doughton have been identified since there are more children listed in census records but no probate documents have been found to document them. in several 1832 deeds by the heirs of Joseph Doughton and are those individuals listed above except Joseph born 1794. See Ashe County Deed Book V.

In the 1810 census of Ashe County, North Carolina their household contained 2 Males 0-10, 2 Males 10-15, 1 Male 26-44, 4 Females 0-10, 1 Female 16-25 and 1 Female 26-44.

The Joseph Doughton family in 1820 is listed as 2 Males 0-10, 2 Males 10-15, 1 Male over 45; 1 Female 0-10, 1 Female 10-15, 1 Female 16-25 and 1 Female over 45.

Research Notes

There is no documentation of the child Joseph Doughton believed to have been born in 1794 listed above other than the fact that the 1810 census listed 2 males 10-15 years of age which would have been Joseph and George. He apparently died as a small child and did not live to maturity which resulted in his omission from the 1832 deeds by the heirs of Joseph Doughton, Sr.

Sources

Grayson County, Virginia Deeds by heirs distributing the Estate of George Reeves
Ashe County, North Carolina deeds by heirs of Joseph Doughton, Deed Book V
1810 Census - Ashe County, North Carolina
1820 Census - Ashe County, North Carolina