Reeves, Neville
Summary
Father: Eli ReevesMother: Sarah Ann Redman
Birth: Mar 1808, Adams County, Ohio
Birth Source: Census
Death: 22 Jun 1862, Hancock County, Indiana
Death Source: Tombstone Inscription, Simmons Cemetery, Jackson Township, Hancock County, Indiana¹
Spouse1: Anna Crawford, m. 15 September 1825, Brown County, Ohio²
Spouse2: Mrs. Sarah Aultman Gibbs, m. 9 Nov 1845, Hancock County, Indiana
Narrative
Children of Neville Reeves and Anna Crawford:- Caroline Reeves, b. 1826
- Benjamin Franklin Reeves, b. 1828
- Jane Reeves, b. 1829
- Sarah Ann Reeves, b. 1831
- Andrew J. Reeves, b. 2 Feb 1833 (twin to Amanda)
- Amanda Reeves, b. 2 Feb 1833 (twin to Andrew J.), d. 19 Feb 1845 Hancock County IN
- Elijah C. Reeves, b. 1835
- Margaret Reeves, b. 1837
- Asa J. Reeves, b. 1839, d. probably before 1850
- Elizabeth M. Reeves, b.1841
- Rachel M. Reeves, b. 1843
- Eliza Ann Reeves, b. 7 Jan 1845, d. 1845
- Riley A. Reeves, b. 1848
- Rebecca Ann Reeves, b. 1851
- Joseph Pierce Reeves, b. 1853
- Eliza Olive Reeves, b. 1856
Biographical sketch of Neville Reeves as published in the History of Hancock County, Indiana:
Neville Reeves grew to maturity in Brown county, Ohio, and by his first marriage had eleven children, namely: Caroline, wife of Burd Lacy, of Medicine Lodge, Kansas; Benjamin F. of this review; Jane died at the age of nineteen; Sarah Ann is now Mrs. James Sparks, of Brown township; Andrew J. married Mary J. Loudenback, lived in DesMoines, Iowa, and died in that city; Elijah married Nancy Catherine Barrett, lived in Jackson township, this county, for a number of years, and died in 1876; Margaret is the wife of J. H. McKown, whose sketch appears elsewhere; Elizabeth, now deceased was the wife of William Kimerly; Asa J. died when young; Rachel married John S. Orr and lives in Greenfield; Amanda F., the youngest, died in infancy. The second marriage resulted in four children: Riley A., a resident of Trinidad, Colorado; Rebecca A., wife of Wm. H. H. Rock, of Greenfield; Joseph P., of this county, and Eliza, deceased, formerly wife of Cary Crane.
Neville Reeves lived in Brown county, Ohio, until 1837, when he migrated to Rush county, Indiana, locating in Center township, where he remained for a period of three years. The years prior to his removal to Indiana he entered eighty acres of land in Brown township, Hancock county, and after leaving Rush county he moved to the place, which at that time was a wilderness, uncheered by the slightest presence of improvement. His first dwelling was the rude log cabin of pioneer architecture in which himself and family spent some of the happiest days of their lives and the small "patch" to which the term field could hardly be applied, was the first ground cleared and planted.
Mr. Reeves subsequently added to his possessions until his place contained one hundred and ten acres and in due time he became one of the prosperous farmers of his township. He served as county commissioner in an early day also as justice of the peace for many years and was frequently employed to administer upon estates and do legal writing for his neighbors. A Jeffersonian Democrat, he was a local leader of his party and also achieved considerable reputation as a minister of the Christian church, having devoted much of his life to public religious work. He was a prominent factor in the affairs of Brown township and his memory will long be enshrined as one of the substantial pioneers and representative citizens of Hancock county.
Research Notes
The two youngest daughters, Amanda and Eliza, listed for Neville and Anna Crawford Reeves both died very young and there are few records documenting their dates of birth and death. It is also possible that they were actually the same child. A sketch of Benjamin F. Reeves lists Amanda as the youngest, dying in infancy. A sketch of Joseph Pierce Reeves lists her earlier in the birth order, but gives her the same birth date as Andrew J., so it may be in error; that sketch simply indicates that she died when "quite young." A sketch of Joseph H. McKown lists her last (although does not indicate whether she was last in birth order) and indicates that she "died young." This may be the child listed as "Anna," rather than "Amanda," in Sue Baker's book of tombstone inscriptions from Simmons Cemetery: "Anna, d/o Murell & Anna, d 19 Feb 1845." On the other hand, 19 Feb 1845 is Anna Crawford Reeves' death date (clear from a photograph of her Simmons Cemetery gravestone at Find-a-Grave). This entry from Baker's book may have been copied incorrectly. Or, alternatively, Anna may have died in childbirth with this daughter, and her name may have been mistranscribed by Baker.The biographical sketch of Joseph P. Reeves indicates that Eliza died as a "small girl". Eliza is omitted from the sketches of Benjamin F. Reeves and Joseph H. McKown, making it seem possible that she is the daughter identified as Amanda in those sketches. However, notes from Sue Baker's book of tombstone inscriptions from Simmons Cemetery includes, "Eliza, d/o Murill & Anna, d 14 ___ 1845," thus raising the possibility that Neville and Anna had two daughters who died at a very young age that year. (Although there may have been a man in Hancock County named Murell Reeves, no records have been found of such a man and Baker's transcription may be the result of an error made in reading deteriorated gravestones.)
(The above notes are based upon research by TRP member Lois Downey.)
Sources
¹Sue Baker, Hancock County, Indiana Tombstone Inscriptions, (Heritage Books, Inc.), p421²Patricia R. Donaldson, Brown County, Ohio Marriage Records 1818-1850, (1986), p119
³George J. Richman, B.L., History of Hancock County, Indiana : Its People, Industries and Institutions (pub 1916 Greenfield, IN)
1830 Census - Brown County, Ohio
1850 Census - Hancock County, Indiana
1860 Census - Hancock County, Indiana
1870 Census - Hancock County, Indiana (HOH - Sarah Reeves)
1862 Will of Neville Reeves
Family Records of Mable Collier Reeves (shared by Micki Fackenthal)