Reeves, Susanna

Summary

Father: George Reeves
Mother: Jane Burton

Birth: c1780, Grayson County, Virginia
Birth Source: George Reeves Probate and Deed Records of Estate Distribution

Death: aft 1835
Death Source:

Spouse1: William Toliver, c1800 Grayson County, Virginia

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Narrative

Child of Susanna Reeves and unknown father:

1. George Reeves, b. 1798

Children of Susanna Reeves and William Toliver:

1. Unknown Male, b. c1795 to 1802
2. Allen Toliver, b. 1803, d. c1890, Alleghany County, North Carolina
3. Andrew Jackson Toliver, b. c1805, d. 1879, Boone County, Iowa, m. Hannah Ward
4. James Madison Toliver, b. Feb 1811, d. 1894 Orange County, Indiana
5. Unknown Female, b. 1810 to 1815
6. Unknown Female, b. 1815 to 1820

According to 1820 and 1830 census records, besides Allen, Andrew and James Madison, they would also have had two male children born between 1794 and 1802 as well as two female children born 1800-1810.

Grayson County, Virginia Tax Lists:
1802 William Toliver 1 poll;
1803 William Tallifer (sic), Jr. 1 poll
1804 William Toliver 1 poll
1805 William Toliver, Jr. 1 poll, 2 horses; $.24 tax
1806 William Toliver 1 poll
1811 William Toliver 1 poll
1814-1815 Susannah Tolliver 0 polls
1818-1819 George Reaves son of S Toliver 1 Poll
1820-1823 Susanah Talipher (sic) 1 poll
1824 Susannah Toliver 1 poll, 1 black tithe, 1 horse; $.59 tax; Andrew Toliver 1 poll
1825 Susannah Toliver 1 poll, 1 black tithe
1826 Susannah Taliafero 0 polls; Allen Taliaferro 1 poll; Andrew Taliaferro 1 poll
1827 Susannah Tollifero 0 poll, 1 black tithe; Allen Tollifero 1 poll, Andrew Tolifero 1 poll
1828 Susannah Toliver 1 poll¹; Allen Toliver 1 poll; Andrew Toliver 1 poll
1829 Susannah Toliver 1 poll¹; Andrew Toliver 1 poll
1830 Susannah Toliver 1 poll¹; Andrew Toliver 1 poll

The Trial of William Tolliver in the Murder of George Reeves, Jr..
1811-1832 , Ashe and Wilkes County North Carolina
THE UNWRITTEN LAW IN 1811.

At the March term, 1811, of the Superior Court of Ashe, Samuel Lowery, judge presiding, an order was made for the removal to Wilkes court, to be held on the third Monday of March, of the case of the State versus William Tolliver, indicted for the murder of a man named Reeves; and the sheriff of Ashe was required to "procure a sufficient guard of eight men from the proper officers of the militia to convey safely the said William Tolliver to the Superior court of Wilkes county," thus indicating either that there was danger of a lynching or a rescue.

Tradition says that Tolliver was acquitted at Wilkesboro on the ground that Reeves had attempted liberties with Tolliver's wife (this is undocumented and unlikely since Susanna Reeves Toliver was his sister). Robert Henry of Buncombe defended him.

Per book "History of Western North Carolina" by John Preston Arthur, page 376.

He was not convicted of the killing. It was called justified. George Reeves was a tax collector. Dennis Smith, a descendant, says that George was taking horses for taxes and William thought he was stealing the horses and shot. The jury found him not guilty of the felony and murder as charged, but guilty of the felony of manslaughter. His punishment was to "be burned on the brawn of the left thumb with the impression of the letter M and that the Sheriff of this county carry this sentence immediately into execution in the presence of the Court." He was imprisoned for 3 years and fined 1000 pounds.

Dennis says that he In October of 1811, William Toliver sold his land two tracks of land in Ashe County, one for 100 acres and another for 118 acres to his brother-in-law, Joseph Doughton after he got out of jail and then left NC. In those 1811 deeds, William Toliver is described as "of Wilkes County, North Carolina". It appears that William Toliver may have continued to live in the New River area until after 1833 for in 1832 and 1833. A William Toliver purchased two tracts (100.4 acres and 160 acres) of land from Joseph Doughton's daughter Rosamond Doughton after Joseph's death. In each of those later deeds William Toliver is referred to as "of Ashe County, North Carolina" but there was another younger William Toliver living in that area and it is not known whether this is Susanna Reeves' husband William.

It is possible that William was living with Susanna in 1830. There is a 50-59 year old male in the household of Susanna Toliver.

In the 1820 census of Grayson County, Virginia, the household of "Sucky" Toliver is listed as follows:
2 Males - 10-15
1 Male - 16-18
2 Males - 18-26
2 Females - 0-10
1 Female - 16-26 (sic - this is obviously a mistake because Susanna Reeves Toliver's age appears to be correct in the 1830 census).

The household of Susanna Toliver in the 1830 census of Grayson County, Virginia:
2 Males - 5-10
1 Male - 15-20
1 Male - 50-59
1 Female - 10-15
1 Female - 15-20
1 Female 40-50

Research Notes

The Grayson County VA tax lists of 1818 and 1819 contain the curious listing of "George Reaves son of S Tolliver". The name is listed exactly the same in both years' listing. Since he was listed in his own right, i.e. as an adult, in 1818 he must have been born circa 1797.

¹ Susanna Toliver is listed with 1 poll during the years 1828, 1829, 1830 and 1831 in Grayson County. This is undoubtedly son James Madison Toliver, born 1811 since the older sons Allen and Andrew are listed as heads of their own households and would have been over 21 years of age.

Sources

"History of Western North Carolina" by John Preston Arthur, page 376
1820 Census - Grayson County, Virginia
1830 Census - Grayson County, Virginia
Ashe County, North Carolina Deed Books M and P
Wilkes County, North Carolina Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions
Tax Lists of Grayson County VA

This page has the following file(s) attached:-

•  1819 Grayson VA Tax-George Reaves son of S Toliver.jpg