Reeves, Thomas

Summary

Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown

Birth: c1620 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England
Birth Source: Date estimated, POB per Original Lists of Persons of Quality, 1600-1700 by John Camden Hotten

Death: c5 Nov 1650, Springfield, Massachusetts
Death Source: Springfield Town Records

Spouse1: Hannah Rowe, m. 15 Apr 1645

Narrative

Thomas Reeves first came to America from Southampton, England, in the "Beves" (sic Bevis) in 1638 as the servant of Henry Byley of Salesbury. The Bevis is recorded as leaving Southampton in May of 1638. The lists by John C. Hotten who compiled original lists of persons who went from great Britain to the American plantations 1600-1700 based upon Colonial Office records recorded him as Reemes Tho, Byley servant (Reeves, Thomas, from Salisbury, Wiltshire, bound for Roxbury).

After arriving at Roxbury, Massachusetts, he became the servant of John Gore and remained his servant until 1644. Church records mention him as a member at Roxbury, describing him "Thomas Reives a man servant." His future wife is listed as "Hanah Roe the maide servant of Mr. Gore." On 29 May 1644, the governor's records report "Mr John Gore is granted leave to set his servt, Thom: Reeves, free." And on 6 Jun 1644, "It is ordred, vppon ye request of Jno Gore, that his serte, Thomas Reeves, hath his libty & freedome graunted him, haueing binn faithfull to his in his place." At that time he became a free man and on 15 Apr 1645 married Hannah Rowe at Roxbury, Suffolk, Massachusetts. Hannah was also a servant of John Gore.

Thomas Reeves was the town drummer in Springfield, Massachusetts. Town records state: "Thomas Reeves drummer was buried ye 5 day of ye 9 mon 1650." On the same page is recorded: "John Reeves the sonne of Thomas Reeves buried ye 24 of ye 3 mon 1652." After Thomas's death, his wife married second Richard Exile on 4 Apr 1651 with whom she had four more children. Richard Exile presumably died in the home of his step-son Thomas at Southampton, Long Island.

Children of Thomas Reeves and Hannah Rowe:

1. Thomas Reeves, b. 5 Jul 1646, m. Rebecca
2. Hannah Reeves, b. c1649
3. John Reeves, b. c1650-1651, d. c24 Mar 1652

Research Notes

From the research of Emma M. Reeves of Salem, New Jersey entitled Thomas Reeves and His Descendants

Thomas is mentioned in Great Migrations, vol. 3, pp 386-387 where it is suggested that Thomas had two siblings, Robert Reeve and Mary Reeve Webster who came to New England as well. William Webster and Mary Reeve were married in Handley in 1670/1. In 1683, Mary Reeve Webster was tried and acquitted of witchcraft. In an entry from a medical journal, 8 Jul 1667, "Reeves Tho boards at Goodman Hollowaie's at Hartford." Other of the entries identify him by his age as born around 1647 and states that he was a servant of Robert Reeve. The Thomas referred to may be this Thomas's son Thomas Reeves.

Sources

National Archives of the United Kingdom; lists compiled by John C. Hotten
"Original Lists of Persons of Quality, 1600-1700" by John Camden Hotten
Massachusetts, Town Clerk...d Town Records, 1626-2001, online database at Family Search
Research of Emma M. Reeves of Salem, New Jersey
Massachusetts, Births and Christenings, 1639-1915, online database at Family Search
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (Ancestry)
Great Migrations, vol. 3, pp 386-387
A report of the Record Commissioners, containing the Roxbury land and church records: THE REV. JOHN ELIOT'S RECORD OF CHURCH MEMBERS, ROXBURY, MASS., p85
Records of the governor and company of the Massachusetts bay in New England, Vol. 2, p67
Records of the governor and company of the Massachusetts bay in New England, Vol. 3, p6