Reeves, Thomas Courtney

Summary

Father: Hezekiah Reeves
Mother: Sarah Askins (see research notes below)

Birth: 1753, Charles County, Maryland
Birth Source: Gravestone and various deeds from father, Hezekiah Reeves

Death: 28 Nov 1825, Charles County, Maryland
Death Source: Gravestone in St. Peter's Cemetery, Will

Spouse1: Elizabeth Edelen

Narrative

It does not appear that Thomas Courtney Reeves and Elizabeth Edelen had any children. Numerous websites and family trees name Thomas Courtney Reeves as the father of Dr. James Reeves of Charles County. Dr. James Reeves was the father of Sarah Ann Reeves, mother of Dr. Samuel Mudd who was famously tried and convicted as a conspirator in the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Thomas Courtney Reeves' will does name his wife Elizabeth Reeves and Dr. James Reeves as the next of kin; however, there are two different instances in the will where Thomas Courtney Reeves refers to James Reeves as his COUSIN. From the estate records of Joseph Padgett, Charles County Orphan's Court Proceedings 1812-1814, Pg 264, James Reeves is named as one of the children of Thomas Reeves.

Historic Graves of Maryland and the District of Columbia By Helen West Ridgely, National Society of the Colonial Dames of America:
The church of St. Ignatius, attended by the Jesuits, stood at Waldorf. The oldest tombstone in the cemetery of St. Peter's is that of Thomas C. Reeves, died 1825, aged 70.

The headstone reads: "Sacred/to the memory/of/Thomas C. Reeves/whose/ashes here rest;/a true christian/zealous for the promotion/of Religion./In peace with God and his/Neighbor/he died in the 70th year of his age/on the 28th November 1825/R. I. P."

Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC), 9 Dec 1825
On Monday morning, the 28th ult., in the 69th year of his age, THOMAS COURTNEY REEVES, Esq. a respectable inhabitant of Charles County, Md. He had been afflicted for some years by a lingering complaint, in which he evinced great resignation and patience. His charitable disposition was proverbial, and he will be greatly regretted by all who had the happiness of his acquaintance.

Research Notes

The wife of Hezekiah Reeves is currently unknown. None of the many deeds executed by Hezekiah include a dower release so even her given name is unknown. However, Thomas Courtney Reeves is referred to in the will of Elizabeth Askin as her nephew and in his 1818 will he also makes a reference to his aunt Elizabeth Askin.

The Askin family was obviously connected in some way to Hezekiah's family - a 1790 deed from Courtney Askin, a legatee referred to as a nephew in the will of Elizabeth Askin's sister Rebecca Askin, to Hezekiah Reeves (Liber D#4; Page 639), the families lived in the same neighborhood and the name "Courtney" appears to be common to the Askin family although not used in other Reeves' families.

The will of George Askin, father of Elizabeth and Rebecca mentioned above, makes no bequests to a married daughter named Reeves but neither did he name Vincent Askin who is confirmed as his son.

Sources

Death:        Daily National Intelligencer (Washington, DC), 9 Dec 1825
Burial:       Findagrave - Saint Peters Cemetery Original, Waldorf, Charles County, Maryland

1800 Census:  Charles County, Maryland
1810 Census:  Charles County, Maryland
1820 Census:  Charles County, Maryland

1825 Will - Thomas Courtney Reeves - Charles County, Maryland Will Book 15, pp. 159-162