Reeves, William

Summary

Father: Unknown
Mother: Unknown

Birth: c1680
Birth Source: Age approximate based upon children's ages.

Death: before November 1751, Granville County, North Carolina
Death Source: Will recorded in Granville County, NC

Spouse1: Unknown
Spouse2: Margaret Burgess (Maiden name undocumented and based upon conjecture.)

Narrative

Children of William Reeves and unknown wife:

1. William Reeves, Jr., b. c1710
2. James Reeves, b. c1713
3. Isaac Reeves, b. c1719
4. Malachi Reeves, b. c1720
5. Benjamin Reeves
6. Sarah Reeves, b. c 1722, m. Robert Hicks
7. Elizabeth Reeves, b. c1730 m. Hodges
8. Mary Reeves, b. c1730 m. Carpenter

Children of William Reeves and Margaret:

1. Burgess Reeves, b. 1746
2. Anna Reeves
3. Olive Reeves, m. Robert Douglas after 1751

Children as listed in William Reeves' 1751 Will recorded in Granville County, North Carolina.

William Reeves was in Chowan Precinct of North Carolina in February 1718 when he was referenced as an adjoining landowner in a deed involving Robert Hicks. There are 3 Chowan County deeds involving William Reeves recorded in 1720, two of which refer to him as "of Albemarle Co.". Oddly, Albemarle County had ceased to exist as a unit of government in 1689 but the entire area which had once been encompassed in that county appears to have continued to be referred to as Albemarle.

After Bertie County was formed from Chowan in 1722, he appears many times in those records and in Edgecombe County land transactions after it was created from portions of Bertie in 1732. A 1733 map of North Carolina lists Reeves' property on the east side of the Roanoke River in Bertie Precinct. That map can be seen at East Carolina University's Digital Collections.

The following are just a few of the numerous transactions recorded pertaining to William Reeves principally in Edgecombe and Granville counties.

• In 1733, a petition requesting that the seat of government not be moved to the lower part of the Cape Fear River (from Edenton) was signed by William Reeves along with numerous other citizens. Instead, they suggested a place in the center of the Province somewhere between the Tar and Neuse River.
• William Receives (sic Reeves) purchased 200 acres from John Span, both of Bertie Precinct, for land on the south side of the Moratock River and the north side of the Great Quankey Creek, March 10, 1738. Mal. R. Reves signed as a witness. Land was originally part of patent granted to Robert Wood on July 24, 1724 and appears to be the same land conveyed by James Reeves to Laurence Sympcock in 1737.
• William Reeves was referenced in deed from Joseph Ballard (Chowan Precinct) to Jonathan Mulkey (Edgecombe Precinct), for land on the south side of the Roanoke River in Plumbtree Island adjoining the Goose Pond and William Reeves, January 25, 1738/9.
• William Reves is referenced in a deed from Paul Harrelson to John Hardy, both of Edgecombe County, land on the Great Creek, adjoining Spann, and which was part of a patent originally issued to William Reves, Jr. for 400 acres on July 9, 1738, April 9, 1741.
• On August 8, 1739, William Reeves of Edgecombe County sold 230 acres on the north side of the Morratock River at the fork of Turbefield's Run to Robert Harris for 40 pounds. This deed was recorded in Bertie County.
• The Executive Council ordered that patents be issued to William Reeves for 400-acre tract and a 100-acre tract on the Great Creek in Edgecombe County, June 7, 1739.
• William Reeves was on a list of jurymen for Bertie and Edgecombe County in 1740.
• William Reves witnessed a deed from Peter Bruce to Isaac Reeves, both of Edgecombe County, for 100 acres on Marsh Swamp, August 14, 1740.
• William Reeves of Edgecombe County sold land to Robert Hicks, “mariner” of Northwest Parish, Bertie on April 13, 1741. The 30 acres located in northwest Parrish, Bertie on the north side of the Roanoke River sold for 3 pounds.
• He received a grant in Granville County from Lord Granville for 200 acres in Granville County on both sides of Fishing Creek, March 25, 1749. Sworn Chain Carriers were Malachi Rieves, William Rieves and Dan Weldon, Surveyor.
• Wm. Reeves was referenced as an adjoining landowner in patent issued to Ralph Hedgepeth on both sides of the Great Creek, April 11, 1745.
• William Reves witnessed a deed form John Haywood to John Gordon, both of Edgecombe County, February 18, 1746.
• William Reves witnessed a deed from Joseph Brewer to John McKinnie, both of Granville County, for 200 acres on the south side of the Great Quankey Creek and the plantation where McKinnie now lives, August 11, 1747.
• William Reves witnessed a deed from John McKinnie to James Reaves, both of Edgecombe County, for 200 acres on the south side of Great Quankey Creek, October 14, 1747.
• On January 11, 1750 in Granville County, William Reves sold 220 acres to Ralph Hedgpeth, witnessed by Thos. Good and W. Turner.
• William Reves, Sr. sold to James Reves, Jr. (Jr.?) land on the north side of the Great Quankee Creek, adjoining the said James. Witnessed by William Reves, Jr., and John Reves, December 31, 1750.

Research Notes

The internet has been flooded with misinformation about William Reeves who died in Granville County, North Carolina much of which lists his name as William Cable or Cabell Reeves which is incorrect. William Cabell Rives was a completely different person. He was born in 1793 in Albemarle County, Virginia and was a noted politician and diplomat. Additionally he descended from a different Y-DNA lineage and the members of that family are found matching DNA Group 8 here at TRP and also in the Reeves DNA Project at FtDNA. Descendants of William Reeves of Granville are found in DNA Group 3. See Rives_William_Cabell_RR574ID3226 here at The Reeves Project and complete information can be found at William Cabell Rives - Wikipedia.

Sources

Deed Records of Edgecombe County, NC
1751 Will of William Reeves, Sr.