Reeves, William

Summary

Father: John Reeves
Mother: Mary mnu

Birth: c 1825 at Sutton Valence, Kent
Birth Source: Baptism & Census

Death: 1874 at Otham,Kent
Death Source: Burial & FreeBMD

Spouse1: Sarah TROWELL

Narrative

William Reeves was the son of John Reeves and his wife Mary, whose maiden name is unknown at present. He was baptised at the Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin, Sutton Valence in June 1826.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, William appears in the household of his parent John & Mary Reeves along with four of his brother on North Street, Sutton Valance, Kent. William is shown as 15 years old and he was born in county (that is, in Kent).

It is highly probable this is the William Reeve (sic) shown by FamilySearch as marrying Sarah TROWELL in November 1846 at Maidstone, see Research Note 1 below. FreeBMD has a corresponding entry for the registration of the marriage of William Reeves (sic) and Sarah Trowell in the Maidstone Registration District in the fourth quarter of 1846.

Known children of William Reeves and his wife Sarah (nee mnu) are

1. Charles F Reeves, born c1847, Maidstone
2. Marshall Reeves, born c1850, Langley
3. Louisa Reeves, born c 1852, Otham
4. William Reeves, born c 1855, Otham
5. Henry Reeves, born c1859, Otham
6. Sarah E Reeves, born c1860, otham
7. Alfred Reeves, born c1863 Otham
8. John Reeves, bapt 1865, bur 1867
9. Florence Reeves, born c1868, Otham

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, William appears as head of household on Langley Road in Otham, Kent. William is now 22 years old, he is married and claims birth in Sutton Valence. He is working as an Agricultural Labourer. In addition to his wife Sarah (age 22, born Chart, Kent) are their two sons Charles (4, Maidstone) and Marshal (sic, 1, Langley). A lodger Daniel HOPE (age 67 and no known family connection) completes the household.

A decade later and the 1861 census shows William and Sarah living in Turnpike Gate Cottage in Otham. William is now 34 years old and again claims birth at Sutton Valance, Kent. He is working as an Agricultural Labourer. Their six eldest children complete the household. The neighbouring property is occupied by Mary Ann Reeves (age 38), the widow of William's elder brother Joseph, and her three sons.

On the 1871 census, William and Sarah are living in Otham Gate House on Sutton Road, Otham. William is now 46 years old and claiming birth in simply Sutton, Kent. His wife Sarah's occupation is shown as Gate Keeper. Their children, Charles, Louisa, Henry, Sarah, Alfred and Florence complete the household. William's widowed sister-in-law Mary A Reeves is still living in the neighbouring cottage. The next property is occupied by a John & Susannah Reeves; their family connection, if any, is not presently known. William's own brother John was 10 years older than himself; this John is 42 years old and born in Chart SUtton, Kent.

At the time of the 1881 census, William's wife Sarah is shown as a widow. FamilySearch notes the burial of a William Reeves, age 47, at the Parish Church of St Nicholas, Otham in February 1874. FreeBMD has a corresponding Death Registration in the first quarter of 1874 in the Maidstone Registration District, also age 47.

Research Notes

(1) FamilySearch notes the place of marriage as simply "Maidstone, Kent, England". Five years earlier, in 1841 the Ancient Parish of All Saints, Maidstone had been split. Two additional Ecclesiastical Parishes were created, Holy Trinity in the north and St Peter in the west of All Saints. The Ancient Parish of Otham is immediately to the east of All Saints, Maidstone.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:   FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/J7FF-M58
Marriage: FreeBMD 1846, December quarter, Maidstone Reg. Dist.
                  and FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/NNFT-FL9
Death:      FreeBMD 2874, March quarter, Maidstone Reg. Dist.
Burial:     FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/QJD2-52KL
                  and FamilySearch https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/JZYB-T6B
1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0462, Book 11, Folio 4 reverse, Page 1
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 1616, Folio 400 face, Page 8
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 0499, Folio 33 face, Page 1
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 0939, Folio 38 face, Page 11
1881 Census: RG11, Piece 0926, Folio 40 reverse, Page 14 - widow Sarah