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Reeves, William (c1740 NC - c1821 KY)

William Reeves

DNA Group 06A Root  »  DNA Group 06A Lines of Descent  »  Line 121975 of Lee Brian Reeves  »  William Reeves

Reeves, William


Summary

Father: Reeves, William Sr
Mother: Unknown

Birth: c1740, Unknown
Birth Source: Presumed adult on 29 Nov 1760 - Chain Carrier, John Alston survey, Orange County, North Carolina

Death: Nov 1821, Madison County, Kentucky
Death Source: Madison County KY Court Order Book E Pg 172 and Deed by Heirs of William Reeves, November 5, 1821

Spouse1: Anne MNU, Wake County NC Court Minutes Dec 1791

Narrative

Children of William Reeves and Anne:
  1. Sarah Reeves
  2. Mary Reeves
  3. Peter Reeves
  4. William Reeves, Jr.
  5. Charles Reeves
  6. John Reeves
  7. George Reeves
  8. Jeremiah Reeves
William Reeves was born circa 1740 probably in the area of present day Durham County, North Carolina between the Neuse River and Ellerbe Creek. This area of North Carolina was part of Orange County then Johnston County and passed into Wake County when it was created in 1771. From early Johnston County deed records, his father is known to be William Reeves, Sr. as evidenced by a deed in Johnston County Deed Book D-1, page 63 of 10 October 1763.

Prior to the formation of Wake County, he is listed along with his father in Orange County Court Minutes and various deeds. As William Reaves, Jr. the Orange County court minutes record the registration of his “mark”, a crop and a half in the right ear and a Swallow fork in the left, before James Aycock, Orange County Court of Pleas, August, 1760.

He appears countless times in the minutes of the Wake County Court from the county's inception in 1771 through 1803. The Wake County Court records establish his continued residence there. He is recognized as a Revolutionary War Patriot based upon his civil service as a tax assessor in Wake County during the revolution by the DAR. From the 1770s, he served on juries, was overseer of the road from Munns Store to the county line, was assessor and tax gatherer in Captain Woodson Daniel's district and from 1787 to 1803 was a Magistrate Justice of the Wake County Court.

Orange, Johnston & Wake County land records involving William Reves, Jr.:
  • Grant by Lord Granville: Patent Book 12 - 2127 pg. 29 William Reaves 28 June 1762. 368 acres in Orange County on both sides of Stirrup Iron Creek (which is) the Waters of Crab Tree OR: /s/ Wm Reves Wits: Jas Watson, David Phillips Sr examined by: Jno Savage and W Churton surveyed 4 September 1761 CC: Joseph Barbe, George Smith W Churton Surveyor Plat reads "...land Surveyd for William Reeves Jr".
  • Grant by Lord Granville: Patent Book 14 - 3597 pg. 331 John Alston 9 February 1761. 500 acres in Orange County in the Parish of St. Mathew on Great Lick Creek (which is) the waters of Nuce on McCulloks supposed line, joining both sides of a fork and both sides of the main fork OR: /s/ Jno Alston Wits: Jas Watson, Richard Holeman examined by: Wm Matthews and W Churton surveyed 29 November 1760 CC: Arnold Russel, Wm Reeves Jr, W Churton Sur
  • Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 63 - 10 October 1763. William Reeves Sr., Johnston County to Wm. Reeves Jr. Orange County, £140 Va money, 400 Acres beginning at a White Oak on southside Neuse River running S25 W 254p to a persimmon tree: S65 E254p to a pine on east side of Ellowbys creek: Na25 E104p to the river: up the river courses to 1st sta…buildings, orchards &c…Wit: John Bullard, Wm. Downs +.
  • Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 30 - 13 October 1763. Richard Burton, Johnston County to Samuel Peek, Buckingham Co, Va, £213 Proc of NC, 314 Acres in Johnston County, the plantation whereon said Burton now lives beginning at Wm. Reeves cor red oak on the bank of Neuse river, running thence on his line S23½º W crossing Ellobies creek several times 98p to his cor pine: S23½ W 160p to a cor pine: S65 E210p to a pine: N24 E184p crossing Gut several times to a blazed White Oak on Neuse River, just above the mouth of said Gut: up said River by several meanders to 1st sta…houses, orchard &c…Ann Burton wife to Richard Burton examined privately by Lod. Tanner Esq. Wit: John Alston+, Thomas Webb, Wm. Bradford.
  • Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 227 - 25 October 1763. William Cloud, Craven County, South Carolina, to William Reeves, Orange County, N.C. £70 Va money, 300 Acres (cng) on New ligh creek beginning at Wm. Walls cor red oak on the north side of New light creek: along Walls line south to New light creek: down said creek as it meanders to the mouth of a small br on the south side of the same to a white oak & 2 dogwoods: up said br to Mallets line: down said line west to a cor pine: N300p to a White oak: E340p to an oak the 1st sta…Wit: George Reeves+, James Cobb.
  • Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 77 - 14 January 1764. Wm. Reeves, Jr., Johnston County to James Howel, same, £50 Va money, 100 Acres (cng) beginning at the said Reeves Persimmon tree: along his line to a hickory at the Ridge path: along a marked line to the Great Path: along said line down the gut to the mouth of the slash: up said slash to a black gum: along said line to a White Oak at the half way Slash: up the slash along said line to Reeves line: along the line to 1st sta… Wit: Wm. Downer? +, Thos. May.
  • Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 211 - January Court 1765 – 28 Dec. 1763. William Reeves, Johnston County to Charles Coupland (Copland), Granville County, £70 Va money, land in Johnston County being the plantation whereon the Widow Matthews now lives, beginning at William Holls cor red oak on the northside Neuse river: along Holls land south to said creek: down said creek its meanders to the mouth of a small br on the southside of the same to a white oak & 2 dog woods: up said br to Wallets line: down the said line to a cor pine: N300p to a wh. Oak: E340p to an oak the 1st sta… 300 Acres…houses, gardens & c…Wit: Woodson Daniel, John Smith, George Reeves+
  • Wake County, NC - Court of December 1777 - Ordered that the following person be appointed tax gatherers in the following district towit: Isaac Hunter in Capt. Hillsman District, Lodiwick Alford in Capt. Alford's District, Joshua Sugg in Capt. Beddingfield's District, Aaron Sugg in Capt. Uttley District, Aaron Read in Capt. Mobley's District, William Reeves in Capt. Daniel's District, John Humphries Va in Capt. Bledsoe's District, Nathaniel Jones in Capt. Phillips' District, Lodiwick Alford in Capt. Miales District, William Myatt in Capt. Myatt's District, James Alford in Capt. Powell's District. Haun, 993, p. 61
  • Wake County North Carolina Land Warrants Issued - May 2d. 1778. Peter Coffee Enters Forty acres of Vacant Land in Wake County lying on the south side of Neuse River & on the North side of Eloby's Creek Beginning at his Corner the Dividing Line between him & William Reves & running South to a School-house on Thomas Hollyways Line to include all the Vacant Land lying between sd. Coffee's Line & Sd. Holloways Line.
  • Wake County North Carolina County Court Minutes Sept. 1778 - A Deed from William Reeves Junior to James Comer was in Open Court duly proved by the Oath of John Scogins a Witness there to and Ordered to be Registered.
  • State of North Carolina, Grant Book 38 - Wake County: William Reaves 9 August 1779 505 acres on the W side of Horse Creek, joining James Peters.
  • State of North Carolina, Grant Book 29 - Wake County: Drewry Harris 9 Aug 1779 538 acres on both sides of Horse Creek, joining Mobleys line, James Peters, William Reeves, Joseph Ray, Benjamin David, Tyrrells line, and Allins line.
  • Wake County: Samuel Peak 9 Aug 1779 123 acres on the S side of Neuse River, joining Peaks own corner, William Reves, (a point) near Thomas Hines, Thomas Thompkins, and Thompkins former line.
  • State of North Carolina, Grant Book 36 - Wake County: William Rives 11 April 1780 400 acres on the S side of Ellobys Creek, joining the sd Rives Corner, John Holloway, Thomas Hines, Samuel ----, and the side of the Creek.
  • Wake County Deeds, P. 200
  • James Comer (Corner) of the State of Georgia to Samuel Peake of Wake Co., Dec. 5, 1785, for 100 pds. Va. money a tract of 460 acres in Wake Co. lying on the waters of Little Lick Creek adjoining Spencer Watts, Robert Hall, John Mays, Lea, Francis Ross, and Gilbert Evans, it being the whole of that tract of land sold by William Rives to James Comer by deed registered in Wake Co. Wit: Joseph Taylor, Judith Brassfield.
  • Wake County North Carolina County Court Minutes 1787 thru 1792, Book II - (Tuesday, June 8, 1792) A Deed from James Alston to Frederick Geer, was duly proven in open Court by the Oath of William Reeves Esqr. a Witness thereto and ordered to be Registered.
  • Wake County North Carolina County Court Minutes 1787 thru 1792, Book II - (Tuesday, December 4, 1792) A Deed from Frederick Geer to John Alston was duly proved in open Court by the Oath of William Reeves Esquire a Witness thereto and ordered to be Registered.
  • Wake County Deed Book H, p. 305 - John Hall of Orange Co., N.C., planter, to Robert Hall of Wake Co., planter, Aug. 27, 1788, for 100 pds. specie a tract of 300 acres in Wake Co. lying on the north side of Little Lick Creek adjoining William Reves and John Lee, it being part of a tract granted from the State to said John Hall. Wit: Jno. Scogin, Morris Evans.
  • Wake County Deeds, p. 128 - William Reaves, Senr. of Wake Co. to his son, Charles Reves, of same, Oct. 25, 1798, for natural love and affection a tract of 220 acres on the south side of Elobeys Creek adjoining his brother, William, and Holloway, John Shearing, Samuel Peake, and Hines' former line, it being parts of two tracts of land, one deeded from the State and the other deeded from John Shearing. Wit: Jno. Humphries, William Reves.
  • Wake County Deeds, p. 129 - William Reves, Senr., of Wake Co. to his son, William Reves, Junr., of same, Oct. 25, 1798, for love and affection for his son a tract of 130 acres on the south bank of Elobeys Creek adjoining Holloway, Charles Reves' spring branch, and Samuel Peake, it being parts of two tracts of land, one deeded from the State and the other deeded from John Shearing. Wit: Jno. Humphries, Charles Reves.
  • Wake County Deeds, p. 415 - William Reves, Senr. of Wake Co. to Nathaniel Jones, Senr. of same, Oct. 16, 1800, for 1,708 dollars a tract of 427 acres on the south bank of Nuce River and on Elobeys Creek adjoining John Alston, Major Holloway, and William Reves, Junr. Wit: Henry Jones, Sion Perey, John Reves.

In 1784, William Reves is listed on Capt. Daniel's District, Wake County tax list as follows: William Reves - 1512 acres, 6 slaves, 7 horses, 25 cattle.

The will of William Reves' friend and neighbor, Woodson Daniel, was presented for probate in the September 1791 Court of Wake County. Over the next decade, Willam Reeves was recorded in numerous probate and land transactions as well as some litigation in the Wake County records in the course of his role as executor of this estate.

On the 22nd of February in 1845 in Wake County, Milley Gooch gave her statement in an application for a Revolutionary War widow's pension that she was married to Rowland Gooch in Wake County in 1789 by William Reeves, Esqr.

Three descendants of his son George Reeves have been placed in Group #6A in the Reeves DNA Project and match participants who descend from Jesse Reeves of Ashe County, North Carolina, and John Reeves, sons of Lt. George Reeves, Sr. of Grayson County, Virginia.

His last appearance in the Wake County Court minutes is in May of 1803. Sometime after that date, he and William Reeves, Jr. with his wife and five children followed the youngest sons, George and Jeremiah to Madison County, Kentucky. From the tax records of Madison County, William appears to have arrived there several years after his sons for his first appearance on the tax lists there was in 1808 whereas his son George was listed in 1801.

He is listed in the 1810 and 1820 census of Madison County and on 5 Nov 1821, letters of administration are granted to his son, George Reeves and John Hawkins on the Estate of William Reeves deceased.

He left no will, but on October 23, 1822, his six surviving children along with the attorney-in-fact for the heirs of deceased daughter Sarah Reeves Geer conveyed to the youngest, Jeremiah, his land on Otter and Muddy Creeks in Madison County, Kentucky.

Research Notes

William Reeves and his father William, Sr. both signed their name REVES. George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia and his heirs also used the Reves spelling of the name. In subsequent generations, many changed to the more commonly used spelling of Reeves while some descendants from each lineage maintained the original spelling of Reves.

The only information at present regarding the wife of William Reeves is the given name Anne (Annie). The Wake County Court Minutes of September 1791 refer to William Reeves and Any his wife (Wake County Court Minutes 1787 to 1792 by Weynette Parks Hawn, pg 554-175). Anne Reeves died sometime after September of 1791 for in the Hillsborough, Wake County Census of 1800, William Reeves and two slaves are the only members of the household. It is likely that her maiden name was "May" and her ancestor a Peter May since there are numerous instances of the name Peter, always with the middle name May or initial "M", being used in this family.

Sources

Orange County NC Court Minutes
Deed Records of Johnston County NC
Wake County NC Court Minutes
Deed & Court Records of Wake County NC
1790 Census - Wake County, North Carolina
1800 Census - Wake County, North Carolina
1810 Census - Madison County, Kentucky
1820 Census - Madison County, Kentucky
Tax Lists of Madison County, KY, online scanned copies at Family Search
Madison County KY Court Order Book E Pg 172
Deed by Heirs of William Reeves