Reeves, William

Summary

Father: Joseph REEVES
Mother: Mary Ann WARD

Birth: 15 Feb 1855
Birth Source: FreeBMD, Family Photo

Death: 16 Jan 1931, San Diego County, California
Death Source: Obituary

Spouse1: Millicent ROSE
Spouse2: Harriet Ann STACEY

Narrative

William Reeves is the oldest of eight children born to Joseph Reeves and his wife Mary Ann (nee WARD). His birth was registered during the first quarter of 1855 in the Belper Registration District, which includes parishes mostly in Nottinghamshire but with a few in Derbyshire. The GRO Index to Births confirms his mother's maiden name as WARD.

A family photo of William and Harriet provided on FamilySearch has written on the back "William Reeves born Feb 15th 1855 England."

On the 1861 census William appears in his parent's household on Briddons Row in the hamlet of Riddings, part of the civil parish of Alfreton. He is six years old and his place of birth is given as Alfreton, Derbyshire

A decade later and the 1871 census shows William still living with his parents, now on North and South Lane, Riddings. He is sixteen years old and his place of birth is now given as Leabrooks, Derbyshire. See Research Note 1 below. He is employed as a Coal Miner

Neither William nor any other members of this family group have been identified on the 1881 census or any subsequent census in England. It is strongly believed they emigrated to the United States of America between the birth of his youngest sister Sarah in 1874 and the 1881 Census.

A family group comprising his mother, Mary A Reeves (age 46, wife), William (25, a Miner), Joseph (14, Miner), Abram (sic Abraham) (11, child), Alfred (8, child) and Sarah (6, child) arrived in New York from Liverpool on board SS Wisconsin on 03 November 1880. It is notable that neither his father Joseph or his brother John are part of this family group. See Research Note 2 on his father Joseph's page

In May 1881 William Reeves married Millicent ROSE in Evanston, Uinta County, Wyoming. It is likely Millicent has only recently arrived in the USA from England. There is no known issue from this marriage. Millicent died in October 1883 and her grave marker shows she was the wife of William Reeves, age 26. See Research Note 2 below.

William Reeves married Harriet Ann STACEY during November 1894 in Evanston, Uinta County, Wyoming.
The known children of William Reeves and Harriet (nee STACEY) are

1. William Reeves, born March 1896
2. Annie/Anna Reeves, born August 1898
3. Joseph Frederick Reeves, born October 1901
4. Alfred Stacey Reeves, born 9 September 1902
5. Lawrence A Reeves, born August 1907

Birth dates for William and Annie are from the 1900 US Census; for Joseph, Alfred and Lawrence from their respective death records.

At the time of the 1900 US Census, William appears as a boarder in the household of Herman and Armina HYDE in Star Valley, Uinta County. A family connection is not known. William is described as being 45 years old, having been born in England of English parents. He arrived in the USA in 1880 and has been married for 5 years. His occupation is given as Saloon Keeper. See Research Note 3 and also Research Note 4 below.

On the 1910 US census William and Harriet have moved to Precinct 1 within Evanston Town in Uinta County, Wyoming. William is now 55 years old and he and Harriet have been married for 15 years and have 5 children, all then surviving. He is a Saloon Keeper and an employer.

William and Harriet have yet to be positively identified on the 1920 US Census. See Research Note 5 below.

By the time of the 1930 US Census William and Harriet are living in San Diego City, San Diego County, California. He is now 75 years old and again claims birth in England of English parents. He was 26 years old when he first married and he arrived in the USA in 1880 is and is a Naturalised US Subject and has no occupation.

William has not been identified on the 1940 US Census. The death of William Reeves in January 1931 is reported in an Obituary Notice which correctly names his wife and five children including his married daughter.

The San Diego Union and Daily Bee, 18 Jan 1931
REEVES - In this city, Jan. 16, 1931. William Reeves, husband of Harriett A. Reeves, father of William Reeves Jr. of Cheyeane, Wyoming. Mrs. E. Ellis of San Diego, Joseph T. Reeves of National City, Alfred S Reeves of Ocean Beach, Calif., and Lawrence A. Reeves of Evanston, Wyoming; a native of England, age 76. Friends are invited to attend services at Benbough Funeral Parlors at 7th and Date Sts. Monday at 3:15 p. m. Entombment, Benbough Memorial mausoleum.

National City Star-News, 20 Oct 1933
Children Remember Mother's Birthday
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Reeves entertained with a birthday dinner party Friday evening in honor of the former's mother, Mrs. Harriett Reeves, of San Diego. The table was attractively decorated with a centerpiece of chrysanthemums. Covers were laid for Mr. and Mrs. James Ellis and daughter Cleo of San Diego, Mr. and Mrs. Alfred S. Reeves and daughter Jacqueline of Ocean Beach. Mr. and Mrs. Joe Reeves and family, and the honor guest, Mrs. Harriett Reeves.

Find A Grave shows a memorial plaque for both William and Harriet (who died in 1957), which incorrectly show William's year of birth as 1854 and not 1855. See Research Note 6 below.

Research Notes

(1) Leabrooks is a small hamlet found between Somercotes and Riddings.

(2) Whilst Millicent's grave marker indicates she was 26 years old, other sources suggest she was born in Nottinghamshire, England in mid 1859.

(3) On the 1900 US Census William's wife Harriet is living in RedCanon Precinct also in Uinta County with their two oldest children; William and Annie. She claims to have been married 6 years and to have given birth to two children, both of whom are still then living. Harriet (dwelling 67) is living in close proximity to William parents, Joseph and Mary Ann Reeves (dwelling 63).

(4) On the 1900 US Census William (in dwelling 151) is living in close proximity to his younger brother Joseph Reeves and his wife Naomi plus family (dwelling 148)

(5) Our subject is not the William Reeves with wife Harriet found on the 1920 US Census in Oakland, Alameda County, California. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MH3H-69F   There is much discrepancy in the detail for both this William and Harriet with prior and subsequent census returns for our subject, but more significantly this second couple are also present in Oakland on the 1910 US Census. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MV2W-P4X

(6) At FamilySearch, a user indicates he has a copy of William's birth certificate showing his birth in February 1855, which is consistent with the 1q1855 Birth Registration noted at FreeBMD and the GRO Index to Births.

Sources

Birth:        GRO Index to Births     1855, March quarter, Belper Registration District
Baptism:  
Marriage1: Marriage Certificate Record for Uinta County, W. T. (Wyoming Territory), Page 105, entry No 210 (image 420 of 600 at FS)
Marriage2: United States Western States Marriage Index  FamilySearch   https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XZV5-VPF
Death:     
Obituary:  The San Diego Union and Daily Bee, 18 Jan 1931
                 
1861 Census: RG9, Piece 2515, Folio 70 reverse, Page 6, Schedule 37 and continued Folio 71 face, Page 7
1871 Census: RG10, Piece 3592, Folio 46 face, Page 1, Schedule 5
1881 Census:

1900 US Census: Star Valley Precinct, Uinta Co., Wyoming, sheet 9b, row 75   FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M3VY-LWT
1910 US Census: Precinct 1, Evanston Town, Uinta Co., Wyoming, Sheet 2A > row 17   FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPJF-G8T
1920 US Census:
1930 US Census: San Diego Township, San Diego Co., California, Sheet 2b, row 86   FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XC6N-RRY
1940 Census:  San Diego, San Diego County, California (Harriet A. Reeves HOH)

1880 Passenger List - SS Wisconsin - New York - mother Mary A Reeves plus William & 4 siblings
1881 Passenger List - SS Wyoming - New York - first wife Millicent Rose
1883 - Death of Millicent Reeves - Find A Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71897217
1910 - Census wife Harriet - Red Canon Precinct No 1, Uinta Co., Wyoming, Sheet 53A, row 25
1957 - Memorial Plaque for William & Harriet at Find A Grave https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/116775785/william-reeves
Family Photos on FamilySearch - Provided by FamilySearch User 'HepworthCatherineLouisa1'
National City Star-News, 20 Oct 1933