Reeves, William

Summary

Father:
Mother:

Birth: c1790
Birth Source: census

Death:
Death Source:

Spouse1: Sarah FOX

Narrative

Nothing is known with certainty about William's place of birth or his early life. See Research Note 1 below.

William Reeves and Sarah FOX were married in July 1815 at the Abbey Church of St Mary and St Ethelflaeda in Romsey. See Research Note 2 below.
Probable children of William REEVES and Sarah (nee FOX) are

1. Sarah Reeves, bapt Feb 1817 at Mottisfont, married Henry WEBB
2. Elizabeth Reeves, bapt Feb 1817 at Mottisfont, married James HANCOCK
3. William Reeves, bapt March 1819 at Mottisfont
4. Caroline Reeves, bapt Feb 1822 at Mottisfont
5. Hannah Reeves, bapt April 1824 at Kings Somborne
6. Oliver Reeves, born c1828 at Kings Somborne
7. Noah Reeves, bapt March 1833 and bur. Aug 1835 at Romsey
8. Osman Reeves, bapt Sept 1836 at Romsey
9. Jesse Reeves, bapt Mar 1839 at Romsey

The baptism of Jesse is recorded with the surname REEVE (sic). No birth registration for Jesse REEVE(S) has been identified. There are however birth registrations for two unnamed male REEVES children in the Romsey Registration District around the appropriate time. The first was during 1q1839 with mother's maiden name of FOX and the second during 2q1839 with mother's maiden name of THORN. The second entry can be safely dismissed, see Research Note 3 below.

On the 1841 census taken on 6 June, William and Sarah Reeves are living in the hamlet of Cupernham in the Parish of Romsey Extra, Hampshire. William is 50 years old and claims birth in Hampshire. He was employed as an Agricultural Labourer. Sarah is 45 years old and like William, claims birth in Hampshire. Three sons complete the household, Oliver (age 13), Osman (5) and Jecy (sic Jesse) (age 2). Sharing the same dwelling, but enumerated on a separate schedule are John FOX (age 85, Independent, born in county) and Charles FOX (age 43, no occupation shown and born in county). See Research Note 4 below.

At the time of the 1851 census, on 30 March, William and Sarah are to be found living on Saltisford Road in the St Mary's parish of Warwick. William now claims to be 61 years old and is employed as a Gardener. Although not clearly written, his place of birth appears to be East Lockley, Hampshire which is most probably intended to be Lockerley. Sarah is now 56 years of age and again her place of birth isn't distinctly written, perhaps Beaisfield  Braishfield, a chapelry 0f Michelmersh, Hampshire. Son Osman is 15, was born in Romsey, Hampshire and has no occupation shown. Son Jesse is 13, was also born in Romsey and is employed as Servant. Also present in their household is their grand daughter Caroline HANCOCK (age 3 and born in Bath, Somerset). There are two lodgers completing the household, William FOOT (age 26) and George CUMMINGS (33). Both are unmarried, are employed as Sawyers and both claim birth in Tytherly, Hampshire.

Neither William nor his wife Sarah have yet been positively identified on the 1861 subsequent census returns. There is no death registered in Warwick RD which seems to match this individual. Likewise there is no death in the Romsey RD (assuming he returned to his "home" turf) which closely matches this individual. See Research Note 5 and Research Note 6 below.

Research Notes

(1) On the 1841 census, it is indicated that William was born within the county of Hampshire. By the time of the 1851 census William and Sarah have relocated to Warwickshire. The census summary sheet is not distinctly written and there may well have been an additional complication of regional accents. His birth place seems to be written as East Lockley, which may be Lockerley. No R*v*(s) baptisms are noted (in the HGS index) before 1802 in Lockerley. Lockerley was a long standing chapelry of Mottisfont. The catalogue at the Hampshire Archives indicate the existence of Parish Registers for Lockerley that include baptisms from 1681 https://calm.hants.gov.uk/Record.aspx?src=CalmView.Catalog&id=Microfilm%2f40&pos=6 Accessed 13Nov2022. There are no R*v*(s) baptisms noted in the HGS index in Mottisfont up to 1812. Now this part of Hampshire is where the boundary with Wiltshire has been redrawn multiple time...

(2) Care needs to be taken when assigning children to this couple. A second William Reeves married Sarah Elizabeth MARSH in November 1818 in the nearby by parish of Sherfield English.
(2.1) Although baptised together in February 1817, it is thought unlikely that Sarah and Elizabeth were twins. In adult life, Sarah regularly reported her age to be one year more than her sister Elizabeth
(2.2 Daughter Elizabeth's relationship to this William and Sarah is confirmed by the presence of her daughter Caroline (Elizabeth) Hancock on the 1851 census as William and Sarah's grand daughter and by Caroline's presence on the 1871 census with her parents James & Elizabeth Hancock as their daughter. (RG10, Piece 2482, Folio 37 reverse, Page 10, Schedule 99)
(2.3) William was baptised only four months after the second couple were married, so unlikely to be their child. He was baptised at Mottisfont and on the 1851 census his younger brother Oliver is part of his household
(2.4) Aside from her baptism at Mottisfont, there is presently no other evidence to connect Caroline to her parents.
(2.5) Hannah association is the least well grounded. Kings Somborne, her place of baptism, is also the place given by Oliver as his place of birth.
(2.6) Oliver appears with his parents on the 1841 census. On the 1851 census he appears with his brother William and his place of birth is given as Kings Somborne, Hampshire
(2.7) Noah is the first of the family to be baptise at Romsey. He was also buried there, age 2.
(2.8) Osman appears with his parents on both 1841 and 1851 census returns
(2.9) Jesse appears with his parents on both 1841 and 1851 census returns

(3) The birth registration for the unnamed male Reeves child during 2q1839 can be positively eliminated, The birth of William Reeves with mmn of THORN was registered during 2q1843 also in Romsey RD. From the 1851 census, this is most likely to be William the son of George + Mary Reeves. William is the correct age (7) and he also has a brother Henry born c1839 in Romsey which would match this 2q1839 birth registration.

(4) From the 1841 census it is possible John FOX and Charles FOX are William's father-in-law and his brother-in-law. Sarah's father was named as John FOX at her marriage, but further research is needed to confirm this relationship.

(5) The GRO Index notes the death of two adult individuals named William Reeves in the Romsey Registration District and none in the Warwick RD during the decade 1851-1861.

• During 3q1854, age 58, placing this William's birth around 1796, which is perhaps too late.
• During 4q1856, age 77, placing this William's birth around 1779, which is too early for our subject.

(6) The same GRO Index notes the death of just one adult individual named Sarah Reeves in the Romsey RD and none in the Warwick RD during the same period.

• During 4q1861, age 66, placing this Sarah's birth around 1795.

The most probable match for this individual on the 1861 census is in the Parish of Melchett in the Romsey RD, where she is enumerated as the Mother of Mary A ROGERS, Mary is 40 years old, placing her birth around 1821 and she claims birth in West Wellow, Wiltshire. These two individuals have been identified on the 1851 census at Bridgefoot Road in Plaitford, Wiltshire, where Mary Ann is the wife of William ROGERS.

Sources

Birth:       
Baptism:  
Marriage: HGS Marriage Index 1754-1837
                 FamilySearch https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QR38-BP6Z
Death:     

1841 Census: HO107, Piece 0401, Book 2, Folio 2 reverse, Page 1, fifth dwelling
1851 Census: HO107, Piece 2073, Folio 405 reverse, Page 25, Schedule 93
1861 Census:
1871 Census:
1881 Census: