Reeves, William L.

Summary

Father: Alvin A. Reeves
Mother: Anna C. Dearing

Birth: 15 Jul 1829, Kentucky
Birth Source: Headstone

Death: 26 Jan 1872
Death Source: Headstone

Spouse1: Amanda Cook, m. 4 Nov 1849, Schuyler County, Illinois

Narrative

Children of William L. Reeves and Amanda Cook:

1. John Reeves b. 29 August 1850, d. 19 February 1928, m. Emma Jane Ewing
2. Samuel Wilson Reeves, b. 1852- , m. Lizzie Bennett
3. Andrew Jackson Reeves, b. 1854-1860
4. Mary Ellen Reeves, b. 1858-aft 1880
5. Sarah E. Reeves, b. 1860-1872
6. Nancy Ann Reeves, b. 1862-1878
7. Cyrena Myria Reeves, b. 22 January 1865- 8 December 1949, m. Daniel Phillips
8. Hester Jane Reeves, b. 5 July 1869-aft 1888, m. Alvin Staley

William L. Reeves is named as an heir of Alvin in application for Letters of Administration on his estate. He was also living with his father in 1870. William and Amanda and family lived on the same plantation farm. There were two big brick homes on the plantation named Elm Springs Farm. Alvin and family lived in one. William and his family lived in the other.
William L. Reeves was born 15 July 1829 according to the tombstone. In the1830 census his parents were living in Allen County, Kentucky. William married Amanda Cook, who was born 18 March 1830 in Ohio. They were married 2 November in 1849 in Schuyler County, Illinois. Attached to the license page is a separate paper that reads as follows:

State of Illinois
Schuyler County ?? On this 2nd day of November AD 1849 before me personally appears John Cook who being duly sworn on oath says that Amanda Cook of Schuyler County is over the of 18 years.
John Cook (marked with an X)
Subscribed and sworn to the day above written before me N. Moore Clerk
by E. Bentolf Deputy
TRP member Larry Bartlett has a copy of the marriage license papers.


26 January 1872 William died in Pettis County Missouri and was buried in the Thomson Family Cemetery at Elm Springs Farm. William died without a will.
After the death of William, his wife Amanda returned to Schuyler County with the younger children. In 1874 she married Abram Landis. A " Legal Record of Petition" was completed and filed 22 October 1879 in Schuyler County, Illinois by Amanda Reeves Landis. This petition was to prove that the two youngest two children of William and Amanda Reeves were legally grandchildren of Alvin A. Reeves. The names of the children were Cyrena and Hester. Alvin A. Reeves died 1 September 1871. His estate was still being settled 1879.

Research Notes

In a chapter of History of Moniteau County in the book State of Missouri, it reads:

"Company H, Cole County regiment of Home Guards, was organized at Tipton in June, 1861, and on the 29th of that month mustered in, ...William L. and Shelton Reeves, ... Of the whole number only forty-four received pay for the first month's service, the others having been reported absent without leave or sick." ( There was a list of 85 names on pages 362 and 363).

On page 175 of the U.S. Civil War Draft registration Records, 1863-65, William L. Reeves was listed in the 9th Congressional District. His age on 1 July 1863 was 34. Residence: Oakland, Schuyler, Illinois. Previously Oakland Township was named Ashland and/or Flat Woods. A separate draft paper stated his occupation as a sawyer. Rubin (Reuben) Reeves, the brother of William, was in the same Registrations Records and listed as a farmer.

The following is an excerpt from the Schuyler County Illinois History Book, 1983. Herschel "Sug" Reeves, (1908-2008) wrote about the Reeves Family, page 488. "During the war in 1862, members of both families came back to Schuyler County by covered wagon. Travel was very difficult because of the restriction brought on by the War. The women and children drove the covered wagons, and the men traveled apart with their guns, hiding in the woods. After the war was over, they went back home in Missouri and tried to resume their chosen occupation."

In the above excerpt, both families refers to the William Reeves family and families of William's siblings, all children and grandchildren of Alvin A. Reeves. In the wagon of the William and Amanda Reeves was a wooden blanket trunk, which is now in the possession of the family of TRP member Larry Bartlett.

Original photos of William and Amanda exist in the family collection of TRP member Larry Bartlett.
William always used a middle initial "L". No reference has ever been found for what name the L represented.

Sources
Marriages, FamilySearch -Illinois, County Marriages, 1810-1940
Burial:       Findagrave - David Thomson Cemetery, Georgetown, Pettis County, Missouri

1850 Census:  Ashland, Schuyler County, Illinois
1860 Census:  Township 44 Range 16, Moniteau County, Missouri
1870 Census:  Mount Sterling, Pettis County, Missouri

1871 Application for Letters of Administration - Alvin Reeves - Pettis County, Missouri Probate Records
The Reeves Family Article, Schuyler County, Illinois History Book 1983, page 488
Original photographs of William and Amanda Reeves, Family Collection of TRP member Larry Bartlett
Legal Record of Petition 22 Oct 1879 in Schuyler County, Illinois
U. S., Civil war Draft registration Records, 1863-65 page 175
State of Missouri book, (History of Moniteau County), exact title data not available