Reves, James

Summary

Father: James Rives/Reves
Mother:

Birth:
Birth Source:

Death: bef 5 Nov 1787
Death Source: Deeds

Spouse1:

Narrative

Children of James Reves:

1. James Reeves, Sr., b. c1747
2. Anna Revis, m. Josiah Brookins
3. Mary Reeves, m. Lemuel Norton

The earliest records for this family have a mix of Reves, Revis, or Rives for the surname.

A committee of men all of Boston, Massachusetts chosen by the proprietors of a large tract of land in York County (later Maine), "desirous to bring forward regular settlements on the aforesaid tract," agreed to give away forty hundred acres of land unto forty individuals. It stipulates that the settlers are to settle and build a suitable dwelling on the land for a term of seven years. James Rives of Damariscotta within the County of York, laborer, was admitted as one of these settlers. The deed noted that James had built his house and inhabited it for the last six months so the committee drawing up the condition of the deed for his land, known as lot no. 11. The date was 3 Jun 1736, "in the ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second." The deed was recorded 5 Nov 1787 in Lincoln County. (DB 21, p145)

A deed was recorded immediately following, on the same day, in which "James Revis of a place called Balltown yeomen, Josiah Brookins of Woolwich yeoman, and Annah Brookins Wife of the said Josiah, the said James and Annah being children and coheirs of James Revis deceased," sold this same land to William Sevey. (DB 21, p147) In a separate deed, "Lemuel Norton of Edgcombe in the County of Lincoln Gentleman and Mary Norton Wife of the said Lemuel being a child and Heir of James Revis deceased," sold their right to this same land. (DB 21, p148)

Damariscotta is a few miles from Wiscassett. This appears to identify him as the James Rives Jr. mentioned in York County Common Pleas records. It appears that this James Rives and his father James were back and forth between Boston and the Wiscassett area. At least one of them is identified as a fisherman, so they likely traveled along the coast between Boston and the Wiscassett area. One of the papers among the Common Pleas records states identifies "James Rives of Boston in our County of Suffolk Fisherman alias Dictus James Rives of Wiscassett in the County of York in the Province of the Massachusetts Bay Husbandman."

Since James Rives was from Massachusetts and his father's name James as well, it has been surmised that he may be the son of James Reves and Deliverance Abrahams who married in Plymouth 20 Nov 1703.

If that is the case, he is probably the James Revis cited in Barnstable Probate records. On 12 Jan 1729/30, an inventory was taken of the estate of Mr. Gershom Lumbart, late of Barnstable deceased. His widow Thankfull Lumbart was the administratrix. Among the items listed was: "To an apprentice boy (James Revis) ye fullfiling his Indenture as much as he is worth."

Abstract of record from Plymouth, Massachusetts Common Pleas Records from Sep 1739 (v7, p215-217):
Thomas Howland v. James Revess (Witchcasset Labourer). Case, for £8.10s. due for "one Cow Sold and Delivered." Default by deft. Judgment for £8.10s and £8.2s6d. costs.

The above record positively connects James Reves of Wiscassett to Plymouth.

This is probably the James Rives baptized 17 May 1749, as an adult, at home, listed in the records of the Old North Church (Christ Church) in Boston.

There was a James Reeves from Boston who published a marriage intention with Elizabeth Merritt 23 Dec 1758. They were married 28 Jan 1759. If this is the same one, he must have married multiple times.

Research Notes

Sources

1736 Deed - Wiscassett Company to James Reves - Lincoln County, Maine Deed Book 21, p145
1787 Deed - James Revis et al. to William Sevey - Lincoln County, Maine Deed Book 21, p147
1787 Deed - Lemuel and Mary Norton to William Sevey - Lincoln County, Maine Deed Book 21, p148
York County, Maine Court of Common Pleas Minutes
Massachusetts, Town and Vital Records, 1620-1988 (Ancestry)
Barnstable, MA: Probate Records, 1685-1789, v4, p200 (American Ancestors)
Plymouth County, MA: Plymouth Court Records, 1686-1859, v6, p171 (American Ancestors)
Boston, MA: Church Records, 1630-1895, Christ Church, p33 (American Ancestors)
A Volume of Records Relating to the Early History of Boston, Containing Boston Marriages From 1752 to 1809, pp. 30, 357