Rives, John

Summary

Father: Benjamin Rives
Mother:

Birth: c1730
Birth Source: Estimate from Reliques of the Rives

Death: 1775-1776
Death Source: Will & Probate

Spouse1: Elizabeth Fox

Narrative

From Reliques of the Rives:
John Rives, born about 1730, was a resident of Brunswick county as early as 1755 when he purchased for £60 from Richard Russell 175 acres “on the north side of the road that leads from John Hagood’s to Pennington’s Ford on Meherrin River it being part of a larger tract granted to Susannah Gilbert on July 10, 1745.” John Rives married before 1763, Elizabeth, daughter of William Fox, of Brunswick county (son of Henry Fox, Burgess from Brunswick in 1732), whose will dated December 22, 1763, and proved January 23, 1764, named his daughter Betty Rives. John Rives apparently died without issue, according to his will, as follows:

IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN: I John Rives of Brunswick County and Colony of Virginia being sick and weak but of sound mind and memory, Thanks be to Almighty God for it but considering the Mortality of my body knowing that it is appointed to all men once to die do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament, in manner and form following, First of all I recommend my Soul into the hands of Almighty God who give it to me and my body to be buried in a Christian and Decent Manner, and as to my worldly goods that it hath pleased the Almighty God to bless me with in this life, I give and dispose of in manner and form following. ITEM, I give and bequeath unto my loving wife, Elizabeth Rives six negroes, Jane, Tillar, Criss, Arthur, Fred, Landon, and one side saddle and two Trunks, one Feather Bed and Furniture to her and to her heirs and assigns forever.
ITEM, I give and bequeath to my loving Father all the rest and residue of my Estate both real and personal after paying my just debts, to him and his heirs forever. My desire is that my wife Elizabeth Rives shall pay all the just debts that she corrected before I married her out of her Legacy. And I do hereby Constitute and Appoint my loving wife Elizabeth Rives and Father Benjamin Rives Executors of this my last Will and Testament and I do acknowledge this and no other to be my last Will and Testament.
IN WITNESS whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this 20th day of August one thousand seven hundred and seventy five. Signed and Acknowledged John Rives (SS)
in the present of
William Fox
William Lundy
Lucas Tomlinson.

At a court held for Brunswick County the 22nd day of January 1776,This will was proved according to law by the oaths of William Lundy a witness thereto and ordered to be recorded And on motion of Benjamin Rives one of the Executors therein named who made oath thereto and together with Henry Turner and William Lundy his securities entered into and acknowledged their Bond in the penalty of One Thousand Pounds, Conditioned as the law directs. Certificate was granted him for obtaining a probate thereof in due form. Elizabeth Rives the other Executor therein named refused to take upon herself the Execution thereof or join in the said probate.
Teste: Peter Pelham Jur. C. Clerk.

Sources

1775 Will - John Rives - Brunswick County, Virginia Will Book 4, p476
Childs, James Rives. Reliques of the Rives, p84