Rives, Nathaniel

Summary

Father: Christopher Rives
Mother: Elizabeth Mason

Birth: 23 May 1763, Sussex County, Virginia
Birth Source: Albermarle Parish Register

Death: 6 Oct 1828, Henry County, Virginia
Death Source:

Spouse1: Elizabeth Rivers, m. 7 Dec 1786, Greensville County, Virginia

Narrative

Children of Nathaniel Rives and Elizabeth Rivers:

1. Robert Rivers Rives
2. Martha Hunt Rives
3. William Mason Rives
4. Thomas Rivers Rives
5. George Rives, b. 27 Dec 1795
6. John Rives
7. Nathaniel Rives
8. Eliza Rives
9. Mary Williamson Rives, b. 9 Jan 1804, m. Abraham Timothy Orville Chastaine Rives
10. Ann Maria Rives, b. 17 Jul 1805
11. Frances Mathilda Rives
12. Christopher Rives

Although their original family surname was Rives, this family appears to have consistently used the spelling REIVES. County records in Campbell and Bedford counties of Virginia as well as Rockingham, North Carolina all use the Reives spelling in deed and other records.

From Reliques of the Rives:
Nathaniel Rives was born May 23, 1763, in Sussex county, Virginia, and died October 6, 1828, in Henry county. Removing early in life to Greensville county, he represented that constituency in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1798 to 1801. His home was near the present site of Emporia, which was incorporated under the name of Hicks Ford on January 21, 1779, at which time Nathaniel Rives was one of the original trustees.¹ In a return of the persons named in the Commission of the Peace for Greensville county, as of May 11, 1801, it was reported to the Governor that Nathaniel Rives had continued to act since March 10, 1785.² Besides occupying positions of trust, Mr. Nathaniel Rives was a man of considerable wealth; owning in 1810 in Greensville county as many as 50 slaves. He removed soon after this to Lynchburg, and engaged in extensive land transactions in Campbell county, removing thence to Lakesville (sic Leaksville, Rockingham County), North Carolina. Nathaniel Rives married Elizabeth, daughter of Robert and Martha (Hunt) Rivers, their marriage bond being dated December 7, 1786, in Greensville county, "Robert Rivers father consents and is security."³ Mrs. Elizabeth (Rivers) Rives "departed this life at the residence [in Henry county] of her son-in-law Columbus Penn on Wednesday 4th of October 1848 in the 82d year of her age. The subject of this brief obituary was a native of Virginia but for the last nine or ten years she had been a resident of Hinds Co. Miss."


Henry County, Virginia records show his estate was appraised on 20 May 1829 and the sale occurred on 15 June, with the account returned and recorded 14 December.

Research Notes

Sources

Birth:          Albemarle Parish Register of Sussex and Surry, Virginia
Marriage:   Virginia Marriages, 1785-1940

Census:  1810 Census - Greenville County, Virginia
                1820 Census - Rockingham County, North Carolina

1818 Rockingham NC Deed, Deed Book R, pgs 382-383
1829 Estate Appraisement - Henry County, Virginia Will Book 3, p223
1829 Estate Sale & Account - Henry County, Virginia Will Book 3, p237

Childs, James Rives. Reliques of the Rives, p458
¹Hening, XV, p176
²Greensville County Order Book 3, p127
³Robert Rivers, who owned 28 slaves in Greensville co., in 1783, executed his will in that county April 2, 1792, which was probated May 24, 1702, mentioning his wife, Martha, and issue, as follows: i. Polly, m. Williamson Bonner; ii. Amy, m. John Rives [2653. John*, brother of Nathaniel]; iii. Nancy; iv. Sarah, m. Nathaniel Lucas; v. Martha, m. Benjamin Jones; vi. Thomas; vii. Robert; viii. Elizabeth, m. Nathaniel Rives. Robert Rivers, Sen., of Greensville, had a brother, William Rivers, who resided in Dinwiddie co.
The Rivers were seated in Surry and 1sle of Wight counties in the 17th century and moved thence to Prince George and Dinwiddie. The family is quite distinct in its origin from the Rives family, although it is not always easy to distinguish between members of the two families in the county records. William Rodgers in his will in Surry county in 1700 mentions his sister, Elizabeth Rivers. George Rivers made his will in 1sle of Wight county in 1707, mentioning his wife, Mary, his daughter, Sarah, and his wife's daughter, Mary. William Rivers in a will executed in Surry county in 1698 mentions his "dear wife and sweet children" without naming them. There are also one or two wills of this family from the early 18th century to be found in the incomplete Prince George records. Mrs. John Carter Bardin, of 429 Centre Street, Dallas, Texas, is understood to be making extensive investigations regarding the Rivers family.