Rives, Timothy

Summary

Father: Richard Ryves
Mother:

Birth: c1588
Birth Source:Reliques of the Rives

Death: 1643, probably Oxfordshire
Death Source: Parish Register

Spouse1: Mary, died 1629
Spouse2: Elizabeth, 1610-1643

Narrative

Children of Timothy and Mary:

1. Margaret Rives, b. c1620
2. Richard Ryves/Rives, b. c1623
3. Timothy Rives, b. c1625

Children of Timothy and Elizabeth:

1. George Ryves/Rives, b. c1632
2. William Rives, b. c1636

Baptisms from Oxford, St Mary Magdalen, Oxfordshire Parish Registers:

• Margaret the daughter of Mr Timothie Rives was babtized the iiiith of Maiy 1620
• Richard the sonne of Mr Timothie Rives was babtized the iiiith of March 1622 (1623)
• Timothy the son of Mr Timothie Rives was baptised the 9 of August 1625

Burials from Oxford, St Mary Magdalen, Oxfordshire Parish Registers:

• Mrs Marie Rives ye wyfe of Mr Timothie Rives was buried the eight daye of November 1629
• Mr Tymothie Rives thelder buried September ye last (30 Sep 1643)
• M Elizabeth? ye wyfe of Mr Tympthie Rives buried Aug ye xvi (1643)

Although not noted by Reliques, Timothy had a daughter named Margaret per the Oxford, St Mary Magdalen baptismal records: "Margaret the Daughter of Mr Timothie Rives was baptized the iiiith of May 1620""

From the Reliques of the Rives:
Timothy Ryves, of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford City, co. Oxford, Gentleman, and steward of the University of Oxford, was evidently born about 1588. Hutchins is as barren of facts concerning him as of his father, Richard; giving only his name and the birth to him of a son, George, who is stated to have "settled at Woodstock" (Oxfordshire). A diligent search among available records, however, has yielded some scraps of information which, when pieced together and considered as a whole, have served to revivify a measure of his shadowed past. The first mention of him in the records occurs on 11 March 1611 when "Timothy Rives" was admitted by the University of Oxford to brew. The University at this time exercised extensive rights over brewers, admitting them to the practice of their trade, specifying the premises which they should use, fixing the days for their brewing, and determining from time to time the price at which their ale and beer should be sold (Register of the Univ. of Oxford, ii, Part I, page 329).

Among the "privileged persons" residing at Oxford in 22 James I (1624) appears the name of Timothy Ryves, paying taxes at that time in the amount of 20 shillings 4 pence (Lay Subsidy Roll, 163/453). So also in 1 Charles I (1625), as a steward of the University and consequently a "privileged person," "Mr. Timothey Ryves" was, excused from paying taxes to the King's tax collectors, being taxed on account of his connection with Oxford by the Vice Chancellor of the University to whom he paid 40 shillings (Exchequer K. R. Subsidy Rolls, 164/461). In 4 Charles I (1629) he was one of forty-three privileged persons in the City of Oxford, paying 20 shillings in taxes to the University (Exch. K. R. Subsidy Rolls, 164/472). In 1640 he is found as a taxpayer from the Southwest ward of Oxford City, paying 20 shillings taxes on lands and another 8 shillings (Exch. K. R. Subsidy Rolls, 164/477). The payment of taxes in such amounts at that time denoted a person of substantial means: his cousin, Dr George Ryves, Warden of New College, Oxford, paying no more than he.

Timothy Ryves was not the first of the family to settle at Oxford.

Dr George Ryves (1559-1613), son of John and Elizabeth Ryves, had in 1599 been made Warden of New College, Oxford, and in 1601 Vice Chancellor of the University. Sir William Ryves (1570-1647), his brother, was a taxpayer and resident of the City of Oxford in 1606; a Counsellor at Law in 1615; and a Justice of the Peace in 1618, of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen. The mother of these two, Elizabeth Ryves, was buried in the parish of St. Marie the Virgin at Oxford in 1609.

This Mrs. Elizabeth Ryves was an aunt of Timothy Ryves and her children, Dr George and Sir William Ryves, consequently were first cousins of Timothy.

Timothy Ryves, as early as 1625, upon the baptism of his son, Timothy, is known to have been of the parish of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford, with which his cousin Sir William Ryves has been identified.

In the light of the above facts it is not unreasonable to conjecture that Timothy Ryves, the eldest and probably the only son of Richard Ryves, was left an orphan and taken under the protection of the eldest branch of the family, obtaining preferment at Oxford through the patronage of his influential kinsmen, Dr. George and William Ryves (not then a knight). It was no doubt in their memory that one of his sons was christened, George, and another, William.

Timothy Ryves died in 1643 and was buried in the parish of St. Mary Magdalen at Oxford, according to an entry in the parish register reading, "Mr. Timothy Ryves, the elder "was buried" ultimo September 1643."

He married, 1st, Mary, whose burial is recorded in the parish register of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford, as follows: "Mrs. Mary Rives, wife of Mr. Timothie Ryves, 8 November 1629,"

Elizabeth, wife of Mr. Timothie Ryves (was buried) 16 August 1643," according to an entry in the parish register of St. Mary Magdalen, Oxford, quoted by Wood (Antiquities of Oxford).

Transcription of page one of Amendments to Reliques of the Rives:

Twenty-eight years ago I published Reliques of the Rives (Lynchburg, 1929) and since that time certain corrections and additions have been made available by correspondents or as the results of subsequent research. As in all probability the original work will never be reprinted and as it had a fairly wide distribution, the Virginia Magazine of History and Biography has offered me the hospitality of its pages to note the emendations which I would now make in my work if a new edition were ever issued.
When the book was written I offered the conjecture that William Rives was the emigrant ancestor. I have recently had occasion to question this assumption. The basis for the birth of William to Timothy Ryves and his wife of Oxford (pp. 74-75) was the slightest, and his presence in Surry County, Virginia, was made evident only as a tithable in 1684 and 1695. Mr. Laurence B. Gardiner, of Memphis, has recently put me on what I believe is a surer track. He has brought my attention to the discovery of a Charles City County Order Book for 1687-1695 where, on page 421, there is found: "Capt. Henry Batte ordered to assign and swear appraisers of Estate of Timothy Rieve" (the French pronunciation of the name apparently still persisting). I suggest now the likelihood that this Timothy "Rieve" or Rives was the emigrant ancestor and that he was identical with 206. Timothy Ryves, born 1625, son of Timothy and Mary Ryves of Oxford (p. 51), and that he was the father of George, Robert, John, and Timothy Rives, of Virginia. The William Rives living in Surry I 1684 and 1695 may well have been another son of this Timothy. At any rate I advance the hypothesis as one for future investigators to bear carefully in mind.

Sources

Burial:       Oxford, St Mary Magdalen, Oxfordshire Parish Combine (BM&B) Register 1602-1662, PAR208/1/R1/1

Childs, James Rives. Reliques of the Rives, p49
Childs, James Rives. Amendments to Reliques of the Rives, The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, 1957, page 350
Wood, Anthony. Survey of the Antiquities of the City of Oxford composed in 1661-6, Vol III, Ch XXXIX, p225, 226 (Parish Registers for Timothy, Mary, Elizabeth)

Oxford, St Mary Magdalen, Oxfordshire Parish Combine (BM&B) Register 1602-1662, PAR208/1/R1/1