There are countless Johnston County deeds circa 1762 to 1765 with references to both George Reeves and Richard Burton, believed to be the father of Jane Burton Reeves, such as: Richard Burton, Johnston County, to Samuel Peek, Buckingham Co, Virginia, 314 Acres in Johnston County, the plantation whereon said Burton now lives beginning at Wm. Reeves corner red oak on the bank of Neuse river, running thence on his line S23½ยบ W crossing Ellobies creek several times 98p to his corner pine: S23½ W 160p to a corner pine: S65 E210p to a pine: N24 E184p crossing Gut several times to a blazed White Oak on Neuse River, just above the mouth of said Gut: up said River by several meanders to 1st sta…houses, orchard &c…Ann Burton∗ wife to Richard Burton examined privately by Lod. Tanner Esq. Wit: John Alston, Thomas Webb, Wm. Bradford, Johnston County, October 13, 1763.
The exact family relationship between George Reeves and William Reeves of Wake County is currently undocumented but the genetic match is close enough that they may have been brothers. Among the many details that connect these two families is their use of the name REVES rather than the many other variations - Reeves, Reaves, Rives. William Reeves and his father William, Sr. both signed their name "Reves". George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia and his heirs also used the Reves spelling of the name. In subsequent generations, many descendants of both families changed to the more commonly used spelling of Reeves while some descendants maintained the original spelling of Reves.It appears as though both Richard Burton and George Reeves sold their property in Johnston County around 1765 which would coincide with the appearance of both men in the New River area around 1767. Additionally a Johnston County court order of July 15, 1766 wherein Timothy Shaw was replacing George Reeves as overseer of the road would presumably be a result of George Reeves' removal from Johnston County.
From The Virginia magazine of history and biography, pub 1922 by the Virginia Historical Society - "...It was originally surveyed in 1753 for Peter Jefferson, Thomas and David Meriwether and Thomas Walker. It was the Peach Bottom tract. John Cox settled there the same year. George Collins and George Reeves settled there in 1767."
In George Reeves' deposition for Beavins (Blevins) vs. Newell — O. S. 174; N. S. 62 — Bill, 27th September, 1805, he stated that he was present in the New River area as early as 1767.
George Reaves was on the 1771, 1772, 1773 and 1774 tithables lists of Cornelius Roberts in extinct Fincastle County, Virginia.He appears on the 1787 tax list of Montgomery County with 100 acres. In 1789 he was living in Grassy Creek/Fox Creek area of Grayson County near Daniel, Elisha and John Blevins, Robert Osborne and Ezeiel Young. The New River area changed state and county designations several times and by 1793, George and his son, Jesse, are listed in the tax lists of Wythe County, Virginia.
As George "Reaves", he received a grant for 200 aces on the waters of the New River in Montgomery County on May 18, 1796 and another for 100 acres on the north side of that river adjoining his own line on the west on May 30, 1796.
The children of George and Jane Burton Reeves were Jesse, William, Anne who married Bartholomew Austin, Mary who married Joseph Doughton, Susanna who married William Tolliver, George Jr., Lucy who married David Cox, Jr., Prudence who married Andrew Cox, Charity who married Zachariah Osborne, John and Elizabeth who married Samuel Phipps.
∗ The wife of Richard Burton was previously believed to be Mary; however all records for Richard Burton prior to around 1765 list his wife as Ann. In Apr 1765: Exhibited into court, a sale and inventory of the estate of James Farmer, decd, by Mary Burton, Executrix. Recorded in Johnston Co, NC County Court Minutes. Research by Burton Family researchers indicates that Ann Burton died sometime before 1765 after which Richard Burton married Mary, the widow of James Farmer who had died in 1761 in Johnston County.
The family of George Reeves, Sr. at The Reeves Project
Other posts in this blog about George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia
New Data on George Reeves of Grayson County
Wilkes County's George Reeves Mystery
The Rest of the Story
Another Episode of the Epps Wife Fantasy
More Reeves Signatures
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ReplyDeleteAgain, these were two distinctly different George Reeve(s). See response above.
DeleteI am a descendant of George Reeves of Grayson County through his son George Reeves Jr. who was killed by William Tolliver. I would like to discuss the apparent non-DNA matches found in lines claiming to descend from George Reeves, Sr. I am related to one of the participants listed in Group #14 in the Reeves DNA project. This group is comprised of two descendants of George Reeves, Jr. who descend from different sons of George Reeves Jr. My question is whether any other descendants of George Reeves Sr have addressed this non match. Does anyone know which groups in the Reeves DNA project have participants who claim to descend from George Reeves Sr or Grayson?
ReplyDeleteDavid, there are two sons of Jesse, son of George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia in DNA Group 6. Participants 33172 and 33674 are from Ashe County NC and descend from Jesse. Another participant, #90815, appears to descend from George's youngest son John Reeves and Phoebe Osborne. He did not submit a pedigree so I've done what research I could online but am not positive of his lineage.
DeleteThree other members of DNA Group 6 are descendants of my ancestor William Reeves of Wake County (formerly Orange and Johnston Counties) in NC and they match these descendants of Jesse and possibly John as close as they match each other which suggests a close family relationship. I know of no documentation of a connection between George and William Reeves but there is an abundance of data to connect them. George Reeves and his father-in-law Richard Burton were present in Orange/Johnston County in the 1750's and 60's prior to their arrival on the Peach Bottom tract along the New River in 1767. They are mentioned together in numerous deeds as parties or simply as a witness in deeds. William Reeves is also involved in numerous transactions with them.
I've collected original signatures of all of the sons of George as well as William and his sons and they were all literate and all consistently signed their names as REVES which I find noteworthy.
As far as I know, no one has ever addressed the non matches of all of these descendants of George Reeves Sr. and I wish they would so we might someday resolve the mystery.
Beverly
David,
DeleteI thought you might be interested to know that I have recently been in contact with the third Reeves DNA Project participant (#90815) of Group 6 who descends from George Reeves, Sr. He definitely does descend from George's son John Reeves and Phoebe Osborne. His ancestor is John's son Rev. Osborn Reeves who left Virginia and migrated to Georgia before moving on to Texas where he died in Tarrant County.
Beverly
I dna matched to this George Reeves of North Carolina
DeleteBeverly, how can I contact you to discuss Reaves from N.C. Relating to Strickland.
ReplyDeleteKaren, you can email me at beverly_wat@msn.com to discuss Reeves families in North Carolina.
DeleteBeverly how can I reach you by email to discuss Reaves in NC to Stricklands in NC?
ReplyDeleteKaren M
See above reply with email address.
DeleteIn my family research, I'm great gdtr of William Dodson Hudgins of Halifax Co. Va. His mother, Mary Fannie Reaves Hudgins was the wife of John Rubin Hudgins of Halifax Co and is listed as daughter of George and Mary Reeves. Would they fit into this family tree? She was born in the 1840s.
ReplyDeleteCathy,
DeleteNo, George Reaves of Grayson County, Virginia is not the ancestor of Mary Reaves Hudgins. George Reeves of Grayson County's daughter Mary married George Doughton and they lived their lives in Ashe County NC and died there. Doughton Park on the Blue Ridge Parkway in Allegheny County NC is named for one of their children.
Several years ago someone posted some speculative information online without proper research which suggested that George Reeves of Grayson County was the same individual who moved from Halifax VA to Wilkes County NC and had married a granddaughter of John Epps of Halifax VA. You can read more posts from this blog about these Reeves' individuals at http://usreeves.blogspot.com/2012/12/wilkes-countys-george-reeves-mystery.html and http://usreeves.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-rest-of-story.html
After the internet was flooded with false information, we at The Reeves Project spent a copious anount of time researching these families in order to separate fact from fiction which is what you will find in the post "The Rest of the Story..."
I believe your lineage traces back to George Reaves whose profile you can see at The Reeves Project at http://thereevesproject.org/data/tiki-index.php?page=Reaves_George_Sr_3192&structure=US_State_VA&page_ref_id=2164 . I don't believe we have made a documented connection for your lineage but in the 1860's there are several deeds between members of that family with the Hudgins family see http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/halifax/deeds/reaves16dd.txt and http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/halifax/deeds/hudgins15dd.txt . I imagine some indepth research of these two families would probably identify your Reaves' connection.
I believe your Reaves ancestor to be George Reaves who migrated to Halifax County from Prince William and Fauquier Counties.
I hope this helps. Good luck,
Beverly