Some Reeves Origins in Portugal or Spain?

I have spent many years searching for all the details of the life of my earliest known Reeves' ancestor, William Reeves (he, his sons and grandsons spelled it Reves). In 1746 Henry McCulloch conveyed to him 400 acres on the Neuse River which documents his residence in Johnston County, North Carolina by that date. None of those early records provide any clue to his origins. That 1746 deed simply describes him as "of Johnston County" which indicates that he was living in that county when the deed was recorded.

1746 Herman Moll Map of Carolina

This land was in Orange County in the 1750s, then back to Johnston by around 1762 and finally to Wake County at it's inception in 1771. The extant records of Orange, Johnston and Wake counties have provided all I know about my fifth great grandfather, William Reeves or Reves, Sr. I have searched court, deed, tax and probate records. He was fairly prominent in that community and served in various county positions such as tax assessor and collector as well as serving as a Justice of the County Court after the American Revolution. He has been designated by the DAR as a patriot due to his civil service during the Revolution and he also provided provisions for the American forces.

The Reeves DNA Project at FtDNA has identified thirteen individuals whose DNA matches that of descendants of William Reeves, Jr. and George Reeves, Sr. later of Grayson County, Virginia who appear to be his sons. It is possible there may have been one more son since he is listed with 4 white tithes on the 1755 tax list of Orange County. The names of those 3 sons are not included so the 4th tithe is unknown. Being a co-admin of that DNA project, I am always consistently watching for other genetic matches, but thus far have found none in the American colonies. However, as the project expands and more individuals participate, a theory is beginning to form regarding the abundance of matches to these thirteen members whose origins are in Portugal and Spain.

The prospect of his origins having been on the Iberian Peninsula had never occurred to me. My focus has always been on Great Britain. Ireland has been a primary direction of my interest due to the biography of William T. Reeves, born 1855, who migrated to Idaho circa 1885 where he served as a judge. He was a great grandson of William Reeves, Jr. and in that biography stated that his ancestor had come from Northern Ireland. However, a few years ago a new match to Group 6A at FtDNA, Seán, contacted me as he searched for his Reeves' family. His surname was not Reeves but his Y-DNA was a genetic match to the descendants of both William Reeves, Jr. and George Reeves, Sr. After some research, it became apparent that he appeared to be either an adoptee or the result of an NPE (non-paternity event) and was descended from George Reeves, Sr.'s family of Grayson, Virginia. We were unable to identify the exact male from whom Seán descended but were able to rule out the majority of that family especially those who remained in North Carolina.

Spanish Armada of 1588

In the course of Seán's search for his correct ancestor, he made contact with Frankie who was a Y-DNA match but had no known connection to the Reeves' family, instead his origins were in Portugal.  I initially didn't think this connection to a Portuguese match was particularly relevant but since there were no other Y-DNA matches in the entire FtDNA system to the members of our DNA Group 6A, recently I decided to go back through everyone's matches to see if there were any other anomalies. When I did, I found more matches, one at 111 markers, for individuals from Spain or Portugal. Of all the testers who match that group they are the only ones who don't descend from either George Reeves of Grayson, Virginia or his probable brother William Reeves of Wake County, North Carolina.

In the course of making a detailed study of matches to this DNA Group by testers of Portuguese or Spanish lineage, I have found that every member of the group has a match at some level, 111, 67, 37 or even 25 markers.  The estimated time frame per FtDNA software is somewhere around 1000-1800 CE.  

My initial thought was the proximity to the time of the defeat of the Spanish Armada by the British fleet in 1588. That might have produced a connection to someone from Spain or the Iberian Peninsula. Numerous Spanish ships wrecked along the western Irish coast in 1588 when they attempted to make their way to open sea and return to Spain after the armada's defeat. Many lives were lost in Ireland and most were captured and executed but in some areas of Ireland the inhabitants were kinder and helped the Spanish sailors return home and some even are reported as having remained in Ireland. In the course of this research, I have also learned that there was much sea trade between Spanish merchants and the Irish ports which should also be added to the possible connections to Spain and Portugal.

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

At this point, after a decade of searching for Y-DNA matches to the members of DNA Group 6A, it may be a solution to the mystery. Time and much research may be able to prove or disprove the theory.

Post Script:
There has been a family legend that Elizabeth Reeves Phipps, daughter of George Reeves, Sr. of Grayson County, always said she was "Portuguese Indian"! Reeves’ paternal DNA isn't related to native Americans, but these recent Y-DNA matches tend to support the validity of this theory of Portuguese ancestors. A New River neighbor, Mary Hollifield, in 1929 said: ‘The Reeves are said to come from Portugal. They had brown eyes and black hair.

Heirs of Obedience "Biddie" Terrell Reeves

The children of Jesse Reeves (spelled as Reves by he and his male relatives) and Elizabeth Obedience Terrell of Grayson County, Virginia and later Ashe County, North Carolina have up until now been undocumented. Jesse Reeves names most of his older sons in his 1833 will but only two of his daughters by Biddie Terrell. None of his children with his second wife, Mary Bowers, were named. There has been much misinformation promoted about Jesse's children. The identity of the correct mother of each group of children was also questionable.

Several years ago in the course of transcribing Ashe County NC deeds by various members of the Reeves' family, I came upon an 1833 Power of Attorney by Jesse's son John Reves. In that POA, John requested that his cousin Enoch Reves appear on his behalf at a court in Wythe District, State of Virginia, where a case by he and the rest of the heirs of Biddy Reves was to be presented in court. When I read this POA, I realized that those court records would provide details of the heirs of Jesse Reves born during his marriage to Obedience Terrell Reves. At that point, I began to search for the records of that case.

The Library of Virginia had been diligently adding Chancery Cases to their online site but at the time they had not scanned either Wythe or Grayson county cases and put them online. Over the next few years I checked back periodically and was pleasantly surprised sometime during the last year, when I found they had been added. This case involves a suit filed by Jesse Reves' son George to recover legacies due the heirs of Timothy Terrell from his father John Terrell.

This Chancery Case revealed a previously unknown son of Jesse Reves, William, along with two daughters. There had been much speculation regarding the gravestone for Nancy Reeves in the Jesse Reeves cemetery in Ashe County. A theory had circulated that this was an early wife of Jesse but these documents found her to be Nancy who married Terrell Bledsoe and both are mentioned in numerous family documents and court records. Another daughter Hannah Reeves, speculated as another daughter of Jesse's brother William was revealed to be Jesse's daughter who had married John Burton and eventually migrated to Indiana where other Burton and Reeves' family members had settled.

A record dated 26 May 1829 discovered in Grayson County Court Orders Vol. 2 (1820-1829) on page 596 in a case styled George Reeves, Plts, Against William Terrell, Defts, names Hannah Reeves, wife of John Burton, Betsy Reeves, wife of William Cox and Nancy Reeves, who was deceased after having intermarried with Terel (sic) Bledsoe.

Several years of research of the various extant records of Grayson and Ashe counties have documented that the children of Jesse Reeves and Elizabeth Obedience Terrell were: Nancy who married Terrell Bledsoe, William, George who married Elizabeth Doughton, Hannah who married John M. Burton, Jane who married Robert Baker, Elizabeth who married William Cox, John Reeves who married Cynthia Baker and Eli Reeves.

This 61 page Chancery Case and the supporting records in Grayson County's court orders have been a great bonus to research of this family and served to rectify several incorrect theories that have become prevalent on the internet. The Library of Virginia is doing a great service in making these Chancery Cases available to Virginia researchers.

A complete listing of the currently documented descendants of George Reeves, Sr. of Grayson County, Virginia can be found at The Reeves Project.

The Fish Dam Road

A few years ago I became aware of the research in Orange County, North Carolina to locate what remains of the Fish Dam Road, a foot trail that began in the 1600's connecting two Indian villages, one on the Neuse and one on the Eno River.  The Indian village on the Neuse used the shallow water of the river to make a giant fish trap causing the road to it to be known as the Fish Dam Road.  The Fish Dam itself no longer exists since the creation of the Falls of the Neuse Lake.

I found the project really interesting and even more so when I discovered that one section of the road appears to have crossed land owned by my ancestor William Reeves.  

My ancestor, William Reves (later generations used the more common Reeves surname) had settled in 1746 on land along the Neuse River in what was at that time, Johnston County, North Carolina.  By the 1750's the land was part of Orange County, then back to Johnston, eventually to Wake County at its inception in 1771 and now part of Durham.

When I recently discovered that the website telling the story of the Fish Dam Road, previously part of the Eno River Association's site, was no longer easily  accessible, I made a point to find what was left of that information and save it.   I then decided to share it here so it won't ever be completely lost.

The following information is contained in the Eno River Associations' Fish Dam Road sites: 

Section 5: Ellerbee Creek to Fish Dam Ford on Neuse River

By David Southern

THOMAS HOLLOWAY, JOHN ALSTON, WILLIAM REEVES, SAMUEL PEAKE, THOMAS HINES, BENJAMIN ALLEN, REUBEN ALLEN, THOMAS TOMLINSON, JUDITH MATTHEWS, HENRY McCULLOH and possibly JOHN SHERRON as well.

The above grants are conjectural for having the Fish Dam Road within their boundaries. See Markham’s land grant map for Wake county... 

In the early part of the 20th century, Allan Byron Markham, a Durham County native born in 1896, out of an interest in the history of his family and related families was inspired to plot the metes and bounds of their neighboring lands in the area where his family had settled.  In the 1940's, this work involved frequent trips to the Office of the Secretary of State in Raleigh and recording notes in long hand in that office and deed vaults all over that area.  By the 1970's his research included more than 1800 grants.  His two plats of early grants in Orange and Wake counties were still available a decade ago when on a trip to Durham searching for my Reeves' family history, I purchased a copy of each map from Mr. Markham's son.  These maps are invaluable when researching families in Orange, Wake, Durham and Chatham counties and I am forever grateful that I stopped by Mr. Markham's son's house that day.  On the map below I have noted a red star on the grant of each landowner whose property is mentioned in Section 5 of the Fish Dam Road.

Orange County was formed in 1752 and the seat of Hillsborough was founded in 1754 on land where the Great Indian Trading Path crossed the Eno River.  It was first owned, surveyed and mapped by William Churton, a surveyor for Earl Granville.

Hillsborough was an earlier Piedmont colonial town where court was held, and was the scene of some pre-Revolutionary War tensions.  The War of the Regulation had its epicenter there.  Hillsborough was also used as the home of the North Carolina state legislature during the American Revolution.

Orange County played an important role in the settling of early North Carolina and was one of the most populous areas by the 1750's.  In researching the area, I am always amazed at how many families moved through this area as they made their way to other areas of the country.

Sources:
History of the Fish Dam Road

1870 Fendol Bevers Map of Wake County

Eno River Association  Map of the Fish Dam Road by Joe Liles

James Reeves of Maine

James Reeves Headstone

Most of the Reeves who lived in Maine during the 19th century can claim descent from  James Reeves of Balltown and Jefferson in Lincoln County who died in 1813. He and his wife Lettice Rogers were married in 1767 at Woolwich, located about 25 miles south-west of Balltown and Jefferson. They are both buried in the Trask Lawn Cemetery in Jefferson. Although it is claimed that they had nine children, the names of seven, including sons James, William and Isaac, have been deduced based on proximity and extant records.

Lincoln County today contains part of the coast of Maine to the north-east of Portland. Before Cumberland and Lincoln counties were formed in 1760, the entirety of what would become Maine was designated as York County of Massachusetts Bay. Maine would not be given statehood until 1820.

In 1778, James Reeves was deeded one lot of land on Dyers Pond, located about a mile from what later became Jefferson, and another 220 acres in Balltown.

The book “Centennial Celebration of the Town of Jefferson, Lincoln County, Maine” reveals that Jefferson was incorporated into a separate town from the eastern part of the plantation area known as Balltown. The first town meeting was called at the house of James Reeves on 11 May 1807.

Up until this point, the information available online concerning this family could not provide evidence for identifying the parents or origins of James Reeves. However, deeds and other court records have revealed his father’s name to be James, and his grandfather’s to be James as well.

1708 Map of New England

In 1736, 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. The agreement stipulated that the settlers were to settle and build a suitable dwelling on the land for a term of seven years. James “Reves” 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, went ahead and deeded the land to him. The date was 3 Jun 1736, "in the ninth year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Second." The deed was recorded much later on 5 Nov 1787 in Lincoln County. Damariscotta, where the deed places James Reves, is located about ten miles south of Jefferson. Two deeds were made and recorded that same day in 1787 in which the heirs of James “Rives” sold this same land. The heirs were James “Revis” of Balltown, Anna Brookins wife of Josiah Brookins, and Mary Norton, wife of Lemuel Norton. The deeds state that James and both of these women were the children of James “Revis.” This shows that the father of James Reeves of Balltown was a  James Reves who had lived or had dealings in the area since at least 1736.

Records from York County Court of Common Pleas shows three cases involving a James “Rives,” all from the 1740s. In the first, from April 1740, a James Rives and James Rives Jr. were the defendants, described as “both of a place called Whichcapick within no Township & within the County of York Labourers.” Neither men showed in court and so the plaintiff received a total of 21 pounds and one shilling. The next case, from October 1740, was described as “James Rives of Boston in the County of Suffolk Fisherman Plat vs John Pumroy of a place called Witchassett in the County of York husbandman.” It appears this suit was dropped. This particular case included a slip which read: “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.” And finally, in April 1749, “James Rives of Kittery in said County of York mariner” recovered some money against Royal Tyler, who did not show in court. “Whichcapick” and “Witchassett” are misspellings of the town Wiscasset, located some miles to the south-west of Jefferson and Balltown, but between them and Woolwich. Kittery is located on the coast at the southern tip of Maine. It would appear from the date of these cases that James Rives Jr. referred to here is none other than the James referred to in the deeds as deceased by 1787, father of James of Balltown. James of Balltown was born c. 1746 according to the age on his headstone, so it would make sense that his father James is the one identified as James Jr. in the Common Pleas case from 1740. Thus we have a line of three James’s: James of Balltown (III) who died in 1813,  James (II) of Wiscassett who died by late 1787, and his father James (I) who was also of Wiscassett in 1740.

1740 Common Pleas Case

Given that James (I) or James (II) is described as “of Boston” in the second case, we should be looking to Massachusetts in the early-mid 1700s to find this Reeves family. There were a number of Reeves families who came through or lived in Massachusetts in colonial days. There was  Thomas Reeves who sailed to Massachusetts on the ship Bevis in 1638 and died in Springfield in 1650. His only known son to survive to manhood, Thomas, moved to Long Island (New York) by 1672, so he is unlikely to be connected to James. There was the family of  John Reeves of Salem who may have come to New England in 1635 on the ship Christian. His will names one son, William. There are wills or other records which trace most of this family, but without any mention of a James during this time-frame.

There are few references found to date concerning a James Rives/Revis/Reves in early Massachusetts. (Note that most of the records both from Maine and Massachusetts concerning this family from before the 1800s tend to have a single vowel instead of the double vowel “ee”, and often use “i”) There was a James “Rives” baptized 17 May 1749, as an adult, listed in the records of the Old North Church in Boston. This could conceivably be either James (I) or James (II). A James “Reeves” from Boston published a marriage intention with Elizabeth Merritt 23 Dec 1758. They were married on the 28th of the next month. Given that James (III) of Balltown was born c. 1746, this may have been a second marriage of James (II) or a different James.

Although Boston is mentioned in the York County Common Pleas cases, there is a case from Plymouth Massachusetts Common Pleas records from 1739 about some money owed to Thomas Howland by James “Revess,” denoted as a “Witchcasset Labourer.” This positively shows either James (I) or James (II) had connections to Plymouth.

Looking to Plymouth records, we find that a  James Reves was married to Deliverance Abrahams at Plymouth on 20 Nov 1703. If  James (III) of Balltown was born c1747, then  James (II) was likely born 1700-1725 range, so this is a good match for James (I) and the parents of James (II).

Very little has been found to date about this James Reves. Plymouth court records include a case from 1723 where a James “Revis” of Plymouth was dismissed from fines for failing to attend worship. He pleaded that “he is a poor infirm Man and lives Eight Miles from Meeting and that he has been at Meeting when there was one at Monument Ponds.” Although this is likely the same individual, it presents a possible problem given that James (I) appears to have still been active in business in 1740 with his son as described in one of the cases from York County Common Pleas.

There are marriage records for three Revis girls in that area of Massachusetts: Sarah  Revis in Barnstable in 1724, Thankful Revis in Barnstable in 1730, and Ann Revis in Plymouth in 1734. It’s likely that these were daughters of James and Deliverance Reves.

More research is needed to prove the identities and relationships of the earliest James’s appearing in the Massachusetts records and the Revis girls. In addition, The Reeves Project would greatly benefit from a YDNA test from a descendant of  James Reeves of Balltown to determine if that family is in any way connected to other early Reeves in the US.

Settlers in Kansas Territory

After the death of their father, Terrell and Gaston Reves settled in the new Kansas Territory as soon as it was opened for settlement. Their father William was one of the sons of George Reeves (Reves) of Grayson County, Virginia. William and his extended family had left Ashe County, North Carolina around 1822 and after a time in Indiana, eventually settled in Carroll County, Arkansas by about 1840. There William and these sons along with their brothers Lenoir and John were recorded in census and tax records. After William's death sometime between 1840 and 1850, various members of the family are recorded on the tax lists of Independence County, Arkansas throughout the 1850's along with another brother, William H. Reves, who was a Baptist minister.

Excerpt from 1866 Map of Kansas

Gaston Reves along with his oldest sons Albert and Moses (Mack) were listed on the tax lists of Independence County in 1854 which was the final record for members of Gaston's family in Arkansas. The History of Verdigris Township in Historical Atlas of Wilson County Kansas records that "Gaston Reeves and his son Max (sic Mack) took claims in the spring of 1857".

Terrell Reeves was recorded on the 1856 tax lists of Independence County which apparently preceded his migration to Kansas for the history of Greenwood County, Kansas lists the Pleasant Grove township as being established in 1856 by Terrill Reeves.

In those early years of Kansas' history, besides indian attacks, there was also great political unrest involving guerrilla warfare as the debate over the expansion of slavery led to violence in Kansas. The bad weather, bad crops and destruction of crops and property by the opposing forces often offset the sense of prosperity that had fueled the rush of settlers to the newly opened territory. A large number of settlers left the territory after the bitter winter of 1856 and many experienced starvation effecting themselves and their animals caused by a severe drought in 1860.

Bill for coffin of Gaston Reves son of Terrell

The records do not reveal the causes of their deaths, but over the next five years, Terrell and three of his sons as well as his brother Gaston and his oldest son Albert were deceased. Terrell and his 21 year old son Gaston both died on the 4th of May, 1859 but the probate documents give no clue as to the cause. Although no probate documents have been discovered for his brother Gaston, all of his children were orphans living in the home of A. Venard, a probate court judge in Greenwood County in the 1860 census. Over the next decade the majority of the rest of the children from both families had also died.

Although I never doubted that pioneer life was hard and extremely dangerous, researching the story of these young families and their westward migration which ended so soon after their arrival in southeastern Kansas Territory has both surprised and saddened me. Even as my various families migrated out of Virginia and North Carolina into the wilderness that existed in early Kentucky, Tennessee and other newly formed states, I had just never discovered such hardship and death.


See post in this blog about William Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia and Ashe County, North Carolina

Reves Family of Halifax County, Virginia

Over the last few years, the Library of Virginia has been scanning original documents from the Chancery Court case files of Virginia counties. These records are a wonderful source of family records which were previously unavailable online. As anyone who follows this blog knows, I am always thrilled to find original signatures of Reeves individuals especially when they are from my Reeves or Reves family. Signatures are such a great help in differentiating between early Reeves families where some names such as William, George and various others were frequently used by numerous completely unrelated Reeves' families.

After a wait of several years, the LVA has begun to add the images of Chancery Court cases for Halifax County. These images have produced many interesting documents and original signatures for the Reves family there who descend from Peter Reves, brother of my third great grandfather George Reeves (Reves) of Wake County, North Carolina who died in Warren County, Kentucky.

The 1834 document above is in relation to the sale of 103 acres on Runaway Creek which had belonged to Peter Reves' son William T. Reves who died in 1829. William was only about 35 years old when he died and his estate appears to have had more debts than assets so this tract of land adjoining that of his widow was purchased by his father. The document contains the signatures of Peter Reves as well as those of his son Peter M. Reves and his son-in-law Bird Lanier Ferrell.

Michal Hoskins Reves, widow of William T. Reves, signed the 1831 document on the left which is her answer to the Chancery bill regarding her husband's estate. I find it interesting that Michal could sign her name in an era when few women were literate. The document also lists the names of their children William H. Reves, Thomas B. Reves, Elizabeth M. Reves, Ann T. Reves, Peter M. Reves, Sarah G. Reves and John Q. A. Reves.

The above 1860 letter from William Bolivar (W.B.) Ferrell, grandson of Peter Reves, pertains to a Chancery case filed by his father William C. Ferrell against the estate of Peter Reves following his death in 1857. William C. Ferrell, another son-in-law was the husband of Peter's daughter Elizabeth who died circa 1830. For whatever reason, Peter Reves will did not name William C. Ferrell or the heirs of Elizabeth Reves Ferrell in his 1854 will. He did, however, write a codicil to the will in 1855 in which he included Elizabeth Ferrell Chaney, daughter of Elizabeth Reves and William C. Ferrell.

The document on the right is a receipt signed by Peter's son Peter M. Reves in 1875 and another example of his signature. After his death in 1876, once again there is a Chancery suit in regard to his estate. The husband of his daughter Elizabeth, Walter S. Hazelwood, filed suit against all of the heirs of Peter M. Reves in order to have the court order a division of his lands among his heirs. The children and grandchildren of Peter M. Reves are named in the suit as Virginia T. Burress along with her daughters Annie and Susan J. Burress; Susan Ann Reeves; James Coates and Maud his wife; Joel T. Anderson and Judith P. his wife; R. C. Chaney and Lucy his wife; Bettie W., William T., Nettie L. and Maggie May Reeves children of Peter M. Reeves, Jr. deceased; William C. Reeves and R. (Robert) E. Reeves.

As unpleasant as I'm sure these Chancery cases among an individual's heirs were, they provide an abundance of tidbits regarding the family's genealogy and make the lives of researchers several hundred years later much easier.

---

Other posts pertaining to this Halifax County, Virginia Reves family:
Peter Reves of Halifax County, Virginia
William Reeves of Madison County, Kentucky
George Reeves of Warren County, Kentucky
Uncle Tommy Reeves of Malden, Missouri

Mary Reeves Doughton

The family of Mary called Polly, daughter of George Reeves of Grayson, Virginia, who married Joseph Doughton has been a mystery since there are no probate records for Joseph who died in 1832 in Ashe County, North Carolina. Documenting their children has been a futile effort until I recently discovered that Ashe County, North Carolina's Register of Deeds has put scans of their deeds back to 1799 online. In many instances, deeds are about so much more than the sale of land and in this particular instance, these Ashe County deed records are a gold mine of genealogical information.

In Deed Book V there are three deeds by the heirs of Joseph Doughton which provide the names of their nine children who lived to maturity. In each of these three deeds, the heirs were selling a tract of land to another of the heirs - Jesse Doughton, Charles H. Doughton and George Reeves, son-in-law and husband of daughter Elizabeth Doughton.

These deeds not only document the children of Mary Reeves and Joseph Doughton, they give the names of the husbands of those daughters who had married by 1832 when Joseph died. David Cox, John Cox McGimsey, Denny Robinson and George Reves are identified as the husbands of daughters Jane, Charity, Polly and Elizabeth. The deeds provide as much documentation of the family members as a will would have.

Heirs of Joseph Doughton to George Reves
Ashe County NC Deed Book V, page 268

Heirs of Joseph Doughton to George Reves
Ashe County NC Deed Book V, page 269

According to family legend, Joseph Doughton is believed to have been a member of an early surveying team in the New River area. He contracted typhoid fever and was taken in by former Revolutionary soldier Lt. George Reeves who had settled along the New River in 1767. As the story goes, Joseph was nursed back to health by George Reeves' daughter, Mary. During his convalescence, they fell in love and were married.

Joseph Doughton was recorded as a justice of the Ashe County Court by 1806 and in 1817 served as a representative from Ashe County to North Carolina's House of Representatives. Descendants of Joseph and Polly Doughton continued the family's public service - Rufus Doughton would later serve as North Carolina's Lt. Governor and Robert Doughton as a U.S. Representative.

Thanks to these wonderful deeds by Joseph Doughton's heirs, we now have documentation that their children were Irena Jane Doughton Cox, Elizabeth Doughton Reves, George H. Doughton, Grace Doughton Phipps, Charles Horton Doughton, Charity Ann Doughton McGimsey, Jesse Doughton, Polly Doughton Robinson and Rosamond Doughton Lewis. There also appears to have been another child, Joseph Doughton born about 1794, who died before reaching maturity. Although undocumented he is listed in several sources and the 1810 census of Ashe County lists a child that age in Joseph and Mary's household.

More Reeves' Signatures

As I have continued to collect scans of original documents primarily for their signatures, I have numerous signatures for the Reeves (Reves) families of Wake County, North Carolina and Grayson County, Virginia/Ashe County, North Carolina. These families share matching Y-Chromosome DNA but currently no paper trail has been located to explain the connection. Currently proximity is one of the few commonalities, both William Reeves and a George Reeves who appears to be the same individual who settled in the New River area around 1767 were recorded in the deed and court records of Orange and Johnston Counties circa 1760. The other major commonality is that the male members of these families were all literate and consistently signed their names as REVES, not with the double "E" used by later generations.

Included here are various documents signed by William Reeves of Wake County NC and his sons as well as the sons of George Reeves of Grayson County VA.

Signature of William Reves (c1740-1821) of Wake County, North Carolina from his answers to interrogatories in depositions taken in the court case of David Daniel vs. the executors of Woodson Daniel.

The signature above is that of Peter Reves, son of William Reeves (Reves) of Wake County NC. Peter, along with his brother Charles, moved a short distance into Halifax County, Virginia around 1800. This acknowledgement signed by Peter Reves in 1851 is part of an application by Elizabeth Brown Neal for a Revolutionary War pension based upon her husband Thomas Neal's service. Elizabeth Neal's statement was made to Peter who was the Chairman of the Halifax (VA) County Court.

Madison County, Kentucky consent for the marriage of his daughter Elizabeth signed by Jeremiah Reves, one of the younger sons of William Reeves. Elizabeth Reves married a Jefferson Reves whose identity is unknown. Jefferson was likely a cousin of Elizabeth's, possibly the son by that name of her uncle John Reves of Wake County NC who disappeared from the records there around 1837.

Above document is the 1802 Madison County, Kentucky marriage bond for George Reves, the son of William Reeves of Wake County NC, to Elizabeth "Betsy" Wilkerson.

1811 Note to James Cox for $133.00 signed by Jesse Reves of Ashe County, North Carolina, another son of George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia.

1809 Power of Attorney by George Reves, Jr., son of George Reeves of Grayson County VA, to Robert H. Burton to act on his behalf in a court case in the Ashe County Superior Court.

Bond by William Reves, son of George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia, and his son-in-law Allen Burton for John Reves, Jr. and William's wife Ann Reves. This court case, Landreth vs. William Reves, was filed around 1813 and was still active as late as 1822. The John Reves, Jr. named in this bond is most likely the son of William Reves of Ashe who was born circa 1795. It was a common practice in early America to differentiate between individuals of the same name by identifying the younger person as Junior not necessarily because the individual named as Senior was their parent.

Although the above is not a scan of the original document, the signatures as published appear to be taken from scans of the original document. The signature of Wm Reves on this 1761 Orange County, North Carolina deed would undoubtably be that of William Reeves, Sr., the probable father of both William Reeves of Wake County and George Reeves of Grayson.

There are many more documents signed by these individuals and others as well as later generations using the Reves spelling of the surname but eventually most of the family began to use the more common Reeves variation of the name. As yet I have been unable to find other Reeves' families who spelled their name in the same manner. It would be a great help in locating the family's origins if we can eventually find others using the Reves name.

Those Places Thursday - The Cumberland Gap

The Cumberland Gap is a pass through the Cumberland Mountains section of the Appalachians located just north of the point where Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia meet. Native Americans had used this pass through the mountains long before the American colonists became aware of it. After a team of loggers led by Daniel Boone widened the path and made it more accessible to settlers migrating westward, it became a major passageway through the lower central Appalachians and an important part of the Wilderness Road.

The Cumberland Gap Looking Toward Kentucky

Around the age of 65, my ancestor William Reves left Wake County, North Carolina which had been his home for most or possibly all of his life and migrated to Madison County, Kentucky around 1806.  His youngest sons, George and Jeremiah, had made this trip several years before along with other settlers from the Granville-Wake County area.

William Reves lived most of his life on a 400 acre tract granted to his father William Reves, Sr. in what had been Orange County in the 1750s, Johnston County in the 1760s, then Wake County and is now Durham County.  In her book Durham County - A History of Durham County, North Carolina, Jean Bradley Anderson states "Among the first to take up land in present Durham County were William Reeves, who received 400 acres where Ellerbee Creek runs into Neuse River (1746)".

In August of 1760, as William Reaves, Jr. he registered his cattle brand in Orange County.  He is found listed in the minutes of the Wake County Court from the county's inception in 1771 through 1803. He is recognized as a Revolutionary War Patriot based upon his civil service as a tax assessor in Wake County during the revolution by the DAR. From the 1770's, he served on juries, was overseer of roads, assessor and tax gatherer in Captain Woodson Daniel's district and from 1787 to 1803 was a Magistrate Justice of the Wake County Court.

Many of the documents that refer to him spell his name Reeves, but he and his sons who were all literate, always spelled their name Reves which tends to set them apart from the many other Reeves families of North Carolina.  DNA of several of his descendants also establishes that they were unrelated to the other Reeves families in the Neuse basin but to date no records have been found with clues to their origins.

His final appearance as a justice of the Wake County Court is recorded in 1803 and on Sept. 16th, 1806, his son William Jr. sold his 130 acre tract south of Ellobey's Creek. These were the last records for either of them in Wake County and by the 1810 census, both are recorded in Madison County, Kentucky.  

Several years ago my cousin and I made a trip to North Carolina by way of southern Kentucky through the Cumberland Gap into Virginia and drove a two lane highway through the Appalachians from Virginia into North Carolina. Even in a modern vehicle on modern roads, it is apparent what an accomplishment it was for my 65 year old 4th great grandfather to make such a trip through the Cumberland Gap in 1806.

The Wayfarer - William Reeves of Ashe County

William, the son of George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia, and most of his children left Ashe County, North Carolina shortly after 1820. Based upon estimates of his age from census, he would have been around 55 years old at the time. He was a justice of the Ashe County court and appears to have been prominent in the community, but for whatever reason, he left North Carolina and ventured to the new state of Indiana. By 1822, William was listed on the Lawrence County, Indiana poll tax list. Once William left North Carolina and began to migrate westward, he seems never to have stopped moving.

1829 Indiana Land Grant
to William Reves

In the years preceding William's departure from the New River area of Virginia & North Carolina, his father had died in 1811 as well as his brother George Reeves, Jr. George Reeves, Jr. was killed by his brother-in-law William Tolliver, husband of sister Susanna Reeves. The trial was held in Wilkes County and there are various theories but the actual cause of the incident still remains unknown. Beginning around 1813, there was another court case, Landreth vs. Reves, which continued over a lengthy period with documents in the court records as late as 1822 in regard to it. There are numerous documents in the Ashe County Civil Action Court files regarding this case although there is no clear explanation of the events that precipitated the court case. From various documents, John Landreth states that he had been accused of perjury by William Reves although there is no exact explanation of the nature of the accusation. It would appear from these documents that the entire extended Reeves' family, even William's wife Anne Terrell Reeves, became involved in a fracas which resulted in the issuance of a summons. Oddly, members of both the Tolliver and Landreth families also migrated to the same area of Indiana in the 1820's.

1816 Bond by William Reves and
Allen Burton for John and Ann Reves

Whether the unpleasantness of the death of his father, the murder of his brother or the Landreth court case played a role in William Reeves' decision to leave Ashe County is unknown, but following these events, the family began the first of their migrations. They settled in the area of Greene & Lawrence Counties where they remained until sometime before 1840 when they are found in the census of Carroll County, Arkansas.

From: History of Greene County, Indiana, pub. 1870 by J. Ward, Worthington, Indiana - As taken from the official records, and compiled from authentic recollections by pioneer settlers. Chapter XV - Beech Creek Township: Among other pioneers whose name deserves a place in the history of the township, may be mentioned...William and Noah Reeves...Pg 47 - William Reeves and his boys first settled the farm now owned by Edward Walker.

Between Indiana and Arkansas, the Reeves' family must have spent some time in Missouri probably in the area of Washington County. William's son Albert married there in 1837. Lenoir (Noah) Reeves was also living in Missouri briefly for several of his children were born there before he ventured briefly to Arkansas, Iowa and Nebraska then eventually to Oregon, dying there in 1888. Both Albert and Timothy settled in the area of Iron and Butler Counties in Missouri.

Missouri Reeves Emmons
daughter of Timothy Reeves

By the Census of 1840 for Carroll County, Arkansas, William along with his sons John, Terrel and Gaston Reeves are listed. The 1840 tax list for Carroll County lists Lenoir, William, Terrel and John Reeves. They, along with Gaston, are also listed in the 1841 tax lists for Carroll County. Located near the headwaters of the Buffalo River in Van Buren Township in Carroll County there is a Reeves' Creek which is said to have been named for this Reeves' family.

The 1841 tax list appears to be the last historical record of William Reeves. Several family trees list a date of death of 1854 in Missouri but no documentation can be found in support of that theory. It is likely that William, and his wife Anne as well, died in Carroll County between 1840 and 1850 when most of his sons are found in the census of Independence County, Arkansas.

Descendants of William Reeves' brothers Jesse and John have participated in the Reeves DNA Project and been placed in Group 6. A descendant of George Reeves, Jr.'s son Enoch, also a participant in the Reeves DNA Project, has been placed in Group 14 with a descendant of George Reeves whose paternity is currently unknown but may be the son of Jesse. Whether these are NPEs (non paternity events) is unknown and more extensive research is needed to resolve this mystery. Hopefully at some future time, descendants of William Reeves will participate in DNA studies, either Y Chromosome DNA or the new autosomal DNA projects that are now available and help to clarify this lineage.

Other posts in this blog pertaining to the family of George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia:

George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia
Who really are the descendants of Henry Reeves?
Col. Timothy Reeves, CSA
The Reeves' Gang
Episode 2 - More of the Reeves Gang
Pewter John Reeves Stamper

George Reeves of Warren County, Kentucky

We have profiled numerous George Reeves on this blog, but not my ancestor George who migrated from Wake County, North Carolina to Madison County, Kentucky and finally to Warren County. George was the son of William Reeves whose father of the same name was one of the earliest settlers in the area of present day Durham County, North Carolina. In 1746, as William Reeves, planter of Johnston County, North Carolina, he received a grant from Henry McCulloch for 400 acres on the south side of the Neuse River and east of Ellerbe Creek.

Madison County Marriage Bond
for George Reves and Elizabeth Wilkerson

Whether George was acquainted with Betsy Wilkerson prior to migrating to Kentucky is not known, but deed records of Granville County show that in 1786 Betsy's father Wyatt Wilkerson purchased a tract of land on the north side of the Neuse River at the mouth of Knap of Reeds Creek. Knap of Reeds Creek would have flowed into the Neuse almost directly across the river from William Reeves' land where Ellerbe Creek joins the Neuse River on the south side. An acquaintance and possible romance with Betsy may have even been the motivation for George, along with his younger brother Jeremiah, to leave North Carolina around 1800 when numerous Granville County residents including Wyatt Wilkerson were migrating to Fort Boonesborough in Madison County, Kentucky. In Madison County on the 5th of January 1802, George Reves married Elizabeth Wilkerson.

Most of George and Betsy's ten known children were born in Madison County. Their children were Walter Alvis Reeves, Susan Reeves Heard, Curtis F. Reeves, Jesse Britt Reeves, Peter M. Reeves, Mary "Polly" Reeves Turner, William Harrison Reeves, Nancy Reeves May Alderson, Sidney Preston Reeves and George H. Reeves.

George's father William remained in Wake County for several years after George and Jeremiah relocated to Kentucky. It is unknown exactly when he left North Carolina but his last appearance as a Justice in the minutes of the Wake County Court was in May of 1803. Sometime in the next few years, William Reeves, Sr., along with his son William, Jr. and his young family, also left North Carolina for Madison County buying a tract of land on Otter & Muddy Creeks where he was recorded in the 1810 census. When William Reeves died in 1821, George was an administrator of the estate.

Gravestone of daughter
Mary M. Reeves Turner
 

Several years before William Reeves' death, George and his family had joined Wyatt Wilkerson and other members of Betsy's family in migrating further westward to Warren County, Kentucky. In Warren County, they appear to have settled around Richardsville on a ridge high above the Barren River, a little north of Bowling Green. George Reves will written in 1826 was probated in Warren County in July of 1827. His name in the 1826 will was written as "Reves" as all of the family had historically spelled their name, but over the next generation most of his descendants began to use the more common variation
"Reeves".

Col. Timothy Reeves, CSA

Col. Timothy Reeves (he signed his name as Reves), was the youngest son of William Reeves (Reves) and Anne Terrill of Ashe County, North Carolina. William's father was George Reeves of Grayson County, Virginia, a soldier of the Revolution.

The internet has numerous sites with various references to Col. Timothy Reeves, commander of the 15th Missouri Cavalry of the confederacy. He is referred to as both a devil and a saintly hero depending on each individual's point of reference - he was a baptist minister and a ruthless military commander. The determining factors seem to be based upon Civil War sympathies.

He was present and had preached at the gathering held on 25 December 1863 at Pulliam's Farm in Ripley County that is recalled as "The Wilson Massacre". Union forces under Major James F. Wilson made a surprise attack during a Christmas dinner gathering killing 35 confederate soldiers along with 60 civilians including women and children, families of the confederate soldiers and neighbors. Col. Timothy Reeves is said to have commanded the Confederate forces who began immediate reprisals against the union forces which culminated in the execution of Major Wilson.

After 150 years the validity of this story and whether the massacre did indeed take place is still hotly debated on countless websites. The complete truth of the incident will probably never be known, but there is much evidence to support the belief that the event did take place. There are even references to it carved on some confederate tombstones in the Ripley County area.

His brother, William, also a baptist minister as well as his adjutant in the 15th Missouri Cavalry, may have died during the war for there is no historical record of him afterward.

In May of 1865 Confederate General M. Jeff Thompson surrendered 10,000 men at Jacksonport, Arkansas. Out of those 10,000 men, only one was not paroled - Confederate Colonel, Timothy Reeves, Commander of the 15th Missouri Cavalry, CSA. Thompson wrote that:

"In a few days we finished all the paroles, except that of Timothy C. Reeves, whom Col. Davis would not agree to parole, considering him outlawed for the shooting of Major Williams (Major Wilson, this was a misprint) and five men on the Price Raid; but I must state for Col. Reeves, that he was as good a man and soldier as any in the command, and his shooting of that party was entirely justifiable.."

From all accounts Timothy Reeves lived the remainder of his life in peace, preferring to be known only as a minister. When he died on March 10, 1885 three wives and most of his children had predeceased him.

Peter Reves of Halifax County, Virginia

Peter Reves, born in 1768, was the brother of my 3rd great grandfather, George Reves. Both were sons of William Reeves (originally Reves) of Wake County, North Carolina. The entire family originally spelled their name with one "e" but over time like so many of the various other Reeves' name variations, it became Reeves. The 1858 Death Register of Halifax County gives Peter's age as 90 years old and the 1850 Census of Halifax County confirms that he was born in North Carolina.

Halifax County, Virginia

On 22 Feb 1793, he married Ann "Nancy" Tucker in Lunenberg County, Virginia. Within a few years, Peter had moved from North Carolina to Halifax County, Virginia which is evidenced by his appearance on the 1800 Halifax tax lists. Their four children were all born and married in Halifax County. Their children were William T. Reves, Anna Dennis Reves, Elizabeth Tucker Reves and Peter May Reves.

In addition to farming, Peter was involved in public service for most of his life beginning when he was appointed constable in Capt. Willis Jones' District of Wake County, recorded in the County Court Minutes of September 1792. By September of 1822 when his father's estate was being administered in Madison County, Kentucky, probate documents executed by his brother Charles in Halifax County were certified by Peter as a justice of the Halifax County Court.

Littleton Tazewell, Governor of Virginia, appointed Peter sheriff of Halifax County in December of 1835. There is a bond for $30,000 dollars recorded in Deed Book 42, Page 628 signed by Peter Reves along with 16 other Halifax residents for the faithful fulfillment of his duties as sheriff of Halifax County dated 26 Jan 1836.

It's unknown exactly when Ann Tucker Reves died, but Peter married a second time to Lucy Haliburton on 16 Jun 1834 in Person County, North Carolina. Lucy was many years his junior and apparently a young widow.

In the later years of Peter's life, he was Chairman of the Halifax County Court. The Revolutionary War pension file of Thomas Neal contains the statement of his wife, Elizabeth Brown Neal, regarding her husband's war service which was taken by Peter Reves as Chairman of the County Court on April 1st in 1851. Being in his mid 80's, his signature is somewhat unsteady but is clearly "Peter Reves".

Plat of Lucy Reeves' Dower
Estate of Peter Reves

The Halifax County, Virginia death register of 1858 lists the death of Peter "Reaves" on 28 March 1858 at age 90 years. On that record, his father's name is given as William Reeves, no mother is listed and his wife is named as Lucy. The date from the Halifax death record may be delayed by one year and the deaths recorded are from the previous year for the dower portion of Peter Reves' land was surveyed for his widow Lucy in 1857 and recorded in the deed books of Halifax County. Those 1857 documents regarding Lucy Reves' dower also list him as Peter Reves, dec'd. (Halifax VA DB 59 p.299)

Although many remained in Halifax, descendants of Peter Reves and Nancy Tucker Reves migrated to Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Arkansas, Texas, Colorado and numerous other points west.

Other posts related to the family of Peter Reves

---

The Reves Family of Halifax County, Virginia
Uncle Tommy Reeves of Malden, Missouri

John A. & Nancy Reves Remembered

Recently, I happened upon an online book of "acrostics" by Robert Blackwell published in 1861 which contained verses written about John A. Reves and Nancy Cole Reves. John A. Reves was the son of George B. Reves and Mary Farmer who had left Stokes County, North Carolina, migrating to Carroll County, Mississippi sometime between 1840 and 1850.

According to the dictionary, an acrostic is "a series of lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters when taken in order spell out a word, phrase, etc."

John A. Reves
Of Carroll County, Miss.

JUST and true, thy course pursue,
Offending none, from errors free,
Helping all who on thee call,
Now listen what we say to thee:
All love thee well who round thee dwell,
Regarding all thy actions true;
Extending light, each day and night,
Victorious on thy course pursue;
Encouraged by each motive high,
Still serve the Lord who rules the sky.

Nancy Reves
Of Carroll County, Miss.

NEATER by far, than a precious gold ring,
And once on a time, hearing her sing,
Nightingales came, her presence to greet;
Conscious that they, her music could beat,
Yet failing in this, did quickly retreat,
Resolving no more, in the land to be heard.
Excelled at last, by a mortal endeared,
Visions of glory, all vanished away;
Each fearing to speak, did secretly say
She sang more sweet, than an angel to-day.

From:
''Original Acrostics on all the States and Presidents of the United States,''
''and Various Other Subjects, Religious, Political, and Personal''
by Robert Blackwell
Pub. 1861 in Nashville TN, pg 157
IBID, pg 188

Uncle Tommy Reeves of Malden, Missouri

Thomas Bird Reeves settled in Dunklin County, Missouri in 1859. He was the son of William T. Reeves (originally spelled Reves) and Michal* Hoskins of Halifax County, Virginia born on the 26th February, 1819. In 1829, his father died leaving a widow and seven children.

Thomas Bird Reeves

After William’s death, Michal Hoskins Reeves took her seven children and migrated west into Tennessee along with her family where her father, Thomas C. Hoskins died around July of 1839 in Rutherford County, Tennessee.

It was in Rutherford County that Thomas Bird Reeves married Louisa E. Ford in 1848. The extended Reeves’ family then moved on to Gibson County in northwestern Tennessee where several of his sisters married as did his brother Peter May Reeves.

By the census of 1860, Thomas and his family were recorded in the census of Dunklin County, Missouri. The majority of his extended family remained in Milan, Gibson County, Tennessee, where his mother Michal Hoskins Reeves died in 1878. Thomas Bird Reeves lived in Dunklin County, Missouri for the next forty years where his children and grandchildren grew up and married. According to his biography published in The History of Dunklin County, Missouri - "Uncle Tommie, as he is affectionately called, owned and occupied one of the first business houses in Malden but has been principally a farmer." Some years after Thomas moved across the Mississippi River into Missouri, his brother Peter migrated to Greene County, Arkansas which is just across the state line from Dunklin County.

Obituary of Thomas Bird Reeves published in the Weatherford Democrat of Parker County, Texas on the 9th January, 1896:

Thos. B. Reeves died last Sunday morning, Jan. 5th, near Greenwood, aged 76 years, of general debility or paralysis. He was sick only about 36 hours. He moved to this county from Missouri last November. He has been a member of the Missionary Baptist church since 1862. He was a member of the Cotton Hill lodge No. 306, I.O.O.F. of Missouri since 1874. His remains were interred in the Greenwood cemetery Monday, under the auspices of the Odd Fellows of this city. Rev. Mr. Tenison of the Greenwood settlement preached the funeral discourse in the house of the deceased’s son, where Mr. Reeves died.

The above photo contains members of Thomas Bird Reeves family - (Back Row) Tom Sipes, Belle Keedy Stevens holding Herbert Stevens Jr, Charles F. Moore; (Front Row) Louisa E. Ford Reeves, widow of Thomas Bird Reeves, Minnie Stevens Sipes holding Rosina Sipes, Lou Reeves Moore, Bernice Stevens and Clara Stevens.

My own grandfather, William Hubbard Reeves, was born in Ballard County, Kentucky and also migrated across the Mississippi River into New Madrid County, Missouri as an adult. I often wonder if he might have been aware that he was closely related to these Reeves’ cousins who lived just a few counties away.

---

* Although Thomas Bird Reeves' mother's name is spelled many different ways, i.e. Michell, Michael, and various other variations, I happened upon a document in the Chancery Court Cases at the Library of Virginia relative to the probate of her deceased husband's estate that had an original signature where she clearly signed her name as "Michal Reves".


(Many, many thanks to Sarah McEachern for the photos of Thomas Bird Reeves and his family.)