MISCELLANEOUS NOTES  FOR RODOLPHUS WRIGHT REEVES

 

1900 Census - Crawford County, Ga.:

Rodolphus is living in the household of G. G. Reeves, his father:

Rodolphus W. Reeves - son - age 10 - born 1899

Note: Other sources show Rodolphus's year of birth as 1895, but this census shows 1889. Most likely his age here is wrong, as he should have been about 5 years old in 1900. He grew up on a farm in Crawford county, Ga. His father and mother and siblings moved to Ben Hill County sometime before 1910.

 

1910 Census - Ben Hill County, Ga.:

Rodolphus is living in the household of Gurley G. Reeves, his father:

Rodolphus Reeves - son - age 15 - farm laborer

 

1920 Census - Ben Hill County, Ga;

Rodolphus is living in the household of Gurley G. Reeves, his father:

Rodolph Reeves - son - age 24 - Salesman - Standard Oil Company

 

The 1930 census shows Rodolphus(age 35) and Edith Reeves(age 25) living in Eatonton, GA, with the following residents in their household (Enumeration district 092-0011-0080):

R. W, Reeves, Jr. - Son - age 8

Lawrence Durward Reeves - Son - Age 4

"Living" Reeves - Daughter - age NR

Gurley G. Reeves - father - age 65

 

On Dec. 24, 1929, Rodolphus and his family lived in Eatonton, Ga. per a letter from them to Mr. & Mrs. James Bishop on that date. According to Mabel Fletcher, they moved from Fitzgerald to Eatonton, then back to Fitzgerald. Mabel and Jewell Fletcher used to visit with them as young women.

 

Rodolphus worked for the Standard Oil Co. in Fitzgerald, GA as a "salesman"  for some period of time - I have documentation of him being employed by them in Jan, 1920. This occupation is also reflected on the 1920 census, and he received several letters from others addressed to him c/o Standard Oil Station, Fitzgerald, Ga..

 

On his Railway Express Agency I.D. card, Rodolphus lists his Social Security No. as 714-14-0970, and is living at 602 W. Jessamine Street, Fitzgerald, GA. His height was 5'6-1/2", weight 145 lbs, Brown hair, hazel eyes. His age is not given, but he appears to be in his forties.  On June 2, 1927, Rodolphus is known to have been working for the Railway Express Agency in Eatonton, Ga.

 

RESIDENCES:

The following is the sequence of his residences as known at present:

1895 to about 1905 - In household of father in Crawford County, Ga.

About 1905 to 1921 - In household of father in Ben Hill County, Ga (except time in Army during 1918-1919)

1921 to about 1940 - Various residences in Fitzgerald, Ga., including one on West Pine Street, and Eatonton, Ga.

About 1940 to death in 1962 - 602 West Jessamine Street, Fitzgerald, Ga.  

 

Draft Registration at age 22:

Registered in Ben Hill County on 6/5/1917. Showed address as RFD #2, Fitzgerald, GA. Occupation farmer with father as employer. Was single at time. Describes self as medium height, medium build, grey eyes, brown hair. Gave year of birth as Jan. 13, 1894, which differs from record in family bible (1895).

 

Rodolphus served in W.W. I, in the 118th Company, 19th Grand Division Transportation Corps, American Expeditionary Force, France. His rank was Private, serial no. 3501062. The unit he served in was a non-combat unit, and in his letters home, "Dolphus" expressed his frustration that the Army would not transfer him to the infantry. After enlisting, he was sent to Camp Gordon near Atlanta, Ga. for training, and then to Camp Merritt, N.J. From there he was assigned to Washington Barracks, D.C., and then to Hoboken, N.Y., from which he sailed to England. He was there for several weeks, and then sent to France. He worked as a welder in the railroad shops at Camp Stephenson in Nevers, France. In a letter home to his faher, Dolphus told him "not to plan on him farming" when he returned. Dolphus was not fond of military life, and was very impatient to get home to his girlfriend Edith, who he married within two years of his return to Fitzgerald.

 

Rodolphus, known as "Dolphus" by family members, and "Doc" by acquaintances, worked most of his adult life with the Railway Express Agency as a deliveryman. He was an expert checker player, often taking his breaks at a downtown gas station to play a few games with other men similarly inclined.

 

Rodolphus was the "town fisherman," and helped to sustain his large family with fish he caught. This was the principal source of protein in his family, as he was quite skillful at fishing, and he seldom came home without a "mess" of fish. His favorite fishing place was Lake Beatrice, 5 miles south of Fitzgerald.  

 

After retirement from the REA on disability, Rodolphus earned supplemental income with a parttime fishworm business. This involved arising early and going to low-lying grassy areas in the countryside, usually bordering a stream, and "grunting" fishworms. This technique involved driving a short pointed board into the ground and then rubbing a brick across its top. This caused vibrations which drove the worms to the surface where they could be easily picked up.

 

Rodolphus died in an automobile accident while driving a relative visiting Fitzgerald for the weekend back to the relative’s home in Eastman, Georgia. His wife Edith survived the accident badly injured, but eventually recovered to live many more years.