William Reeves was born in Granville County, NC in 1794. At some point he emigrated to Jasper County, GA, where he had a son named James Milton Reeves, then he moved to Fayette County, GA where the rest of his children were born. He served in the Indian Wars for 6 months as a Sergeant, and died at home in Fayette County around 1850.

 

For more detail about William Reeves and his ancestors and descendants, my family file can be accessed at www.rootsweb.com. Once there, click on "World Connect Project." Since William Reeves was a common name, in order to reduce the number of subsequent results enter surname as Reeves, and given name as James Milton. This will take you to the page for James Milton Reeves, one of William's sons. Scroll down in the link results until you reach one submitted by "PaulReeves94." Click on it, and you will be taken to my family file. Scroll down until you reach William Reeves' name and click on it, and you will see notes about William, followed by his family group.

                                              MISCELLANEOUS NOTES ON WILLIAM REEVES

The following information appears in "The History of Fayette County":

 

(quote)"William Reeves b, 1794 d. 1850; son of Wilie Reeves; came to Fayette County in 1824 from Jasper County; by occupation a farmer, he served as Justice of the Peace (see "Justices of the Peace, Fayette Co., Ga. 1820's-1869" as posted on rootsweb.com)  and in 1840 was appointed a commissioner of the free or public school. He lived below Woolsey on LL 172. His first wife, who he married in Jasper County, was Camilla Cleveland. His second wife was Martha Ann Black (b. 1817), to whom he was married in 1833. Their children were Melissa R., married J.H. Starr; Letha A., married William R. Miller; William D.; Henry C. b. 1843, d. 1926; married Permelia Jones; Amos, d before 1870; Robert H; Sarah A." (end quote)

Note: William is listed as one of the Justices of the Peace on rootsweb.com - 1820-1869

 

LAND HOLDINGS:

William drew Land Lot 1 Section 3 in Henry County in the 1821 lottery, but it is not known if he ever lived there. This information from book "Fayette County Heritage."

 

Per the same book, William owned land also in Crawford County, Ga.

 

Land in William's name - Fayette County:

1827 Tax Digest - Land Lot 122-4th District (could be typo-probably LL 172)

Note: In the 1827 Land Lottery, William also drew Land Lot 65 in Sec 2, District 2,Fayette County.

1829 Tax Digest - Land Lot 172 -4th District - William paid $400 for this in 1824.

1831,1832 - Tax Digest - Land Lot 172- 4th District

1833 -Tax Digest -  Land Lot 172 - 4th District

Nov. 1852 - Estate sale - LL 172 and LL 181(Note: LL 181 once belonged to Elizabeth Reeves)

 

Allen Reeves sold land lots 172 and 181 in the 4th district of Fayette County belonging to the estate of William Reeves in Nov, 1852.

 

Wilie Reeves deeded land lot 109 to William on August 5, 1826, along with other personal property. See notes on Wiley Reeves for details. Deed Book A477.

 

 

 

MILITARY SERVICE:

 

William served in the Indian Wars. He was enrolled in Captain Young Mann's Company (Fayette Blues), Ward's Battery, 3rd Brigade, 53rd Ga Militia Infantry Volunteers(Creek War), 1st Company as a sergeant. He enrolled on June 3, 1836 at West Point, GA, and was discharged on Aug 28, 1836 at West Point, GA . An application for a widow's pension was made by his second wife Martha Ann Reeves of Abbeville. Lafayette County, Miss. in 1893. Martha Ann Reeves died before a pension was awarded, and the claim was closed Jan 4, 1896.

 

 

CENSUS RECORDS:

 

1820 Census-Jasper County, Ga. - Roll M33-6, Pg. 188:

William Reaves:

1 male 20-30 (William, head of household)

1 female 20-30

2 males under 10

1 female under 10

Note: William did not marry Camilla Cleveland until 1822, so it is not certain whether this is William b.1794 with an unidentified earlier wife, or a different William Reeves. The census spells his name as Reaves. No slaves were listed for William Reaves.

 

1830 Census - Fayette County, GA - Roll 17, Pg 193:

William Reeves

One male under 5 (John Randolph)

One male 5 to 10 (James Milton)

One male 30 to 40 (Wlliam-Head of Household)

Two females under 5 (Martha and Mary)

One female 20-30 (Camilla-wife)

 

 

1840 Census - Fayette County, GA

William Reeves

One male under 5 (William D.)

One male 10 under 15 (John Randolph-b.1827?)

One male 15 under 20 (James Milton b.1824?)

One male 40 under 50 (William is 46)

Two females under 5 (Letha and Melissa)

Two females 5 under 10 (Louisa b. 1831)

One female 20 under 30 (Martha - 2nd wife - is 23)

 

 

1850 Census - Fayette County, GA:

William Reeves - 56 - farmer - born SC

Martha A. - 33 - Born GA

Melissa R. - 16 or 14

Letha A. - 13

William D. - 10

Henry C. - 7

Amos W. - 5

Robert H. 3

Sarah A. - 1

 

1860 Census - Fayette County, GA:

(William was dead - Wife Martha was Head of Household)

Martha A. Reeves - 43 - farmer

Henry C. - 17 - farm laborer

Amos W. - 16

Robert H. - 13

Sarah Ann - 11

Martha W. - 10

 

CHURCH MEMBERSHIP-SALEM BAPTIST CHURCH-FAYETTE COUNTY, GA:

 

April 5, 1828 - William Reeves, Millie Reeves and Ethi Linda Reeves joined church.

April 6, 1828 - Allen Reeves, Lucreacy Reeves, Lucy servant of E. Reeves, and Wiley Reeves joined (the latter restored after expulsion from a church in one of the Carolina states for drunkeness)

April 20, 1828 - Edwin Reeves joined.

May 16, 1828 - Rebeca Reeves came by letter.

April 4, 1829 - William Reeves signed minutes as clerk pro tem

May 2, 1829 - William Reeves was appointed clerk of the church

June 5, 1829 - William and Wiley Reeves were among four dissenting brethren

July 4, 1829 - Dissenting brethren were excommunicated (not named)

October 4, 1829 - William Reeves came to church and said he was in error and waa restored to membership.

December 5, 1828 - William Reeves was reappointed as clerk of the church.

May 1, 1830 - Lucy, servant of Elizabeth Reeves, was excommunicated due to adultery.

October 2, 1830 - Granted letter of dismission to Milley Reeves

October 12, 1830 - Granted letters of dismission to Rebecca and Ethi Linda Reeves

April 3, 1831 - Appointed certain brethren to request breth. Wm. Reeves, Allen Reeves and Robert Chambers and sister Lucreacy Reeves to attend our next conferrence and show cause why they have left the church and attached themselves to a society of Men that have gone out from Authordox Baptist Churches in disorder and have attempted to establish Churches upon principals contrary to the acknoweleged standing of the Baptists.

May 5, 1931 - Took up the case of those brethren that had left the church in disorder and heard the report from the breth. respecting them which was on this wise reported they refuse  to answer the church in any such matters for which they were excommunicated

October 28, 1854 - Trustees Allen Reeves and T.B. Gay were requested to sell church property.

Ethi Linda Reeves was grented 1/3rd part of church sale proceeds..

Each member of church was given letter of dismission

 

.

 

 

MISCELLANEOUS:

 

William was sick for an extended period of time prior to his death. Medical vouchers were paid from his estate.

 

The two living daughters from William's first marriage, Letha Ann Miller and Melissa Starr, along with his widow Martha Ann, received a settlement from his estate in the amount of $144.20 each.

 

Dates of birth of Milly Cleveland's children are documented in a bible owned by Eugene Suggs of San Antonio, TX. Bible said to have belonged to Mary Louis Reeves Jones.

 

There is an entry in the records of the Church of Christ at Salem (Fayette County)  relating to the transfer of a member to another church. The entry is signed by William Reeves, C. Clerk, Dec 5, 1829. This may or may not be William Reeves b.1794.

 

William is said to have been a prosperous farmer serving as a Justice of the Peace and as a commissioner of the public schools. He had the title "Esquire." This information from "Fayette County Heritage" book.

 

Allen Reeves was the administrator of Wiliam's estate. Among the items in William's estate was a fiddle, which may be the same one pictured in an old portrait of his son James Milton Reeves along with two of his sons.

 

The 1850 slave census shows William owning 8 slaves, but none were included in the inventory of his estate after his death in Dec, 1850.

 

An inventory and appraisal of William's estate has been found which lists all his possessions, their value, and their disposition. This is available in Fayette County, Ga. Records 209396, Vol D-397.

 

An extensive search, including looking for a family cemetery on Land Lots 172 and 181, has failed to find William's resting place, nor that of his first wife or son Amos.