First Generation  

General Notes: James Reeves Sr. is thought to have been born around 1785. There is no good source for this exact date, but the ages on the census records narrows the window down to about 1785-1790. His middle name may have been Brady, just as his son Junior's is, but no record which states this has been located.

The names of his parents have not been determined, but there are several possibilities. He is almost surely related to Timothy and William Reeves. It has been suggested that James had a brother, John, who died August 3, 1840 in Mississippi, and a sister, Elizabeth, born, it is guessed, about 1783, who married David Roger Williams. In the 1790 census, there is an Elisha Reeves living in Camden District with a wife and a boy under 16 years old. By 1800, Elisha was gone. However, there was a Will Reeves living in Lancaster County with his wife, one girl under 10, and two boys under 10. Could this be James, John, and Elizabeth? They all three could be his children, or one or all may be Elisha's children living with their relative William Reeves after the father Elisha Reeves's death. The mystery of James's parents is a tough challenge and may never be solved, but there are many clues which points do connections with other Reeves.

By 1810, James Reeves was living in Lancaster County. James owned most of what is now the Rich Hill community in Lancaster County. On the 1825 Mills Atlas map of Lancaster County, his place is marked 'Reeves.' James and Betsy had three children who died young. James died January 29, 1844 according to his daughter Malissa's family bible. He left a will, but it was challenged right away. John Robert declared the "Horton Acres" was his. He said his father had bought that land for him and must have been too old to remember it. Elisha and Bethena joined forces and sued everyone else in the family, including the in-laws and baby Charlotte, to keep the land. James H. Witherspoon ordered the disputed land to be put up at Public Auction to the highest bidder. John bought back 'his' land for $1802.
- Source: Research of Dora Reeves and Sherry McLemore; Census.

On the 1810 census, there are listed the ages which correspond to these people: James (listed as head) 16-25; Betsy (16-25); John (0-10); Winnie (0-10).

On the 1820 census, there are listed the ages which correspond to these people: James (listed as head) 26-45; ?Betsy (26-45); John (10-16); Winnie (10-16); Elisha (0-10); James Jr. (0-10); male1 (0-10); male2 (0-10); Jane (0-10); female (0-10). Three children, two boys and one girl, unidentifiable.

On the 1830 census, there are listed the ages which correspond to these people: James (listed as head) 40-50; Bethena (20-30); John (20-30); Elisha (16-20); James Jr. (16-20); Jane (10-15); male (10-15); Betsy (0-5); Malissa (0-5). One boy unidentifiable.

Copy of a certified Copy of the Last Will and Testament of James Reeves deceased -
The certificed copy is in the handwriting of James H. Witherspoon who was the Ordinary of Lancaster District and bears date 21 February 1844, The Seal of the Comis attached to the Certificate -


South Carolina} January 24th, 1844
Lancaster District}

I, James Reeves, of sound mind, give this my last will and testament. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Thene the tract of land on which I reside and all the buildings viz the dwelling house, mill house, gin and screw and all the other buildings on the said tract of land. Household and kitchen furniture, wagons and harness, farming tools, two mules and the Billy mare. All the corn and fodder, all the Pork and all the Hogs, and a third part of the valuation of all the negroes, which are not given off as negroes. The negroes which have been given off to the Heirs are to be valued at the time they were given off, and she to receive the third part of their valuation. When the minor heirs act for themselves, give off out of the house a Bed and furniture to the amount which the other heirs have received. My wife is not to move any of the negroes out of the State and at her death all these negroes are to be returned to the Estate - I wish my Son James to have One Hundred & Seventy five dollars or otherwise keep a negro boy named Morris without being valued. If he takes the One Hundred and Seventy five Dollars the Boy must be valued at the time he received him. - My son Elisha have received One Hundred Dollars more than the heirs who have received and also his negro girl named Servey must be valued at the age he received her. - My son John must have his negro girl named Martha valued at the age he received her - My Daughter Winney the wife of Richardson must have her negro girl valued named Emily at the age she received her, my Daughter Jane wife of Amos Blackmon must have her negro girl named Harriet valued at the age she received her - my daughter Elizabeth, wife of Bynum J. Blackmon must have her negro Boy named Daniel valued at the age she received him. My daughter Caroline, Mary, Dorcas and my son Thomas and my daughter Amy to have an equal share with the rest of the heirs. Each one to have a small negro about the age of those that have been given off to the rest of the heirs & must be valued as same as the rest. I wish my son Thomas to have one third of the Mike Horton tract at the price I give & also my wife is pregnant and if it is a Son I wish him to have the third part of the same tract and to have an equal share with the rest of the heirs if a daughter to have as the rest of the daughters - If my son Elisha wishes to take one third of the said Mike Horton tract of land at the price I give if he sees proper to take it.
Signed Sealed and his
delivered in the presence James ~ Reeves {Seal}
of us mark
A. B. Blackmon
William J. Blackmon
Edward J. Hooper

Will proven in Common form by the oath of Andrew Bynum Blackmon 17th day of February, 1844 - On the 21st February 1844 Beththena Reeves & James Reeves Jr were qualified as admx and Adm with the will annexed.

South Carolina}
Lancaster District} I, James H. Witherspoon ordinary for Said District certify that the foregoing is a True Copy taken from the original will of James Reeves died now on file in my office.
Given under my hand & Seal of office at Lancaster C H February 21st 1844
{LS} James H. Witherspoon
Ordinary Lancaster District

This record is made from a certified copy in the hands of T. J. Reeves and recorded at his instance & returned again to him Jany 13th 1885 Genr W C Witherspoon
Probate Judge Lancaster
County

Research Notes: James's birthplace determined by children's census records:
JBR Jr. 1880: SC
Jane 1880: SC
Mary 1880: SC
TJ 1880: SC, 1900: SC, 1910: SC
Amy 1880: SC, 1900(Ella): SC 1910: SC
CAB 1880: SC

Sources:
b. census
d. from James A. Blackmon Bible, notes from Dora

http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/ALRANDOL/2001-02/0981829467. This message mentions James (Brady) Reeves as the son of Elisha and Jane Reeves.

Mr. Victor Harden, a descendant of Winnie Richardson, had "w. 1812" written next to James Reeves on his pedigree chart. Source is unknown. In the General Index for the war of 1812 for SC, there is a James and John Reves listed, James in 1 Regt of SC Militia, John in the 2 Regt.

From an old newspaper. Could this be him? No James Reaves living in Sumter County in 1830.
May 9, 1829
At the last sitting of the Sumter Court:
This concerns the murder of william Paleman by James B Reaves.
The state offers $300 for the delivery of James Reaves who seems to have fled the area.

Feb 9, 1797
Ordered that Prestly Reeves & James Reaves Admistrators of the Estate of Moses Reaves do sell the property of the deceased the 4th March Giving Nine Months Credit (aftergiving legal notice).

Note if interest. There was a James Brady living in Lancaster County in 1800. He was over 45 years old. One girl between 16 and 26, and a woman iver 45. Also one slave. He appears to have died before 1810. Could James Jr. (and James Sr. if he had the middle name) been named after this person? Was he a family friend? Doctor? or Relative?

James married Betsy Garris .¹ Betsy was born about 1780s in North Carolina ¹ and died in 1815-1825.

General Notes: Betsy was the daughter of Bedford and Susannah Garris. Bedford Garris was a Revolutionary War soldier. She was named along with a few of her children in some papers from her father's death:

"...and Elisha Reeves, James Reeves, John Reeves, Winny wife of W. P. Richardson and Jane wife of Amos Blackmon the children of a deceased daughter Betsy Reeves."

In 1835, when Bedford Garris died, John and Elisha Reeves were to appear in court. He died January 17, 1835 according to pension list.
-http://files.usgwarchives.org/nc/mecklenburg/court/garris95nwl.txt

It is thought that Betsy died about 1822.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 2 M    i. John Reeves ² was born about 1805 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ^2,3 and died on February 16, 1897 in Haralson Co., Georgia, at age 92.⁴

+ 3 F    ii. Winifred Reeves was born about 1809 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina,² died about 1869 in Probably Union Co., North Carolina, at age 60,⁵ and was buried in Old cemetery off Sunset Dr. in Monroe, North Carolina.²

+ 4 M    iii. Elisha Reeves was born about 1810 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ² and died after 1844.

+ 5 M    iv. James Brady Reeves Jr. ^1,2 was born about 1812 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ² and died about 1892 and before November 1, 1895.²

+ 6 F    v. Jane Reeves ² was born on February 1, 1815 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ¹,^,6 died on October 16, 1892 in Buford, Lancaster Co., South Carolina, at age 77 ¹,^,6 and was buried in Hopewell Church Cemetery, Lancaster Co., South Carolina.¹

James married Bethenia Williams . Bethenia was born about 1805 in South Carolina ^7,8 and died on May 21, 1884 in Lancaster Co., South Carolina, at age 79.

General Notes: First name was spelled both ways, Bethena and Bethenia, in many different records.

Bethenia Williams was the daughter of David Roger Williams and Elizabeth Reeves.

Bethena is listed as a member of the Fork Hill Church in the old minutes book - p. 249 no. 5. - Bethena Reeves dead. An unidentified person named Hawkins Reeves was also listed in the book p. 249 no. 56. Also, her death is mentioned in the minutes, but with a different date: June 3, 1884.

Bethena apparently stayed loyal to the union during the civil war, and is listed in the South Claims Commission no. 13044. She claims that she remained loyal to the union, did not aid the Confederates. She claimed $881.73 to be paid her by the government as money used during the civil war to support the union army.

In it is stated:
I rely upon the following witnesses, and others, to prove my loyalty:
William Baskin residing in Lancaster County S.C. Pleasant Hill
M. C. Blackmon residing in "
E. H. Blackmon residing in "
and also expect to prove the other facts alleged in the foregoing petition by
Amanda Blackmon residing in Lancaster County S.C. Pleasant Hill
????? Reaves residing in "
(?David) Reaves residing in "

Sources:
d. from James A. Blackmon Bible
Reeves book is wrong. Found Bethenia living in 1880 with her son, TJ.
Dora's notes say born 1804

1850 Census
1850 Lancaster co SC pg 179b
Mrs. B Reeves 43 SC
T. ? m 13 SC
A.E.(?) f 11 SC
C.A. f 7 SC

In 1850, "B. Reaves", living in Lancaster Co., SC, had 13 slaves:
Males, age:
111, 40, 17, 6, 4, 4, 3.
Females, age:
36, 30, 17, 10, 10, 8, 7.

1860 Census
Bethina Reves 54 F
Charlotte A. B. 15 F
(same house; numbered as separate family) Thomas J. 22 M
Sarah E. 4 F

In 1860, Bethena Reaves had 12 slaves:
Males, age:
52, 25, 18, 15, 15, 14, 9.
Females, age:
50, 46, 15, 12, 7.

Children from this marriage were:

+ 7 F    i. Elizabeth H. Reeves was born about 1825 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ⁹ and died in 1870-1880, at age 45.

+ 8 F    ii. Malissa Caroline Reeves was born on November 15, 1827 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina and died on July 17, 1895 in Pleasant Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina, at age 67.

+ 9 F    iii. Mary Missouri Reeves was born in May 1831 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ¹⁰,^,11 died in 1907 in Adrian, Missouri, at age 76, and was buried on December 7, 1907 in Adrian, Missouri.

+ 10 F    iv. Dorcas A. Reeves ² was born on May 7, 1835 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ^2,6,^,12 died on August 27, 1863, at age 28 ⁶,^,12 and was buried in Fork Hill Cemetery, Lancaster Co., South Carolina.

+ 11 M    v. Thomas Jefferson Reeves was born on December 7, 1837 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina ⁶,^,13 died on May 16, 1916 in Pleasant Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina, at age 78 ⁶,^,13 and was buried on May 17, 1916 in Fork Hill Cemetery, Lancaster Co., South Carolina.¹³

+ 12 F    vi. Amy Ella Reeves ¹⁴ was born on August 4, 1840 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina,¹⁴ died February or Dec. 21, 1917 in Lancaster Co., South Carolina,¹⁴ and was buried in Baskins Cemetery, Small Cemetery Off Highway 522 And Rocky River Road In Lancaster Co., South Carolina.¹⁴

+ 13 F    vii. Charlotte Ann Bethenia Reeves was born on July 31, 1844 in Rich Hill, Lancaster Co., South Carolina,⁶ died on December 25, 1890 in Columbia, Richland Co., South Carolina, at age 46,⁶ and was buried in Smyrna Methodist Church Cemetery, Kershaw Co., South Carolina.⁶