"Let me see generation times, will we hear children singing rhymes? Sweet memories gone by..."

03 April 2022

George Reeves

[Revolutionary War Patriot Series, Part 4 of 12]

 

Born:  circa 1735
Died:  1811 in Grayson County, Virginia

Service:  Lieutenant;  Patriotic Service

  • Took oath of allegiance, 1777
  • Private under Capt. Cox, 1777
  • Lieutenant under Capt. McDonald, 1782

Wife:  Jane Burton

Children:

  • Elizabeth, wife of Samuel Phipps
  • Jesse
  • George
  • Polly, wife of Joseph Doughton
  • William
  • Anne, wife of Bartholomew Austin
  • Prudence, wife of Andrew Cox
  • Charity, wife of Zachariah Osborne
  • Lucy, wife of David Cox
  • John
  • Susannah, wife of William Tolliver

 

Timeline:

[Note:  Grayson County is on Virginia’s southern border with North Carolina.  Grayson County was formed 1793 from Wythe County;  Wythe County was formed 1790 from Montgomery County;  Montgomery County was formed 1777 from Fincastle County;  Fincastle County was formed 1772 from Botetourt County;  and Botetourt County was created 1770 from Augusta County.  Grayson County is adjacent to Ashe and Alleghany Counties in North Carolina.  Alleghany County was formed 1859 from Ashe County, and Ashe County was formed 1799 from Wilkes County.  For a modern map, see New River Notes.]

1767
Augusta County, Virginia
George Reeves moved to the area which would eventually become Grayson County.

1771 & 1772
Botetourt County, Virginia
For these two years, George Reeves appeared on the lists of tithables taken in William Herbert’s company.

4 October 1777
Montgomery County, Virginia
George Reeves took the Oath of Allegiance, as a soldier of Capt. Cox’s militia company.


 

2 December 1778
Wilkes County, North Carolina
George Reeves entered a claim for vacant land for 600 acres on New River at the mouth of Fitting Creek.  A land warrant was issued on 1 April 1779, and the land was surveyed on 10 February 1790.  The land was granted on 20 December 1791 by Governor Alexander Martin.  On 28 January 1797, George sold this land to his son William for £100.

8 November 1780
Montgomery County, Virginia
An entry in the county court minutes states, “Ordered that George Reeves be restored his property that was taken from him by the militia of Washington County and part of the militia of this county, as several witnesses hath appeared here in court in his favour and none against him.”


1782
Montgomery County, Virginia
George Reeves was taxed on 300 acres of land, 3 slaves, 40 horses, and 18 cattle.

3 April 1782
Montgomery County, Virginia
George Reeves was recommended as a lieutenant in Capt. McDonald’s company.


1788-1790
Wilkes County, North Carolina
George Reeves acquired two more tracts of land, each for 100 acres, in Wilkes County, North Carolina along the New River near the Virginia state line.  George sold both tracts to his son-in-law Joseph Doughton on 26 January 1801 for £100 each.
  • A land warrant was issued on 2 May 1788, and the land was surveyed in March 1789.  The land was granted on 20 December 1791 by Governor Alexander Martin.
  • A land warrant was issued on 26 Oct 1790, and the land was surveyed on 5 November 1790.  The land was granted on 28 May 1792 by Governor Alexander Martin.

1793
Wythe County, Virginia
George Reeves appeared on the 1793 tax list for Wythe County, shown with 2 white males over the age of 16, 5 slaves, and 10 horses.

1794
Grayson County, Virginia
With the creation of Grayson County, George Reeves began appearing on tax lists there.

1 April 1795
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor Robert Brooke for 384 acres on the west side of New River.  On 15 November 1811, after George’s death, this land was conveyed by his heirs to his son John.


30 July 1795
Wythe County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor Robert Brooke for 400 acres on the waters of Peach Bottom Creek, a branch of New River.  On 25 August 1798, George and his wife “Janey” sold this land to Matthew Dickey for $2,000.

18 May 1796
Montgomery County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor Robert Brooke for 200 acres on the waters of New River.  On 26 October 1818, this land was sold by George’s heirs to his son John for $140.

30 May 1796
Montgomery County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor Robert Brooke for 100 acres on the north side of New River, adjoining his own land on the west.  On 8 June 1812, this land was conveyed by George’s heirs to his son John.

12 October 1796
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor Robert Brooke for 191 acres on Collins Branch, a branch of New River.  On 8 May 1811, George sold this land to his son-in-law Joseph Doughton for £150.

20 June 1806
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves received a land grant from Governor William H. Cabell for 260 acres on the east side of New River, at the North Carolina line.  On 23 July 1818, this land was sold by George’s heirs to Spencer Isom for $140.

August 1806
Grayson County, Virginia
There is a gap in the court records, but by 1806, George Reeves was serving as Justice of the Peace.


24 June 1807
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves Sr. was nominated as Captain in the militia, and his son George Jr. was nominated as constable.


4 June 1808
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves received six land grants on the same day from Governor William H. Cabell.  All of the grants were originally surveyed ten years prior, in July 1798:

  • 280 acres on the north side of New River near the mouth of Brush Creek.  On 3 December 1832, George’s heirs sold 200 acres of this land to his daughter Susannah Tolliver for $400.
  • 160 acres on the north side of New River, at the North Carolina line.
  • 300 acres at the North Carolina line.  On 8 October 1832, George’s heirs sold this land to his son-in-law Andrew Cox.
  • 50 acres on the north side of New River, at the North Carolina line.  On 27 May 1820, George’s heirs sold this land to William Sexton for $50.
  • 100 acres on a branch of Peach Bottom Creek.  On 17 May 1810, George & Jane sold this land to James Sumner for $200.
  • 134 acres on the south side of New River.  In 1829, George’s heirs sold this land to his grandson Jesse Reeves Jr. for $300.

26 July 1808
Grayson County, Virginia
An entry in the county court minutes states, “Ordered that George Reeves Senr. and David Cox Senr. be appointed to allot the hands to work on the roads of which Spencer Isom, James Cox and Andrew Cox are surveyors.”

17 March 1809
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves gave an affidavit, stating that he had moved to Grayson County [then Augusta County] in 1767.

Agreeable to a commission to us directed from the Chancery District Court at Stanton in the State of Virginia we have caused to come before us at the dwelling house of George Reves Esq. in the County of Grayson State of Virginia George Reves Esq. who being sworn in due form of law deposeth and saith he moved to the land where he now lives which land joines the Peach Bottom tract in dispute between James Newell + others and Captain Jno. Cox in the year one thousand seven hundred and sixty seven and believes the said Jno. Cox made two crops before he came there on the said Peach Bottom tract farther saith he never knew or heard of James Newell’s claim before he heard he had obtained a pattent of grant for said land and believes the said Jas. Newell never was upon the land to survey it as he never heard of it tho he lived the most convenient to said land and has no thought but he would have heard of it if it had been done by said Newell

Signature of George Reeves

25 Dec 1810
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves’ son George Jr. died sometime prior to this date, when George Jr.’s widow applied for letters of administration on his estate.  Family tradition says that George Jr. was killed by his brother-in-law William Tolliver.  Court records in both Ashe and Wilkes Counties in North Carolina show that William Tolliver was indicted for murder in March 1811.  In September 1811, he was found not guilty of murder, but instead guilty of manslaughter, and branded with an M on his left hand.  Unfortunately, the court records do not state his victim’s name, so it’s not certain whether or not the family story is true.


1811
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves last appeared on a tax list in 1811, when was charged $2.24 for 1 white male over 16, 3 slaves, and 8 horses.  From 1812 until 1816, his widow Jane appeared on tax lists on her own.

26 March 1811
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves resigned as Justice of the Peace.


27 August 1811
Grayson County, Virginia
George Reeves died sometime prior to this date, when his son Jesse Reeves and Martin Dickenson were granted letters of administration on his estate.


15 November 1811
Grayson County, Virginia
An inventory of George Reeves’ estate was completed by William Bourn, Joseph Fields, and David Cox.

1 negroe man named Mingo, $230;  1 negroe woman named Judah, $200;  1 negroe named Frank, $400;  1 negroe named Hannah, $300;  1 negroe named Cate, $350;  1 negroe named Phillis, $400;  1 boy named James, $250;  1 sorrel mair 4 years old, $60;  3 cows + calves, 1 without a calf, $45;  3 cows + calves, 4 without calves, 1 3yr old stear $85;  2 cows, 1 3yr old stear, 3 2yr olds, 6 yearlings, $80;  2 heefers, 9 head and two calves, $57;  12 sheep, 9 sheep, $28;  1 black mair 2 years old, $40;  1 sorrell mair, $25;  1 roan mair, $25;  1 mair + colt not present supposed to be worth $47.50;  2 chests, 1 small trunk, $10;  1 table, chairs, flax wheel, $3.33;  2 cotten wheels, 6 plates, 5 small bowls, $3;  2 pewter dishes, 2 basons, 6 plates, $7;  1 bucket, 3 tins, 1 furnace, 3 pails, 1 piggin $2.25;  1 churn, 332lb. castings, $18.08;  2 feather beds + furniture, $40;  1 slate, cooking glass, 2 iron pot racks, $3.25;  6 books, 2 bedsteads + cards, $5.50;  1 pair steelyards, drawing knife and handsaw, $2.75;  1 mans saddle, 1 womans saddle, $13.33;  1 old gray horse, $45;  1 barr shear plough, 1 shovel, swing__ + clovis, $6;  1/2 of one crosscut saw in co. with William Reeves, $3;  1 grey mair, $50;  19 haystacks, $53;  1 rye stack, $1.50;  1 fodder stack, $1;  9 oat stacks, $30;  4 hogsheads, $2;  85 barrels of corn, $127.50;  rye and straw, $5;  old waggin wheels, $12.50;  19 geese, $8;  2 scythes, $1.50;  one yearling at William Bourns, $3;  2 cows and 1 heefer, $32;  475lb. barr iron, $24;  7 barrels of corn at Lynches, $10.67


 

3 December 1832
Grayson County, Virginia
After George’s death, there was a long series of deeds where his children sold off his land.  This deed, 21 years after his passing, contains an unusual note that his children were “born and raised in the County of Grayson and State of Virginia”.  Of course, all of George’s children were born prior to Grayson County’s formation, throughout the evolution of several new counties, but it’s an interesting note nonetheless.


A commemorative marker was placed at George Reeves’ grave by the Appalachian Trail Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  The cemetery is located just north of the New River, near the Virginia-North Carolina line.


 

Sources:


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