William Reeves, Sr.

The presence of William Reeves, Sr. in the area of Wake County, North Carolina is noted in Durham County - A History of Durham County, North Carolina by Jean Bradley Anderson, on page 19, "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)..." This deed was recorded in Granville County Deed Book A at page 18 on 5 Nov. 1746.

As this land south of the Neuse and east of Ellerbys Creek changed county designations, throughout the 1750's, William Reeves, Sr. is found primarily in the records of Orange County serving on juries and in other misc. court records. When the area became part of Johnston County in the early 1760's he is found in numerous deeds of that county.

William Reeves, Sr. is listed as William Reves with 1 white male tithe in "A List of Tythables for the Year 1755", Orange County, North Carolina.

On 10 October 1763 the land between the Neuse and Ellerbe Creek is conveyed by William Reeves, Sr. to William Reeves, Jr. by deed as follows: William Reeves Sr., Johnston County to Wm. Reeves Jr. Orange County, £ 140 Va money, 400 Acres beginning at a White Oak on southside Neuse River running S25 W 254p to a persimmon tree: S65 E254p to a pine on east side of Ellowbys creek: N25 E104p to the river: up the river courses to 1st sta., buildings, orchards &c Wit: John Bullard, Wm. Downs +, recorded in Deed Book D-1 Pg 63, Johnston County, North Carolina.

This same land remained in this particular Reeves' family for 52 years until it was conveyed by the second William Reeves to Nathaniel Jones, Sr. on October 16, 1798. (Recorded in Wake County Deed Book Q at Page 415.)

William Reeves Sr. does not appear in the records of Orange, Johnston or Wake Counties after October of 1763. The majority of the early records of Johnston County as well as some of Wake County's have been destroyed in courthouse fires so it is unknown whether he died about this time or moved to another location.

The Markham Maps which have 1800 of the earliest land grants in the Neuse River basin platted on maps of Orange and Wake counties show four tracts for William Reeves in Orange County. Section 5 of the Fish Dam Road website lists William Reeves' land grant as shown on the Markham maps (see link on right above).




Sources

Deeds and court minutes referencing William Reeves Sr. as well as some which also refer to William Reeves, Jr.:

Granville County Deed Book A, pg 19 & 20
Nov. 5, 1746 - Henry McCullough, esq., of Socacta, New Hanover Co., to William Reves of Johnston Co., planter, for 20 pds. 400 acres on south side of Neuse River in Johnston Co., N.C. and east side of Ellowby's Creek, being part of 12,500 acres granted to said McCullough Mar. 3, 1745. Wts: John Wade, Pattrick Roggan (sic Boggan), Wm. Houston. Deed Book A, Page 19-20

Orange County N.C. Court Minutes 1752-1761, Book I
December 1752 Court
Pg 5 - G. Jury: The Grand Inquest Called & Impanelled towit: 1. Hosea Taply, 2. James Watkins, 3. William Reves, 4. James Forrest, 5. Robert Nelson, 6. William Coupland, 7. John McFarland, 8. Robert Thompson, 9. Canus Tinnin, 10. John Tinnen, 11. David Mitchel, 12. James Swafort?, 13. Robert Harper.

June 1753 Court
Pg 17-9 - G. Jury: The Sheriff returned a grand Inquest for the County of Orange to wit &c who after being first Impaneled & Sworn & heard their Charge withdrew: 1. Henry Bedingfield, 2. Abraham Whitworth, 3. John Dunnagan, 4. John White, 5. John Rhodes, 6. William Copeland, 7. William Rhodes, 8. William Reaves, 9. William Miers, 10. James Swafort?, 11. Lodwick Clap, 12. Robert Patterson, 13. Thomas Mathews, 14. Hosea Tapley, 15. James Hendricks.

March 1754 Court
Pg 60 - The following Persons appointed to attend next General Court towit: William Reaves, Mark Morgan, James Rainey, Joseph Boggs, John Wade, James Dickey Grand Jurors.

July 1754 Court
Pg 75-38 - The Grand Jury called and impaneled towit: 1. James Bowie, 2. George Williams, 3. John Dunnagan, 4. Zachariah Martin, 5. William Hellems, 6. Lawrence Rambo, 7. William Horton, 8. William Rhodes, 9. David Mitchel, 10. Hugh Wood, 11. William Reaves, 12. William Barbee.

March 1755 Court
Pg [105] 105-53 & [106] - Ordered that James Forrister Senr. and William Reves be Appointed to appraise a brown Cow and Yearling in the possession of Nicholas Culbertson and make return.

September 1755 Court
[124] - William Reves agt. Richard Burton: In Case. And the Defendant by his Attorney comes to Defend the fource and Injury when and where &c. & saith that he is not guilty in manner and form as the Plaintiff against him hath declared and of this he puts himself upon the Country and the Plaintiff likewise. Therefore let a Jury come agreeable to act of Assembly to Recognize &c. The same day came the parties by their attorneys whereupon came also a Jury towit: &c. who being elected tried and sworn the truth to speak upon the Issue Joined upon their Oath do say that the Plaintiff hath sustained Damages by Reason of the Defendants breach of promise in the Declaration mentioned and do Assess his Damages to five Pounds Virginia money Therefore it is Considered by the Court that the Plaintiff recover against the Defendant his damages aforesaid in form aforesaid and his Costs by him in that behalf expended. Judgment £ 5:-:-, Clerk 1:10:1.

March 1759 Court
[353]-177 - Ordered that Micajah Pickett be Summoned to Appear at the next Court to Answer Winnifred Pickett of a Certain Matter and that William Reaves and Thomas Velvin be Summoned as Evidences in behalf of the aforesaid Winnifred.
Ordered that the Sherriff be fined five Shillings for his Contempt of this Court.

June 1759 Court
[376] - Ordered that James Wade, John Mitchel, Nathaniel Kimbrough, John Alston, Samuel Burton, William Reaves, James Ray?, Micajah Pickett, Watson Bromfield, Warham Glenn, John Woods and Richard Burton be appointed as a Jury to Lay out a road the nearest and most Convenient Way Leading from Orange Courthouse and that the Sherriff Summon the said Jury to meet at the Courthouse in Corbin Town on the 25th. of July next to be Qualified and that they make return thereof to the next Court and that James Wade be Overseer thereof from the Beginning to William Moores?, John Alston from Thence to Nathaniel Kimbroughs and the said Kimbrough from thence to the County Line.

August 1760 Court
[430] - Ordered that James Daniel be Appointed Guardian to John Gouge Orphan Child of John Gouge Deceased (Cont'd)
[431]-216 - He giving Bond with Thomas Harriss and William Reaves Security's in the sum of Two hundred Pounds Proclamation Money for his due Performance of his said Office.

Granville Proprietary Grant
North Carolina State Archives MARS Id: 12.12.64.9, Abraham Nelson grant of 350 acres in Orange County on Neuse River and Lick Creek. Chain carriers: William Reeves and Robert Belvin, Surveyor: William Churton. Deed: 2 Aug 1760 (Note: The land was in both Orange and Johnston counties...)

Grants by Lord Granville
Patent Book 12
2127 pg. 29 William Reaves 28 June 1762. 368 acres in Orange County on both sides of Stirrup Iron Creek (which is) the Waters of Crab Tree OR: /s/ Wm Reves Wits: Jas Watson, David Phillips Sr examined by: Jno Savage and W Churton surveyed 4 September 1761 CC: Joseph Barbe, George Smith W Churton Surveyor Plat reads "...land Surveyd for William Reeves Jr".

Orange County, N.C. Court Minutes 1762-1766, Book II
August 1763 Court Term
[643]-88 - William Reaves vs. Francis Desern: Case. This Day came the Plaintiff by his Attorney and the Defendant failing to Appear tis Ordered by the Court that the Plaintiff have Judgment entered up for him for his Damages sustained to be ascertained at a futer (sic) Day on a Writ of Enquiry.

Johnston County, NC Deed Book D-1 p. 63
10 October 1763. William Reeves Sr., Johnston County to Wm. Reeves Jr. Orange County, £ 140 Va money, 400 Acres beginning at a White Oak on southside Neuse River running S25 W 254p to a persimmon tree: S65 E254p to a pine on east side of Ellowbys creek: Na25 E104p to the river: up the river courses to 1st sta...buildings, orchards &c...Wit: John Bullard, Wm. Downs. Deed Book D-1 Pg 63.

Orange County, N.C. Court Minutes 1762-1766, Book II
November 1763 Court Term
[656]-101 - Ordered that Christian Hynes (sic) wife of James Hines (sic) have the Guardianship (sic) John, Mary, James, Charity & Sarah Alstons of James Alston (sic) Deceased. She having Given Bond with Robert Abercrombey, John Patterson, William Reaves and Thomas Webster Security's in the sum of Three Thousand Pounds Proclamation for the due Performance of her said Office.