A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Brewer Reeves
According to Bob Reeves, Brewer moved to Lincoln County, KY, about 1790 and then to Christian County, KY, about 1796 (actually Logan County at the time). He settled on the West Fork of the Red River. He was instrumental in the creation of Christian County from Logan County, which was approved in December 1796 and specified to take effect on 1 Mar 1797.
"History of Todd County, Kentucky" (1884, p. 148) says that "The first authentic date of a settlement being made here [Trenton precinct] is that of 1796. In that year Brewer and Martha Reeves came here from Augusta County, Va." According to Perrin's "County of Christian, Kentucky: Historical and Biographical" (1884; obtained from http://www.westernkyhistory.org/christian/perrin/chap2.html), Brewer was one of the first justices of the peace for Christian County when it was first organized. The act of the Legislature that established Christian County ("An act for the division of Logan County") specified that "the Justices to be named in the commission of the peace for said county of Christian, shall meet at the house of Brewer Reeves, in said county, upon the first court day after the said division shall have taken place". Later, Perrin says "The first court held in the new county convened on the 21st day of March, 1797. Present--Jacob Barnett, Moses Shelby, Hugh Knox, Jonathan Logan and Brewer Reeves, gents, Presiding Justices of the county."
It is stated in a biography of great-grandson Adair Wilson (see his notes) that Benjamin H. Reeves' father served in the Revolution. That is possibly true, but I don't have any evidence for it.
There are at least two versions of Brewer's ancestry:
One, from James Hotchkiss, is that his father was Henry (d. 1745 in Essex Co., VA), mother Jochebed, and he had brothers Henry and John (d. abt Jun 1799 in Rockingham Co., VA), and sister Mary. Grandfather and great-grandfather also named Henry (d. 1728/29 in Essex Co., VA, and 1687 in Essex Co., VA, respectively). He had Brewer's birth on 22 Nov 1722 in Spotsylvania Co., VA. (WFT 137 # 299 has father Henry, mother Jachebed, and possibly a brother named John.)
The other, from Bob Reeves, is that his father was Thomas (b. abt 1700, d. abt 1760), mother Sarah, and he had brothers Thomas (b. aft 1745) and John (b. abt 1747 in Spotsylvania Co., VA; d. 5 May 1799 in Rockingham Co., VA). Grandfather was Henry (b. 1665 in Spotsylvania Co., VA; d. abt 1729 in VA). He had Brewer's birth on 14 Sep 1745 in Spotsylvania or Augusta Co., VA.
Looks like they both have the same grandfather Henry, but different fathers. Also, same brother John, but different other siblings. Note that there is a line in Chalkley's Chronicles that mentions that a Thomas Reeves is "brother to Brewer Reeves" (from May 1780).
Another possibility that has been raised is that this Brewer may have been a son of the Brewer born in 1722. I don't think there's very strong evidence for this (or for any of the other theories, for that matter), but it is suggested that the elder Brewer could have died and the younger Brewer was then raised by Brewer Sr.'s brother Thomas, so that he was like a brother to Thomas's sons (Thomas and John), but was actually their cousin.
The Reeves Project (https://thereevesproject.org/data/tiki-index.php?page=Reeves_Brewer_3381; accessed 26 Oct 2019) lists his father as Thomas Reeves Sr., with mother unknown. (Apparently, identification of Sarah as Thoms Sr.'s wife might be confusion with Thomas Jr.'s wife, who was known to be Sarah.) They agree with a birth date of 14 Sep 1745. Some notes from the Reeves Project:
Brewer Reeves is named in Augusta County court records of the 1770's as the brother of Thomas Reeves; however, the will of Thomas' uncle George Reeves in Spotsylvania County names several children of Thomas Reeves, Sr. but not Brewer. Brewer's brother was definitely Thomas Reeves, Jr. for he gave a deposition in the case of Herndon vs. Thomas Reeves for slaves mortgaged to Herndon by Thomas Reeves in Spotsylvania then removed to Augusta where he sold them. The deposition of Brewer Reeves in that case also mentions Thomas Reeves' wife Sarah.
Bruer Reeves, Benjamin Harrison and John Fitzwater were chosen to value the lands belonging to sundry landholders of the county. Rockingham County, February 18, 1782.
Brewer Reeves is listed on the 1784 tax list of Anthony Rader in Rockingham County, Virginia with 2 white tithes. As Bruor Reeves, he is again listed in Rockingham on the 1789 personal tax lists.
In June 1784, a petition was presented to the Rockingham County court for a road from the county line by Plain Mills to Harrisonburg. Brewer Reeves and others were appointed to make a report, and on July 26 the committee reported on a route for the road.
Brewer's brother Thomas Reeves, Jr. migrated to Kentucky a few years before Brewer and appeared on the 1792 tax list of Woodford County. In 1795, Brewer was also listed along with Thomas on the Woodford County tax list. The 1796 list does not include Brewer who appears to have moved on to Christian County where he was one of the earliest settlers.
In 1797 he was among the first justices of the court in Christian County, Kentucky. He is mentioned repeatedly in William Henry Perrin's History of Christian County, Kentucky.
Although there is no will on record in Christian County, Kentucky for Brewer Reeves, Will Book A lists the appraisal of his estate on page 19 [appraisal filed in Christian County Court 29 Nov 1799] and the settlement of his estate dated 6 Jun 1804 was recorded in the July term of the Christian County Court on pages 56 thru 62 of the same book.
The will of Martha Davis of Augusta County, named daughter Martha Rives (sic), December 26, 1805.
Note: There is much speculation and confusion regarding this family, specifically the children of Thomas Reeves, Sr. of Essex County and later Spotsylvania. The records of Spotsylvania, Frederick and Augusta counties in Virginia need to be thoroughly researched to document the family connections.
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
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