Chat
|
Daily Search
|
My GenForum
|
Community Standards
|
Terms of Service
|
|
|
It has been a while since I offered to share my notes concerning the families of Peter Reese (or Reece), Sr., Jacob Reese (living in Gilmer County, GA, in 1850), Levi Reese, Peter Reese, Jr. (husband of Rachel Anderson), Nancy Reese (wife of Henry Whitmire of Pickens District, SC), Samuel M. Reese (in Forsyth Co., GA, in 1850), and Elizabeth (likely a Reese) married to William Whitmire.
Some of the descendants of these families used the "Reece" spelling in their surname - in particular, the John Reece (son of Peter, Jr.) family of Union County, Georgia.
If anyone would like a copy of my notes, please email me at:
bpage@lib-gw.tamu.edu
A variety of documents (deeds and other items) make it almost certain that all of these Reeses were closely related, but I am not aware of any proof that Peter, Sr. was the father of the others.
Nor have I seen any documentation that explicitly states how any two of these Reeses were related.
These people were living in Pendleton District, South Carolina by 1800.
Some confusion exists about these families, especially concerning the children of the Jacob Reese who was living in Gilmer County, Georgia in 1850.
I believe that people have confused him with the father of other Reeses living in the north Georgia area, but would certainly be interested in any documentation that would support a contrary conclusion.
In particular, the Cherokee Indian Application for William R. Whitmire (#13856) seems to clearly provide the names of six (and only six) children for Jacob and Susan: Nancy, “Absolum,” “Margaret,” “Polly,” Lucinda and Minervia.
Life would be glorious if that one record settled all the questions, but as we all know, complete certainty is rare in genealogy.
In 1907, in the Eastern Cherokee Application for William R. (Reeves) Whitmire number 13856, William Whitmire stated that his mother's (Nancy Reese Whitmire) parents were Jacob and "Betsy" Reese and her brothers and sisters were Absolum [sic], Margaret, Polly Holden, Lucinda and Minervia.
William’s apparent confusion over his grandmother Reese’s name is mirrored by his inability to list his grandmother Whitmire’s first name. So, there is some reason to not be 100% confident in the accuracy of what he stated.
An additional question is raised by: Christopher and Nancy Whitmire's daughter Eliza Ann Wallace (also Wallis) on her Eastern Cherokee Application # 15128 said Nancy Reese's parents were Jacob Reese and Susan Harris.
Two deeds give Jacob’s wife’s name as Susan (or Susannah), so that statement appears likely to be correct:
John Reid to Robert Hynes (also Hines) for £35 (pounds) sterling for 200 acres on the north side of Little River, part of 476 acres granted to John Reid by Chas. Pinckney, 3 Dec. 1792, bounded by Major Taylor; witnesses George Tubb, Alex. Floyd, Susanna (her mark) Reese; George Tubb made oath to Jos. Reid, J. P.; 11 May 1798; recorded 11 March 1799. Willie, Betty, Pendleton District, S.C. Deeds, 1790-1806, Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1982, p.196
Jacob Reese (and wife Susanna) sold 600 acres on Big Eastatoe for $800 to Isaac Anderson, part of land (adj. conditional line to Big Eastatoe, Thomas line, Jetts line.) granted to Athenias Thomas known as Elisha Dyer estate. 1828 Dower released by Susannah Reese wife of Jacob Reese 1 Feb 1829. Wit. Loderick Nix (in 1850 in Cherokee Co., GA census) & Thomas Fowler
Pickens District Deeds, Book A-1 p.78 Rec. 1829
But, if we assume that William R. Whitmire made one error in his application, then how certain can we be about the other statements he makes?
Further confusion exists because of an unclear word in a pension application.
In Nancy Reese Whitmire’s application for a pension for her husband Christopher’s service in the War of 1812, it states that Nancy was married in 1814 at the home of her father OR brother Jacob Reese. Unfortunately, the crucial word is not clear. Nancy signed the application with an “x,” so someone else actually filled out the form. I believe the word was “father,” since I have not seen any evidence a Jacob Reese, Jr. Interested parties may want to get a copy of the application and review it for themselves.
In Nancy’s application (dated 1878), Miles Holden, a Notary Public from Cherokee Co., GA, states that Mary Holden age 83 was present at the marriage in 1814 of Nancy Reese and Christopher Whitmire in Pendleton District, SC, and that the marriage took place at the home of Nancy's father (or brother) Jacob; Minervia Murphree also witnessed the pension application.
As if this were not confusing enough, there is a woman named Permelia Sandlin Reese who enters the picture. Her exact relationship to Jacob Reese is not specified in any document that I have seen.
It is known that she and Jacob were living together after Jacob and his wife Susan separated. They are, for example, listed as living in the same household in the 1850 Gilmer Co., GA, census.
I have not been able to find any evidence that Jacob and Susan divorced; nor have I seen any evidence that Permelia and Jacob married.
Nor have I seen any evidence that Permelia was a child (legitimate or otherwise) of Jacob.
In fact, I have not seen any document that specifies a blood or legal relationship between the two.
Permelia used various forms of the surname “Sandlin” into the 1850s, but in the 1860 census – after Jacob’s death, she used the name “Reece.”
One possibility is that she and Jacob lived together as man and wife, even though they could not legally marry. That is just speculation.
Another possibility is that Jacob was the father of her two youngest children – again, that is only speculation.
It is possible - but NOT proven - that after Jacob’s death, Permelia’s children took the Reese surname.
Even if that could be proven, it would not prove their paternity.
One of the documents concerning Jacob and Permelia is the following:
Gilmer Co., GA, Deed Book, v.J, pp.433-434, 14 Feb.1849, Jacob Reece to Permelia Sandlin, William and Patsey Sandlin, for $100; Thomas Howard and David X Ruddell (his mark) witnessed this deed; for 120 acres on the east side of the road running on the ridge to Stephen Martins Mill in the 5th district, 2nd section, lot 200, in fee simple
As one last aside, I am told – but have not seen the original documents myself – that there is a will listing the children of the Jacob Reese (married to Hannah Silvers), who died in Tennessee in 1843.
That Jacob supposedly died in what was then Carter County (and is now Johnson County), and reportedly none of his children settled in Georgia.
As I said, that is second hand information – again, anyone interested in this should check the original records.
At any rate, as I said, I will be happy to provide copies of the information I have collected the cluster of Pendleton District Reees and their descendants to anyone who is interested.
Bill Page
Bryan, Texas
Notify Administrator about this message?
Followups:No followups yet |
| http://genforum.genealogy.com/reece/messages/1110.html | ||
 |
Link to GenForum Add Forum |
|