hmtl5 George Thompson Reeves b. 1 Jan 1776 Independence, Grayson County, Virginia d. 10 Dec 1811 Grayson County, Virginia: Robinson Genealogy

George Thompson Reeves

Male 1776 - 1811  (35 years)


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  • Name George Thompson Reeves 
    • son of Lieut. George Reeves Sr. and Jane Burton [1]
    Born 1 Jan 1776  Independence, Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Gender Male 
    Died 10 Dec 1811  Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Buried Lt. George Reeves Cemetery, Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  [1
    Person ID I2126  Robinson
    Last Modified 14 Feb 2025 

    Father Lieut George Reeves,   b. 1735,   d. Apr 1811, Independence, Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 76 years) 
    Mother Jane Burton,   b. 1745, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Oct 1812, Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 67 years) 
    Family ID F932  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Jane Osborne,   b. 18 Aug 1777, Grayson County, Virginia Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 24 Jun 1851, Ashe County, North Carolina Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 73 years) 
    Last Modified 26 Jan 2025 
    Family ID F922  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Event Map
    Link to Google MapsBorn - 1 Jan 1776 - Independence, Grayson County, Virginia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsDied - 10 Dec 1811 - Grayson County, Virginia Link to Google Earth
    Link to Google MapsBuried - - Lt. George Reeves Cemetery, Grayson County, Virginia Link to Google Earth
     = Link to Google Earth 
    Pin Legend  : Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  • Notes 
    • note on Find a Grave:
      Jane Osborne was first married to George Reeves, Jr., and second to David Edwards, Jr.

      She had eight children with George Reeves:

      Jesse H. (h/o Margaret Cox)
      Mary (w/o Alexander B. McMillan)
      Enoch (h/o Marion McMillan)
      Nancy (w/o Hardin Cox)
      Rebecca (w/o Allen Gentry)
      Lucinda
      Cynthia (w/o Robert Gambill)
      George T. (h/o Nancy Fields)
      [1]
    • note on Find a Grave:
      Son of Lt George Reeves and Jane Burton

      Married Jane Osborne, dau of Capt Enoch Osborne and Jane Hash.
      After George Jr's death she married David Edward Jr.

      Murdered.
      His sister's husband William Toliver killed him and moved to Indiana after his imprisonment.
      She seems to have gone with him.

      NOTES
      The Trial of William Tolliver in the Murder of George Reeves, Jr. 1811-1832 , Ashe and Wilkes County North Carolina

      THE UNWRITTEN LAW IN 1811. At the March term, 1811, of the Superior court of Ashe, Samuel Lowery, judge presiding, an order was made for the removal to Wilkes court, to be held on the third Monday of March, of the case of the State versus William Tolliver, indicted for the murder of a man named Reeves; and the sheriff of Ashe was required to "procure a sufficient guard of eight men from the proper officers of the militia to convey safely the said William Tolliver to the Superior court of Wilkes county," thus indicating either that there was danger of a lynching or a rescue.
      Tradition says that Tolliver was acquitted at Wilkesboro on the ground that Reeves had attempted liberties with Tolliver's wife. Robert Henry of Buncombe defended him.

      William Tolliver killed George Reeves, Jr. in 1811.
      He was not convicted of the killing.
      It was called justified.
      The History of Western North Carolina, by Preston Arthur says that "Tradition says that Tolliver was acquitted at Wilkesboro on the ground that Reeves had attempted liberties with Tolliver's wife"
      This tradition is unlikely because Tolliver's wife was Susannah "Sukey" Reeves, who was the daughter of George Reeves , Sr. and Jane Burton as well as the brother of George Reeves, Jr., the deceased.
      George Reeves was a tax collector.
      Dennis Smith, a descendant, says the George Reeves, Jr was killled while taking horses for tax purposes from the Toliver property.
      William Tolliver fired at Reeves because he thought the horses were being stolen; and Tolliver previously had a horse stolen by Paul Collins.
      A jury in Wilkes County found Tolliver not guilty of the felony of manslaughter.
      However, his punishment was to "be burned on the brawn of the left thumb with the impression of the letter M and that the Sheriff of this county carry this sentence immediately into execution in the presence of the court."
      He was imprisoned for three years and fined 1000 pounds. Dennis Smith also said that Tolliver sold his land to his brother-in-law, Joseph Doughton after getting out of jail. He then left North Carolina.
      It is possible that William Tolliver is living with Susanna in 1830.
      On the 1830 census there is a 50-60 year old male in the household of Susanna Toliver.
      Susannah is also mentioned in the Grayson County, VA Deed Book 6, page 468, December 3, 1832: The Heirs of George Reeves, Sr. deceased to Susannah Toliver, County of Grayson for $400; 200 acres Grayson County, VA Bush Creek on Beaver Dam.
      Heirs signed: William Reeves, Andrew and Prudence Cox, B. and Ann Austin, Polly Doughton, Zachariah and Charity Osborne, Jane Edwards, Jesse Reeves, Samuel and Elizabeth Phipps, David and Lucy Cox.
      Witnesses: Andrew Cox, Allen Toliver, Madison Toliver.

      Probably buried here in unmarked grave.

      Info from Green Phipps book.
      [1]
    • George Reeves [senior] and family came to Drewry's Bluff, below Richmond, Va., and settled on New River, about six miles from Independence. He, like all the other pioneers, used good judgement in selecting the situation for his home, and lived there until the close of his life, and his home, like many others has remained in the hands of his posterity.

      The sons of George Reeves, and wife are Jesse, William, George, and Joh. Their daughters, Anna, Charity, Mary, and Susan. Jesse married Miss Terrill, moved up the rive to mouth of Peak Creek; William married Miss Terrill; George married Miss Jane Osborne, a woman of high order of talent, kind, industrious, and pious. He moved up the rive, and lived where Esquire Charles Doughton lived. He was an energetic business man and while serving his county as an officer, he was shot and mortally wounded. He left a widow and seven children: Jess, Enoch, Georg, Mary, Nancy, Rebecca, and Cynthia.

      Pioneer Settlers of Grayson County, Virginia. Page 176.
      [2]

  • Sources 
    1. [S3] Find a Grave.

    2. [S50] Pioneer settlers of Grayson County, Virginia, Benjamin Floyd Nuckolls, (King Printing Co., Bristol, Tennessee, 1914), https://archive.org/details/pioneersettlerso00nuck_0.