A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Willis Long Reeves
From the Parks manuscript:
Willis Long Reeves, the youngest son of Brewer and Martha Reeves, was placed in the clerk’s office at Hopkinsville, Kentucky, with James McLaughlin, an experienced clerk and a good lawyer, when a youth, remained with him for several years, acquiring a fine character for business habits and faithfulness in office, and when Todd County was organized from parts of Christian and Logan, (1820) he received the appointment of Clerk of the Circuit Court, which he held for many years, and was highly esteemed for his integrity and accuracy in the discharge of the duties of his office. He was married three times, first to Susan Phillips, with whom he lived happily for some years and had children (1). After her death, he married Mary Harrison, widow of Carter Harrison and daughter of Haden Edwards of Texas; and after her death, Mrs. Conly, widow of Dr. Conly and daughter of William Wilson near Russellville. He died about 1867 or ’68, aged about seventy-three years. Years before his death, he professed faith in the Redeemer and became an active member of the C.P. Church. I believe his brother Otway had also united with the Church previous to his death.
"Biographical Encyclopedia of Kentucky", J. M. Armstrong & Company, Cincinnati, Ohio, 1878 (obtained from http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/localities.northam.usa.states.kentucky.counties.woodford/772):
Willis Long Reeves Sr., Lawyer, was born in Woodford County, Ky., while his parents were enroute from Virginia to Kentucky on the 9th of February 1796. His educational attainments were necessarily limited, but, by close application he succeeded in acquiring an English education in advance of the ordinary facilities offered in his times. Owing to a pecuniary misfortune with which his father was stricken, he was, at an early age, thrown upon his own resources and succeeded, at the age of 16 years in obtaining employment in the clerk's office at Hopkinsville, notwithstanding his residence in Trenton, Todd County. In this position he remained until 1822 when he was made first Circuit Clerk of the County, and, in a few years, County Clerk, holding and filling both offices until the adoption of the new State Constitution in 1850. After leaving his public offices he gave his attention to his farm and other large property interests, of which he had at this time possessed himself. He early untied [sic] with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, of which he was an active and leading member and transacted all the legal business of the congregation gratuitously, besides donating largely from his means toward the support and encouragement of the cause. In politics, he was a steadfast Henry Clay Whig, both from conviction of the correctness of the principles and a strong personal attachment to the leader of the party. He was a man of great energy and most indomitable will, who knew not failure. He turned a great deal of his time and attention, besides his means, to the education and elevation of the masses. His death, which occurred on the 29th of April 1866 was universally regret[t]ed and the community sustained a loss not easily repaired. He was married, in 1856, to Mrs. Emily Carr, daughter of James H. Davidson, Esq., of Logan County, and left five children.
The above biography says that he was born in 1796, but some other sources say he was born in 1793, which would fit with Parks' statement that he was about 73 years old when he died.
The dates in the Ancestral File don't make sense (as well as those of some of the other brothers).
WFT 22, 1690 lists his name as William Long Reeves.
I don't know who wrote this, but it was obtained from the Trewolla Moskop Haas Mansfield Tree web site:
This narrative properly begins with the statements of Dr. Thomas Davis Parks, page 11 of his family history. This paper should be attached to this effort. Dr. Parks states that Willis Long Reeves was the youngest son of Brewer and Martha Davis Reeves. He was placed in the office of James McLaughlin who was Clerk of the Circuit Court in Hopkinsville. When Todd County was formed in 1820, Willis Long Reeves was appointed Clerk of the Circuit Court in this newly formed county. Dr. Parks states that he was married three times but he seems not to know of the fourth and last marriage.
Willis Long Reeves married Susan E. Phillips (1804-1829) on November 13, 1823. Susan was from Paris in Bourbon County. To this union was born three children: William Reeves (1824-1852), Albert Reeves (1826-1847) and Douglas Reeves (1828-after 1850). Susan died in 1829 after an illness of six weeks.
The second marriage of Willis Long Reeves was to Mrs. Margaret Henry Edwards Harrison (1803-1840) on November 18, 1830. Mrs. Harrison was the widow of Carter Henry Harrison of Russellville, Kentucky. [Section about her previous children in notes for Margaret Henry Edwards.]
The children of Margret Henry Edwards Harrison and Willis Long Reeves were; Martha Park Reeves (1831-1833), Willis Brewer Reeves (1835-1921), Haden Edwards Reeves(1838-1909), and an infant son born on February 4,1840 and died on the same date. The mother died three days later February 7, 1840.
On November 12, 1840, Willis Long Reeves remarried and this time the bride was the daughter of James Wilson, one of the prominent citizens of Russellville. She was the widow of James B. Connelly and had at least two children- Erasmus and James H. Connelly. The third wife, Caroline M. Wilson Connelly, was born August 12, 1806 and died March 29, 1848. Four children were born to this union but we know about only two. The oldest was Willis Long Reeves Jr. who graduated from Yale and was a distinguished jurist. [Section on Willis Long Reeves Jr. in notes for him. The following sentence was in that section but is moved here because it names the second child of Willis and Caroline.] We have a letter from J.C. Reeves to "Ma" (Emily Davidson Carr Reeves) in "Letters to Priscilla".
The fourth wife of Willis Long Reeves was Emily Davidson Carr (1811-1876). [Continued in notes for Emily Davidson.]
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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