David Reavis (1748 - 1826)

Born 16 Nov 1748 in Northampton County, North Carolina

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 29 Sep 1826 at age 77 in Cooper County, Missouri, United States

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Biography

David Reavis was born November 16, 1748 in Northampton County, North Carolina and died on September 29, 1826 in Cooper County, Missouri. He married Gemima Reed, born Nov. 18, 1750, in 1768.^[1]

David farmed in Surry County until 1788, when he moved southwest into Rutherford County and settled on the Broad River, leaving behind his father, his younger brother James and perhaps his older brother Edward with their respective families. His brother in -law James Doyle appears to have moved his family along with David's into Rutherford.

In the year 1772, we find David-3 located in western North Carolina (Surry County) where, according to the preserved minutes of Dutchman's Creek Baptist Church, "located in the forks of the Yadkin" (present Davie County), David-3 his wife Gemima, and his father's half brother Jesse-2, were three of the seven founders of that church on March 5, 1772."

Fenton Goss-5 has preserved for us some details of the migrating party arrived in Missouri, and the steps taken there to become established in that then frontier territory. It confirms the expressed opinion that David-3 possessed qualities of leadership. Two of his sons, James Ashley and Samuel with their respective families had gone ahead to Misssouri in 1816. Another son, Edward, had married and located in Tennessee, still another, William, married and remained in North Carolina. For the trip, there were Andrew-4 still unmarried, and Joseph -4 with his family and the widow of Jonathan-4 with her children.(Nancy who married William Russell) all of whom joined David-3 and Germima in the migration. Already James A.-4 and Samuel D-4 had set up a general merchandise business on the Mississippi River, and from there Samuel leaving his brother in charge, returned to Carolina to guide our the travelers with their wagon train.

His wife was Germima Reed of Virginia, who was born November 18, 1750 and lived to past the age of ninety, after mothering a large family. She passed away April 20, 1841. She has spent the last years of her life in the home of her son-in-law Rev. John B. Longan in Cole County, Missouri. Her burial was beside the remains of her husband in Cooper County in the family burying ground on the old homestead. Her father James Reed (or Read) mentioned his daughter as Gemima Reavis in his will, filed in Brunswick County, Virginia, in 1796. from "The Reavis Family in America since 1700" by Marie Reavis Hall

Will

Know all men by these presents that I, David Reavis make this my last will and testament. That is, I bequeath to my children now living (to wit) Rhoda Russell; Hannah Doyle; William Reavis; Andrew A Reavis, Elizabeth and Sarah Reacis, the following amount to wit.; Rhoda Russell, a negro girl name ___ at four hundred and fifty dollars. Hannah Doyle a negro girl named Cintha at four hundred and fifty dollars, each with their increase. William Reavis four hundred and fifty dollars, also Edward, Joseph, James, Samuel, Andrew, Elizabeth and Sarah Reavis four hundred and fifty dollars each in cash or property at cash rate. Now as James, Elizabeth, Sarah and Andrew has not received their four hundred and fifty dollars it is my will that it shall be made up to them out of my estate. To James fifty-nine dollars. To Andrew two hundred and ninetyfive dollars, and to Elizabeth and Sarah Reavis their full amount four hundred and fifty dollars, and after the deviding or sale of my property is made, it is my will that the heirs of Jonathon Reavis, my son, dec'd shall receive five hundred dollars to be equally divided among them.

Also Minta Justice, my grandaughter, that she shall receive three hundred dollars and it to be in property at cash rate, both for the heirs of Jonathon and Justice. It is my will that my wife Jemima shall receive an equal share with my childred and at her death what she has left to be equally divided among the children. It is also my will that the sum that I have given to my son William at his death shall fall to my heirs provided he leaves no heir, and in order to prevent law suits if any of my children holds any notes, accounts, or demands against me, the favors and money that I have given them shall be full bar against them, and if more of my heirs should bring suit in any shape colour or -----, they shall loose or forfeit the amount left to them. Now it is my will that my four sons, Joseph, James, Samuel, and Andrew Reavis shall be my lawful agents in seeing that this, my last will is faithfully executed and to making an equal division of the rightful property of them, is any left among the ten children named in this above. This the seventeenth day of September 1826.^[2]

Family Members

Parents: James Reavis (1719–1804) and Elizabeth (Street) Reavis (1723–1790)

Spouse: Gemima (Reed) Reavis (1750–1841)

Siblings: James Reavis (1762–1803)

Children: Rhoda (Reavis) Russell (1769–1851), William Reavis (1775–1861), Edward Reavis (1779–1845), Hannah (Reavis) Doyle (1786-?), James Ashley Reavis (1789–1876 and Andrew Ashley Reavis (1797–1840)

Sources

1. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #59175152
2. ↑ This information can be found at ireson.us Broken link.