John Rewis (abt. 1760 - 1843)

Born about 1760 in Emanuel, Georgia

Descendants

Died 3 Jul 1843 at about age 83 in Emanuel, Georgia, United States

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Biography

John Rewis was a Georgia colonist.

John Rewis was born about 1760 in Emanuel County, Georgia, the son of Hugh Rewis and Margaret James Rewis.

He served in the Militia for the War of 1812 with the First Class, Tattnall & Montgomery Militia, 6th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Georgia Militia^[1].

He received a number of land grants, in 1813^[2], 1818^[3]

John Rewis received 180 acres land grant in Emanuel County, GA.

He appears on the 1820^[4] US census in Emanuel County Georgia. In 1830 he and his family were in Tattnall County^[5] and were still there in 1940^[6].

He died about 1843 and was buried in Rewis Cemetery #1, Collins, Tattnall County, Georgia^[7]

Find A Grave Biography

John Rewis served as a soldier in the War of 1812--Tattnall and Montgomery Co. Militia, 6th Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Division, Georgia Militia. Husband of Mary Rewis. The name is sometimes spelled in old records as Rues, Ruis, Ruise and Rewis. His grave is marked with a VA tombstone obtained by John Burnett. A special thank you to Mr. Dale Stokes, a direct descendant who placed the tombstone and Mrs. Renee Johnson who took the photograph of the tombstone.

John Rewis is believed to have been born Circa 1760-1770 per the available census records. He is found living in Montgomery County, Georgia in 1805. John Rewis a soldier in the War of 1812 and served in the 6 Regiment of the 2 Brigade, 1 Division of the Georgia Militia. He was rewarded for his service with Grants of land in Emanuel County, Georgia. The following land grants have been found for John Rewis: 1817: Jno Rues was granted 400 acres in Emanuel Co, GA. Recorded in Georgia Land Grant Book L-5, page 547.

1817: Jno Rues was granted 200 acres in Emanuel Co, GA. Recorded in Georgia Land Grant Book L-5, page 548.

1819: Jno Rewis was granted 295 acres in Emanuel Co, GA. Recorded in Georgia Land Grant Book M-5, page 352.

1819: Jno Rewis was granted 180 acres in Emanuel Co, GA. Recorded in Georgia Land Grant Book M-5, page 357.

A list of people of color registered in Emanuel County was published in 1820 with a number of Rues/Rewis names included:

List of names of persons of color registered in Emanuel County, Georgia, 1820

In 1820, he was living in Emmanuel County, Georgia with his wife Mary and the following children: 1. John Rewis, Jr. 1802-1870 married to Nancy Wilkerson

2. Easter Rewis 1805 married to Charles McCollough

3. Robert Daniel Rewis 1809-1856 married to Bethany Anderson

4. Susan Rewis 1810 married to Benjamin D. Davis

5. Matilda Rewis 1810 married to Josiah Sikes

6. James Jackson Rewis 1811-1880 married to Jensy Powell

7. Mary Ann Rewis 1812 unmarried??

By 1830, John Rewis and his family moved into Tattnall County, Georgia. Again he was granted lands in Tattnall County and by the time of his death around 1843 he had accumulated around 1,947 acres of land in the Georgia Tax District 351 on Wolf’s Creek in Tattnall County, Georgia.

Not much is known about his early life. He did leave a will^[8] where he left his property to his wife Mary who was described as “obedient and loving” for her widowhood and modest bequests to his sons when they became of age. It was thought that in his earlier years he had worked in the deer hide trade, then later as a farmer. Mary is thought to have been a Native American, nothing is known about her background except she claimed to have been born Circa 1774 in South Carolina and died after the 1850 census. In the past the family name has been recorded as Rewis, Ruas, Ruis, Ruise, and Ruiz. Most today use the Rewis form of the name.

John & Mary Rewis left many descendants in Tattnall County, and the State of Georgia. Their lives were ones of hard work, resourcefulness and sacrifice for their family and our country. We are grateful for John Rewis’ service in the War of 1812 which has helped secure the freedoms we enjoy today.

John Rewis will, page 1

John Rewis will, page 2

Sources

1. ↑ from "A History of Montgomery County, Georgia to 1918", pp 154 & 155; by Robert Scott Davis, Jr.
2. ↑ John Ruis received 400 acre land grant in Emanuel County, Georgia
3. ↑ John Rewis received 180 acres land grant in Emanuel County, GA
4. ↑ John Rewis, United States Census, 1820
5. ↑ John Bens, United States Census, 1830
6. ↑ John Ruis, United States Census, 1840
7. ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #155879306
8. ↑ Will of John Rewis, page 1, proved 3 July 1843

Bibliography

• from "A History of Montgomery County, Georgia to 1918", pp 154 & 155; by Robert Scott Davis, Jr.
• John Rewis received 180 acres land grant in Emanuel County, GA
• John Ruis received 400 acre land grant in Emanuel County, Georgia
• "United States Census, 1820", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHLX-V71 : 16 July 2015), John Rewis, 1820.
• List of names of persons of color registered in Emanuel County, Georgia, 1820
• United States Census, 1830, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHGG-WRK : 19 November 2020), John Bens, Tattnall, Georgia, United States; citing 378, NARA microfilm publication M19, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 20; FHL microfilm 7,040.
• United States Census, 1840, database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XHBZ-B65 : 19 December 2020), John Ruis, Tattnall, Georgia, United States; citing p. 271, NARA microfilm publication , (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll ; FHL microfilm .
• "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q2SM-RFND : 3 August 2020), John Rewis, ; Burial, Collins, Tattnall, Georgia, United States of America, Rewis Cemetery #1; citing record ID , Find A Grave: Memorial #155879306.
• Will of John Rewis, proved 3 July 1843