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251    REEVES, GEORGE FAMILY CEMETERY [Circa 1800]

Location - In Bingham Township off an extension of Ford Rd (SR #1949), on the south verge of the road in an area where land development was in progress in 2006.

Coordinates: 35d 52m 54.3s N; 79d 10m 37.9s W Click here for Online Maps

Survey - On 3 Mar 2006 Milton Forsyth was taken to the site by Mr. Carl S. Durham, who resided nearby. Mr. Durham provided information on the Reeves family based on his research; Milton Forsyth surveyed and photographed the cemetery.

Graves, Marked - There are two marked graves, and another where possibly the grave marker has fallen into the grave.

Graves, Unmarked - There are at least 6 unmarked graves indicated by fieldstones.

Status - A part of this 50 ft N-S by 15 ft E-W overgrown cemetery is surrounded by a partially fallen rock wall about 2 ft high; the remainder is partially enclosed by rocks. The area in the NE corner where George and Harriett Reeves are buried is chaotic with brambles, fallen limbs and fallen rocks; it is here where there may be a stone fallen into a grave. The site of the old Reeves family farmhouse is nearby, marked by foundation rocks. View of the cemetery from the south.

Comment - George Reeves, Jr., occupation "Hatter", of Orange County acquired 250 acres on Terrell's Creek from Anderson Strowd in April, 1810 and was given 180 acres by his father, George Reeves, Sr. in the same area in May, 1810. His father gave him an additional 100 acres in 1818. [See O. C. DB 13:326 and 363, and DB 18:399 - the 280 acres from his father was an original grant to John Buckner]. In 1822 George Reeves, Jr. was executor for the estate of his father [Will of George Reeves, O. C. WB D-605, 1821; DB 19:357, 21:187]. George Reeves, Jr. apparently died in 1825 (burials below). In 1838 the land of George Reeves, Jr., dec'd - 530 acres, the same total amount as above - was divided between "Spencer S. Reeves and Harriet Reeves his only heirs-at-law." [DB 28:208] There is mention of the "widow dower line" in this division, which suggests that the widow (name unknown) of George Reeves, Jr. lived on at least a portion of the property from 1825 until about 1838, when she died. Spencer S. Reeves married Ann E. Duncan by Bond dated 17 Jul 1839; no record was found for his sister Harriet in Orange County. It is reasonable to expect that George Reeves, Sr. was buried here when he died in 1821/22 (no wife was mentioned in his will). There is a story in the Durham family that a brother of this family killed his sister, who may be the Harriett on the burial listing, and he was hanged for the crime and buried outside the boundry of this cemetery. [All information on the Reeves family from Carl S. Durham]

1. Reeves, George   (b. Abt 1779 - d. 23 Sep 1825)
Inscription: "Sacred to the Memory of George Reeves who departed this life Sep 23, 1825 in the 46th year of his age. There remaineth a Rest to the People of God" [from Hebrews: 4:9]
2. Reeves, Harriett A.   (b. Abt 1789 - d. 13 Jan 1817)
Inscription: "Sacred to the memory of Harriett A. Reeves who departed this life Jan 13, 1817: in the 28th year of her age". Footstone: H. A. R.