REEVES

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. Proverbs 22:1

In my research, I have found Reeves historians accept the consensus that most of the American family  descends from Robert and Joan Ryves of Dorsetshire, England. Robert being the earliest record that  can be found, who was born about 1490 and died February 11, 1551. He was buried in the old church of  St. Peter and St. Paul in Blandford. As one family historian writes: Many Genealogists find  difficulty in locating family records -- not so with the Reeves'. Records are abundant because this  family was prominent both politically and religiously.

It is the family's religious aspect, or it's faith and fear in God that I am most proud of.  Generation after generation, I see the acknowledgement of God, handed down until eventually coming  to me personally. Solomon tell us in Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and  when he is old he will not depart from it."
 Thank God for those before me, in whom these words rang true, for I'm sure that I follow Jesus today  because of the faithful ancestors I was privileged to follow.

I believe that we can trace our family line back to Robert and Joan of early England, but for this  site, I will only deal with Buncombe and Madison County, North Carolina and the earliest Reeves in  the area's history, James Reeves.

Robert Ryves b. Abt. 1490 Blandforum, Dorset, England
 John Ryves b. Abt. 1514 Blandforum, Dorset, England
 Richard Ryves b. Abt. 1547 Dorset, England
 Timothy Rives b. Abt. 1588 Dorset, England
 William Rives b. Abt. 1636 Woodstock, England
 William Rives b. Abt. 1680 Surry, Virginia
 Isaac Samuel Reeves b. Abt 1722 Granville County, North Carolina James Reeves b. Abt 1750 Rowan County, North Carolina
 Wells Reeves b. Abt. 1800 North Carolina
 Malley W. Reeves b. 1835 North Carolina
 Amos Stackhouse Reeves b. 1883 Walnut, North Carolina
 Amos Kenneth Reeves b. 1925 Walnut, North Carolina
 Kenneth James Reeves b. 1955 Port Huron, Michigan

And the sons become the fathers, 
 And their daughters will be wives
 As the torch is passed from hand to hand
 And we struggle through our lives
 Though the generations wander, the lineage survives
 And all of us, 
 From dust to dust, 
 We all become forefathers 
 By and by

Dan Fogelberg