The Layrle family were German Lutheran immigrants who are thought to have come from Konstanz, Germany, near the border of Switzerland. Although our earliest documented Layrle ancestor is Johann Christoph Layrle who arrived in Philadelphia in 1754, family lore indicates his father may have been a Soloman Layrle, born in Konstanz in 1681. Family legend indicates there were Layrle’s as far back as the early 1500s and that some were involved with Martin Luther in the Protestant Reformation. Muh of the family records from 1517-1681 were apparently lost or destroyed in 1904. The name has been found spelled numerous different ways including Leierle, Leyerle, Lierle, Lyarly, Lyerley, etc.1
Johann Christoph Layrle
According to family tradition, Johann had come earlier in 1736 as a missionary and school teacher to a German speaking colony near Charleston, South Carolina. He returned to Germany before arriving back in Philadelphia in 1754. What is known for sure is that Johann was a passenger on the ship Richard and Mary which arrived on 30th September 1754, where he appears on a list of passengers who took the oath that day. The title of the list reads: “The Foreigners whose names are underwritten imported on the ship Richard & Mary John Moore Master from Rotterdam and last from Cowes? Inhabitants of the Dukedom of Wertenberg did this day take the usual oaths and declarations.”2 Württemberg is in the southern part of Germany.
From the Richard and Mary Passenger List
Liley-Lyerly and Related Families claims that Johann was married three times, first to Christina, then to Barbara, then to Anna Maria Christina. It furthermore claims that Johann married Christina in Harper’s Ferry, Virginia where he lived for a brief time. So far, any record of this first marriage or his residence there has yet to be found.
In his Revolutionary War Pension Record, his son Zechariah stated “that he was born in Culpeper County State of Virginia as well as he recollects, having no record of his age on the 2d day of June in the year 1755 – that he continued to live in said County & State until he was 8 or 10 years of age when his parents removed to Rowan County North Carolina.”3 This indicates that Johann lived in Culpeper County as early as 1755 and moved around 1764-1766. In 1763, the Culpeper County Court appointed Christopher “Lyrle” administrator of Christian Reapman.4 In 1765, Christopher Layrle and his wife Barbara sold 100 acres of land to Mumford Stevens in Culpeper County.5 This may represent their move from Virginia to North Carolina.
Johann Christoph Layrle was a member of the Organ Church in Rowan County where Reformed and Lutherans worshipped. In 1771, being in need of teachers and helpers for the churches in the area, they, along with other churches asked Governor William Tryon that Christopher “Layrele” and Christopher “Reintelmann” be allowed to go to England to solicit for aid. The records from St. Luke’s Church include resolutions and information on their petitions and travels. The records state “that two of their members namely Christopher Layrle and Christopher Reintelmann are deputed by them humbly to beg of the protestant brethren and other friends to the Kingdom of Christ in England Holland Germany their benevolence and charity to enable them in supporting a learned and orthodox protestant minister, in order that the means of grace may be duly administered and the Kingdom of our blessed Lord Jesus Christ be likewise established and propagated among them.”6 In 1772, the two men traveled down to Charleston, South Carolina and from there sailed to Europe and traveled several countries asking for aid. They returned to North Carolina in the fall of 1773 with Rev. Adolph Nussmann (1732-1794) and a teacher named Johann Gottfried Arends (Arndt) (1740-1807) who was later ordained as a Lutheran minister. Rev. Nusmann became the founder of the Lutheran Church in North Carolina. His second wife was Barbara Lyerly, daughter of Johann Christoph Layrle.
In 1780, Christopher “Lyarly” bought 398 acres “on both sides of the Mill Branch of Dutch Second Creek” in Rowan County.”7
Johann Christoph Layrle wrote his will on 12 Oct 1784. It was written in German. He mentions his wife Anna Maria Catherine and his children Zachariah, Peter, Christopher, Jacob, Margaret, Barbara, and Catherine. Interestingly he refers to his son Christopher as “a natural son of his mother” which could indicate he was not Johann Christoph’s biological son. Johann gave to his wife “the chest, with all the linen, and the clothes that I brought along from Germany.” Although the available transcription of his will erroneously states “As executor of this my will, I appoint and authorize Conrad Friedrich,” there are actually clearly two names given in the executors statement in the original. The first is Conrad Keiker. The second appears to read Friederich Grimmice, which would be Frederick Grimminger.8
Catherine Lyerly
In 1852, Frederick Krimminger Jr. gave testimony in court about his father Frederick Sr.’s service in the Revolutionary War. He stated that “Fred: left a widow (Cath:) who died 17th July 1843. Fred: & Cath: married in N. C. in 1782. Children left: Dept & Christopher.” Later in the record he gives further details: “That said Frederick Kriminger Senr left a widow whose name was Catherine and that said widow died on the 17th day of July in the year 1843 which has been fully proven to the satisfaction of said court that Fredrick Kriminger and Catherine were married in the county of Rowan and State of North Carolina. That they were married in the year 1782 – that her name before her marriage was Catherine Lyerly. And that when the said widow died she left two children Christopher Kriminger aged 66 years and myself, this applicant.” Jacob Shuping gave testimony that he “recollects well when Fred Kriminger was married which was in the year 1782 that he married a woman by the name of Catherine Lyerlie who was a cousin of his (sd J. Shupines) he further states that he recollects the time of his marriage from the fact that he received a whipping on that day from his father for crying to go with him & my mother to the weding.”9 The family of Johann Christoph Layrle appear to be the only ones by that surname in Rowan County at this time, so this must be Johann’s daughter Catherine. The family may have lived with her brother Jacob after Frederick Sr.’s death around 1786. In the 1790 census, Jacob is listed with two boys under 16 along with two females in the household.10 Jacob is thought to have only just married about 1790, so the extra female and two boys in the household could very well be Catherine Krimminger and her two sons.
The Love family appears to have come to Pennsylvania as part of the Scotch-Irish migrations from around the 1730s. Tradition indicates that there were three brothers, Alexander, James and Robert, who all migrated down from Pennsylvania to South Carolina. Albert Cook Myers, in his book Immigration of the Irish Quakers into Pennsylvania states concerning Alexander Love and his wife Margaret Cook: “After living some years in York County they removed to near the present town of Yorkville, South Carolina, where Alexander became a prominent citizen, serving as a member of the Provincial Congress of S. C.”1 Alexander died in 1784 and was buried at Bethesda Presbyterian Church in York County.2 James Love, who styled himself as a Weaver of Craven County, South Carolina in his will, died in 1760.3 Robert, from whom we descend, appeared in South Carolina before 1762 when he was granted 163 acres in what was described as Anson County, North Carolina, but states that the land was “on Both Sides of Hanging Rock Creek Including his own Improvements,” which would be current day Lancaster County, South Carolina.4
Robert Love
In a deed dated the 11th year of the reign of George III (1771), Robert Love of Craven County, South Carolina, and his wife Violet, sold some land to Samuel Barnet of Tyrone County, North Carolina. The deed was registered in Lincoln County, North Carolina, but describes land on Bullocks Creek and Broad River which would be current day York County, South Carolina.5 In addition to the 163 acres he obtained in 1762, Robert received numerous acres of land laid out to him between 1768 and 1774. There are plats for most of these available at the South Carolina State Archives (see article Analysis of Love Land and Property for a list of these). Much of the land is in and around present day Hanging Rock, which is also where the original 1762 grant was.
Plat For 300 Acres On Hanging Rock Creek for Robert Love6
Most of what is known of Robert’s family is supplied by the Revolutionary War Pension Records of his sons Hezekiah, William and Samuel. Hezekiah’s pension application file includes a family bible which appears to list Robert and Violet’s family. It includes in the marriage section that “Robert Love was Married to Vilet Wilson in Chester County at the forks of brandy wine in pensulvania about 1738.” This serves to provide evidence that he may have been connected to Alexander Love who also had been in Pennsylvania earlier in the 1700s as previously stated. The first section of births listed in the bible includes Hezekiah and appears to be the children of Robert and Violet. The children were: James, Margaret, Robert, “Vilet,” John, Mary, Hezekiah (b. 1751), William, Joel, and Samuel.7
The pension record indicates that Hezekiah Love lived in Chester County, South Carolina at the time he enlisted in the Revolutionary War. It also states he was born in Chester in 1752. Oddly, the Bible states he was born in 1751 and he stated in his pension record he had no record of his age. This likely indicates the year 1751 was a later addition to the Bible record. He stated in Oct 1832 that he moved to Tennessee sometime after the war, then to Alabama, then back to Tennessee “February last.” Hezekiah lived in Roane County, Tennessee and died 11 Jun 1833.
Rachel Love of Smith County, Tennessee, widow of William Love, testified in 1839 and following years about her husband’s service in the Revolution.8 Her husband had “enlisted as a regular soldier at the hanging Rock in South Carolina his residence was near Camden in that State.” She additionally stated “She did not know who were officers in the regular Army of South Carolina. Her own Brother was out at different times and Hezikiah Love a Brother to William Love, was out also the first a Captain of a Militia Company and the latter a Lieutenant under him but these were not in the Continental line but were called upon by General Sumpter.” This proves this William is the son of Robert and Violet because of the reference to Hezekiah as a brother. Rachel stated that she married William in Dec 1787 and that he died 18 Feb 1821. Arthur Brandon of Smith County testified that “he was acquainted with William Love husband of Mrs Rachel Love formerly Rachel McCool.” John Brandon testified that William and Rachel were married in Union County or district, South Carolina on the banks of the broad River, and that they lived in Chester County.
James Love, the eldest son and heir of Robert, is known as James Love of Grannies Quarters, a location in Kershaw County. He is identified primarily by a deed from 1786 in which he is referred to as “James Love heir at Law son of Robert Love deceased.” It describes the land as “three hundred acres more or less the land offby grant to Robert Love bearing date April the tenth one thousand seven hundred and seventy five.” In a second deed from 1787 he sold more of the granted land stating that it was granted “to Robert Love Father of the said James Love and the said James Love being heir at Law to the Estate of the said Robert Love Decd.” These deeds indicate that Robert had died before late 1786. James’s wife Margaret is listed on the deeds with him.9 In 1790, James was living in Chester County when he gave two acres of land in Lancaster County to what would become known as the Hanging Rock Presbyterian Church. The deed states: “unto the Decenting Presbyterian Society of the Hanging Rock to the trustees to be hereafter appointed who have associated themselves together with others by the name of Decenting Presbyterian Society for Religious purposes and having divine service performed (at a place on the waters of Hanging Rock Creek in late Lancaster County and State of South Carolina aforesaid known by the name of James Love old place whereon stands a Meeting house)…hath freely & voluntarily by these presents bound himself to make good and sufficient titles in law to two acres of land which shall include the land or lots whereon the present meeting now stands as also including the spring to the Westward of said house…that it be to and for the use of the said Decenting Presbyterian Society to be applied to the use and support of a Meeting house of Public Worship and for no other use intents or purpose whatsoever.” John Love, presumably his brother, witnessed the deed. Many of the Scots-Irish were Presbyterians. It appears the Loves were no exception. Given that this was the only Presbyterian Church in that area of Lancaster County, it’s likely many of the Love family who stayed in Lancaster County were buried there, although very few graves remain marked to this day. Kershaw County Equity Bills of Partition from 1823 state that James Love “departed this life intestate sometime in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and … leaving considerable real estate situated on the waters of Granneys Quarter Creek…leaving Margaret Love his widow – Robert Love, and James Love together with your orator and oratrixes aforesaid his children & his heirs at law.” The orators included John and Margaret McKain, William Love, Nathan and Mary Campbell and John Love.10
Samuel Love
Samuel Love, son of Robert and Violet, was listed in Lancaster County in the census records from 1790 through 1830. Wilson Love, presumably his son S. W. Love, was listed next door in 1830.11 They are listed nearby some Ingram, Horton and Cauthen families, surnames that are associated with the Hanging Rock area.
Samuel, like several of his brothers, fought in the Revolutionary War. In 1832, he testified in open court of his service in the war for his pension, a record which yields a number of interesting details of his life.12 He stated that he was born in Lancaster County, but did not recollect the year of his birth and did not have a record of his age. However, he did state that he was 73 or 74 years old, which would place his birth around 1759. His brother Hezekiah was born in 1752 in Chester County according to his own testimony. If both of these are correct, it would likely indicate that the parents Robert and Violet Wilson moved from Chester County to Lancaster between 1752 and 1759. These locations are retroactive references as these counties did not come into existence until 1785.
Samuel was living on Beaver Creek in Kershaw County in fall or winter 1777 when he entered service in the Revolution. He additionally stated his location of residence as Camden and stated that he joined as a substitute for James Russell in Capt. Thomas Creighton’s company under Col. Kershaw. His first service lasted three months. He also served for three months in 1778 under Capt. Creighton, two months in 1779 under Capt. John McCool, seven or eight months including summer of 1779 under Capt. James Read, three months in the summer of 1780 under Capt. Dowell, and eight or nine months in the winter of 1780 under Capt. Jones. He engaged in the battles of Hanging Rock, Camden Ferry and McDonald’s Ferry. During his time under James Read who was under Gen. Thomas Sumter, he engaged in the Battle of Hanging Rock which took place near where his family lived on 6 Aug 1780.
In 1790, Samuel was listed in Lancaster County on the census with only one woman in the household besides himself, presumably his wife. One of his daughters was born in 1797 and it appears the rest of his children were born late 1790s or early 1800s. Samuel’s wife was named Margaret according to several deeds, including one from 1817 in which they sold one hundred acres “lying on the head Branches of Lynches Creek.”13 She appears as Marjory on the 1840 census after Samuel’s death.14
A great-grandson Willie Crimminger (1864 – 1946) was interviewed by one of his daughters and recorded a number of interesting items he related pertaining to the Love family. According to her notes, “Great-great-grand-father Love had at least three children. One of them followed the others across a foot log when he was very tiny, about a year and a half old, fell in and was drowned. The others, coming back, found him in the creek.”
Hanging Rock is located about two miles south of current day Heath Springs. Before Heath Springs was formed, that entire areas was known as Hanging Rock and the springs were known as the Hanging Rock Mineral Springs. The Love family lived somewhere in the Heath Springs to Hanging Rock area and owned large amounts of land there. The springs were quite popular and there was an Inn that existed for a time for visitors to stay. Tradition indicates that there was a race track that ran around a field by the Inn.15
The information from Willie Crimminger indicates that the Love house was burned and rebuilt and eventually was lived in by Oscar and Mary Reeves for a time.16 It states: “When the Love home was burned the first time a new house was built above it. This one was the one Mary and Oscar Reeves lived in and which was burned by children playing in the fire. The chimney was built in 1885 for another house.” Willie gave some further details about the Love house and property: “The Love farm had apple orchard and peach orchard. There were about three acres in fruit trees. There were many apples. They used to make cider. When Grandpa took over the Love farm, he planted the orchard in cane and the trees died. There were also plum trees.” (Grandpa is a reference to Willie’s father Robert Crimminger). He further described the chain of custody of the property, stating: “Sam Emmons for some reason owned the Love farm and Grandpa bought it from him.” Willie also described the Love home (either the original or rebuilt one) as follows: “Their house had two rooms, one upstairs and ono downstairs. Curtains were hung about to divide it into rooms. The kitchen was a separate building and was reached by a boardwalk, possibly with a shelter.” Additionally, he stated: “There was a spring on the Love place. Stables were this side of the first Love home. When it burned, the new home was built 300 or so yards nearer the stables. Grandpa used the same stables. Once they were torn down and rebuilt, the rotten logs being replaced.”
The above comments from Grandpa Crimminger appear to indicate that the Love home was burned twice. Other records fill out more details on the first fire. In his 1832 testimony for his pension for service in the Revolutionary War, Samuel stated “when he left the service he received a discharge signed by Col. Kershaw, but the same was destroyed some five or six years passed when his house and all his possessions burned.” This would indicate the house burned around 1826 or 1827. More exact details come from a petition to the General Assembly dated 22 Nov 1826 asking for restitution for a slave who was executed for “house burning.” The petition states that “on the 27 day of March 1826 a certain negro man slave the property of your petioner (sic) named Moses was tried by a court of magistrates & freeholders in the District aforesaid for house burning that the said Court found said slave guilty of the charge & passed sentance (sic) of deth (sic) upon him which sentence was been executed…the said court & freeholders appraised & valued the said negro man Moses at one Hundred and twenty two Dollars – your petioner (sic) therefore humbly prays that your honourable body may direct that the above sum of money be paid over to him.”17
This was not the end of Samuel’s trouble with slaves. According to family tradition, he was killed in 1835 or 1836 by a disgruntled slave. A more exact date is supplied from his Revolutionary War Pension Record. Across one of the cover pages is written: “Died Apr 16 1835.” The record also contains a letter written to the Commissioner of Pensions from the Planters & Mechanics Bank of South Carolina in Charleston, dated 11 Dec 1835, which states that Samuel Love “died pr certificate 16 April 1835.”
Samuel Love had accumulated a rather large amount of land before he died. (See article Analysis of Love Land and Property for further details) Margaret Love was left a widow with a rather large amount of land. Some of the deeds help identify the heirs of Samuel Love and show that Margaret was left with some financial difficulties. Samuel apparently left a will, but this doesn’t appear to be extant due to the loss of most Lancaster County probate records during the Civil War. In 1835, Samuel W. Love transferred “my distributive share of my Father Samuel Love estate agreeably to his last Will and Testament” to “Frederic” Criminger.18 In 1839, Frederick Crimminger sold his “distribution share of Samuel Loves estate agreeably to his last Will and Testament” to David H. Reddin.19 Later in a mortgage concerning four slaves in which Frederick Crimminger and Margaret Love were mortgagers, Frederick specifies he was mortgaging “all the right title or interest I may have in or be entitled to under the will of my wife’s father Saml Love decd as well as by purchase from Saml W Love.” What appears to be a complete list of the heirs of Samuel and Margaret is provided in an 1845 deed after her death, in which S. W., Sarah, Joel, and Abigail Love, Frederick and Mary Crimminger, and Mary Jane Catoe sold some land to Evan Rollings. The deed was for 75 acres “refering to a resurvey for a particular discription resurveyed by Wm McDonald 11 day of May 1830.”20 An earlier 1833 deed reveals that Samuel W. Love’s wife was named Sarah.21 There was also a declaration from a private examination of Abigail Love giving her consent for the 1845 deed which was recorded later in the same deed book which states she was the wife of Joel Love.22 In fact, an abstract of various early Camden newspapers cites an announcement from 10 May 1828 from the Camden Journal which reported on the marriage of Joel Love to Miss Abigail “Healton” (Hilton), both of Lancaster District, on 23 April.23
Southern Patriot, 3 Jan 1843
Margaret Love declared bankruptcy in late 1842 according to a news item in the Southern Patriot. A hearing was to be held on 16 Jan 1843 in Charleston. Deed records indicate probable financial troubles in previous years leading up to this. Joel Love appears to have had some troubles in 1839. There was a court case of some sort that resulted in Sheriff Leroy Secrest putting all the “goods & chattels, lands & tenements of Joel Love” up for public sale to the highest bidder. Hagans, Tuttle, & Samuel B. Emmons were the highest bidder and so bought the land. The deed states it was at least 100 acres on which Joel Love lived, as well as his interest in 500 acres “whereon Mrs. Love lives.”24 In 1842, Frederick Crimminger and Margaret Love began jointly mortgaging various parts of her estate, including four slaves and 1000 acres which is specified by Margaret as “the plantation whereon I now live.”25,26,27 The land was mortgaged to Sheriff John Adams and it appears they lost this land. In 1846, Sheriff John Adams sold to Samuel B. Emmons the 1000 acre tract “whereon Margaret Love decd lately resided.”28 When Margaret had mortgaged the land in 1842, it mentions land adjoining this property was owned by William Ingram, Widow Horton, Evan Rollins, John & James Reeves and Susanna Caston. The 1846 deed from Sheriff Adams to Samuel B. Emmons is dated 17 Jan 1846 and mentions neighbors Jeff Horton, Evan Rollins, (blank) Reaves, and “others.” There are three deeds from Samuel B. Emmons, two of which are dated 7 Feb 1846, and one undated although probably made at the same time, which may involve much of this Love land. The first is for 179 acres on both side of Little Lynches Creek to William Bowers, bordering Robert Criminger, estate lands of Samuel Caston, and James Reeves. Robert A. Criminger and Evan Rollins witnessed the deed.29 The second deed is to Evan Rollins for an unspecified amount of land on Little Lynches Creek bordering William Bowers, James Reaves, Evan Rollins, and Robert Bowers. Robert A. Criminger and William Bowers witnessed this deed.30 The final one is to Robert A. Criminger in which he bought 268 acres on the north side of Little Lynches Creek, bordered by Lucy Ingram and estate lands of Samuel Caston.31 Although it does not state the source of this land, it would appear that this is how Robert Criminger came to own the original Love home and part of the property, as his son Willie indicated was the case in the interview previously cited. While most of the land described in deeds as belonging to Robert, John, and James Love was on Hanging Rock Creek which is just south of modern day Heath Springs, most of the Love property belonging to Samuel and Margaret appears to be on and around Little Lynches Creek. Robert’s portion is specified as on the north side of Little Lynches Creek, which would appear to be north-east of current day Heath Springs.
Children of Samuel Love
As already mentioned, the heirs of Samuel and Margaret Love as specified in an 1845 deed were S(amuel) W., Sarah, Joel, and Abigail Love, Frederick and Mary Crimminger, and Mary Jane Catoe. Based on deeds and other records, we know that Sarah was Samuel W.’s wife and Abigail was Joel’s wife. According to some notes by Grandpa Willie Crimminger’s daughter Sarah Ola Crimminger Nettles, she reports “my father said his mother, Mary Jane, and father, Robert Adam were first cousins.”32 Robert was a son of Frederick Crimminger and Mary Love as already inferred from the above discussion. And Mary Jane is the Mary Jane Cato who was one of the apparent heirs as appears in the 1845 deed just mentioned. This would indicate that Mary Jane Cato’s mother was indeed a Love, a daughter of Samuel and Margaret, as Grandpa Crimminger indicated.
Mary Love Crimminger/Krimminger
Mary Love, daughter of Samuel and Margaret, was born 8 Apr 1797 according to her headstone. Not much is known of her life. An item in the Camden Gazette announced her marriage to Frederick “Criminger” in 1816.
Camden Gazette, 29 Aug 1816
The Crimminger family generally spelled the name with a “C” in South Carolina, while many of the records appearing in North Carolina use the “K” spelling. Her husband Frederick owned a store on the outskirts of current day Heath Springs. Due to crop failure, he had to close the store and they moved to Cabarrus County, North Carolina, probably about 1845. When they moved they left their son Robert Adam Crimminger behind to take care of the aging grandmother Margaret Love. According to the deeds, she was deceased by early 1846, so he likely was managing her affairs for only a short period. Mary died on 29 Jan 1855 and her husband Frederick in 1861. They are buried in a family graveyard in Cabarrus County, where her headstone refers to her as “Mary Wife of Fredk. Krimminger.”33
Mother Love
In the mid-1900s, Buena Crimminger Feeney, a daughter of Grandpa Willie Crimminger, wrote a story entitled “Mother Love” telling the story of the Krimminger/Crimminger and Love families, along with the mysterious Mr. Cato, the father of Mary Jane Cato. The book is historical fiction and makes fascinating reading. While it includes a number of changes to names or other details, and includes many episodes which were probably entirely made up, it does incorporate most of the stories and details provided by Willie Crimminger and other records about the family. The story begins around the 1790s and ends in 1846 when Robert Crimminger and Mary Jane Cato were married, subsequent to “Mother Love’s” (Margaret’s) passing. Although never published, the original type-written version has been scanned and converted to text and is available here.
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/13831408/alexander-love: accessed January 25, 2025), memorial page for Alexander Love (15 Jan 1718–3 Mar 1784), Find a Grave Memorial ID 13831408, citing Bethesda Presbyterian Church Cemetery, York, York County, South Carolina, USA; Maintained by Hope (contributor 46790939). ↩︎
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/23053454/mary-krimminger: accessed February 17, 2025), memorial page for Mary Love Krimminger (8 Apr 1797–29 Jan 1855), Find a Grave Memorial ID 23053454, citing Krimminger Family Graveyard, Cabarrus County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Terenda Curtis Wyant (contributor 47333875). ↩︎
Most of what we know about the early Barrett family comes from their connection to the Joyner family. Frederick Joyner Sr. mentioned “my daughter Ruth Barret” in his will from 1818.1 “Ruthy” Barrett is listed in the 1830 census in Lancaster County.2 There appears to be a Will Barrett (although it may be Barnett) listed next to Frederick Joiner in 1800.3 This is the only Barrett other than Rutha in the early census records. He may be the William Barrett living in Kershaw County in 1820. It therefore appears likely that this was the husband of Rutha and he had died before the 1830 census.
From various records pertaining to the estate of Frederick Joyner Jr. (see the Joyner article for details), Rutha is known to have had six children: Joyner D. Barrett, Wesley Barrett, Jasper Frederick Barrett, Emily Barrett Auten, Newton D. Barrett, and Sarah C. Barrett Kendrick.
The family had moved to Alabama by 1840 and is found listed in the census in Covington County.4 Some of the children are listed there as customers of a store operated by James B. Parker in the Rose Hill area of the County known at the time as Cauleysville.5
Rutha probably died before 1850 in Covington County as she is not listed on the 1850 census. Most of the children had moved to Tennessee and some back to South Carolina afterwards, all before 1850. Wesley is the only one who appears to have stayed later in Alabama. He appears in 1850 in Chambers County, Alabama living with a Martha, born about 1785 in North Carolina, and three children, William age 18, born in North Carolina, Thomas age 15, born in South Carolina, and Frances age 12, born in South Carolina.6 Given the age difference between him and Martha, perhaps this was a deceased sibling or relative’s family or perhaps Martha was a widow with children when he married her. Also, based on the list of customers of the store in Covington in the 1830s, Wesley was there during that time, but these Barretts were born in North Carolina and South Carolina during that same time. There is a Prestly Barrett living near the Barretts in 1840. The ages of the children match the ones living with Wesley in 1850, so this is either Wesley or a brother who died between 1840 and 1850.
Meanwhile, Newton, Jasper, Sarah Kendrick, and Emily Auten had all moved to Stewart County, Tennessee by 1844 when they appear in a criminal court case.7 The State charged Newton Barrett, James P. Kendrick and Jasper Barrett with falsifying bills of sale in order to help slaves run away. Newton appeared to be the main culprit. He was let out on bond put up by Wilie/Wiley Barrett, but then after the first part of the trial escaped custody and eluded capture.8 Rewards were offered but he was not apprehended. The court did not make Willie pay the bond. Newton and his family were living in Lancaster County in 1850,9 so it’s likely he traveled directly back to South Carolina. Jasper followed him back eventually, and they were both living in nearby Union County, North Carolina in 1860.10 Joyner D. Barrett was listed in Stewart County, Tennessee in 1860.11 It’s likely his family and the family of his sister Sarah Auten remained there. Sarah C. Kendrick eventually moved down to Georgia,12 where her husband James died in 1895.13
Clues to Early Barrett Family
The post 1870 census records include the birth state for each parent for every individual listed (but not the name). These census records for Wesley and Jasper who both lived long enough to appear in these records list that the father was born in North Carolina and the mother in South Carolina. This fits with the mother Rutha being being in South Carolina as the Joyners lived in Lancaster County at the time she would have been born. This also indicates that the father, William Barrett, was probably born in North Carolina. Interestingly the family cemetery where Newton and Jasper are buried is located in Union County, North Carolina, just across the border from Lancaster County. It is not known how they came to acquire that land or how far back it goes.
Another clue is the association with Wilie/Wiley Barrett in Tennessee. His name is spelled Wilie Barrett in the court record in which he held bond for Newton Barrett during the trial. Other records give his name as Wiley Barrett. He was listed as Wiley Barrett in the 1860 census,14 living in Stewart County, Tennessee, the same county the court cases are from. He is listed as 86 years old (thus born c1774) and born in North Carolina. Given the comparable age and birth state, this could be a brother of William Barrett.
Another clue has been provided by YDNA testing. A descendant of Wesley Barrett has participated in the Barrett YDNA Project (Kit #971664) and some of the closest matches descend from a George Allen Barrett (13 Apr 1776 – 30 Aug 1836) who is buried in the Bethsaida Cemetery Posey County, Indiana.15 Very little is currently known about George, but he is thought to have been from South Carolina and had connections to Virginia.
Newton D. Barrett
Newton was born 3 Sep 1820 in South Carolina, probably the next to youngest of the Barrett children. His appearance in the court records of Stewart County, Tennessee has already been mentioned.
It appears that we have Newton’s signature, which appears with very similar style, in both the receipt where he acted as attorney for Joyner D. Barrett in receiving the portion of his uncle Frederick Joyner Jr.’s estate, and also in the court record from Stewart County, Tennessee.
A page from his family Bible was shared on Ancestry by Paul Dean McDonald, a descendant of Newton by his first wife, and by comparison with these signatures it appears he probably wrote at least the entry for his birth date and wife’s birth date.
Barrett Family Bible Page shared by Paul Dean McDonald on Ancestry (user “pdmpp”)
Barrett Family Bible Pages shared by Paul Dean McDonald on Ancestry (user “pdmpp”)
Newton was married twice. First to Mary E. Barnett by whom he had children: William Jackson Barrett, Eliza Jane Barrett, Robert Angas Barrett, Newton Franklin Barrett, Mary Matilda Barrett, and Martha Alice Barrett. A number of these children died in infancy and are buried along with Newton and Mary in the Barrett Family Cemetery.16
As mentioned earlier, Newton was living in Lancaster County in 1850, but had moved to Union County by 1860. According to family knowledge recorded by Mr. William Barrett, Newton and Mary lived on or near the Charles Yarbrough Farm near Monroe in Union County.17
Newton’s first wife Mary died 10 Nov 1862.18 He remarried to Mary Catherine Blackmon, probably in 1864 or 1865. She was much younger, around twenty years old at the time, while he was about forty-five.
Newton was part of Company D, 1st (Butler’s) South Carolina Infantry during the Civil War. He enlisted on 19 Oct 1863 in Lancaster under Capt Billings and is marked as present in later rolls.19
The story of Newton’s death is one that has been passed down the family and apparently verified at times in the past with those who had first hand knowledge of the situation. He died 6 Oct 1865. Here is the story as recorded in the Hinson book:
“The following comes from an interview with Brady Green, an elderly neighbor, who lives near the scene of Newton D. Barrett’s accidental death…In Reconstruction days a Mr. McCain owned land and had corn planted on a large area between the Green family farm and the present Hwy. #522. They received a report that some of the Negroes were stealing a lot of his corn at night. A posse was formed to catch them. In the darkness two men were spotted coming out of the corn field. Two shots were hastily fired and, later, they learned they had accidently killed Newton Barrett, a posse member. They agreed that Alex Nesbit’s shot had killed him. (Nesbit was a neighbor and friend.)”20
However, the local newspaper at the time had a different story to tell, one that makes Newton to be the culprit:
Lancaster Ledger, 14 Oct 1865
Newton’s young wife Mary Catherine was pregnant with their first child when Newton was killed. Newton’s children by his first wife Mary Barnett were raised by Newton’s brother Jasper F. Barrett who lived in Union County, just above Lancaster County. Jasper died in 1904, and he and his wife Elizabeth were buried in the Barrett family cemetery where Newton and his first wife Mary were buried. Jasper is not believed to have had any children.
Lancaster Ledger, 16 Jul 1904
The widow Mary Catherine remarried to William Estridge on 24 Oct 1875, about ten years after Newton’s death, and her son Albert Newton Barrett grew up in the Estridge household.
Charlotte Democrat, 8 Nov 1875
Mary Catherine died on 12 Nov 1926 and was buried in the Shamrock Baptist Church Cemetery in neighboring Kershaw County.
Mary Catherine Blackmon Barrett Estridge
Albert Newton Barrett
Grandpa Barrett as he was called by the older generation was born 13 May 1866 which was about seven months after his father was killed. He grew up in the Estridge household after his mother remarried and is listed with them in the 1880 census as “Albert Barret.”21
Albert worked at a cotton mill in Rock Hill at one point. Later, the family operated a farm.22 He married Lauran Ann Crimminger, daughter of Robert Adam and Mary Jane Crimminger, around 1886. They had five children: Mamie, Theodicia, Ben, Robert, and Carrie.
Albert Newton and Laura Ann Crimminger Barrett
According to his daughter Edna, Albert was given 67 acres around 1887 by his father-in-law Robert Crimminger. Albert build the house on the property about 1898 and added a bedroom and rebuilt the chimney around 1902-1904.
Lancaster Enterprise, 26 Sep 1900
Laura passed away in 1900 and left Albert with five young children, the youngest two years of age. Albert remarried to Mary Jane Vincent the next year. Together they had nine children, the first of whom, Martha, died as an infant. The other children were Katie, John, Chapman, Eva Mae, Ernest, Edna, Daisy, and Fred.
The Lancaster News, 27 Jul 1901
Grandpa Barrett enjoyed photography. An item in the newspaper from 1901 reporting on a reunion of the Jefferson J. Reeves family in the Primus section stated that “Mr. A. N. Barrett took a photograph of the group.”23
The local newspaper was often a way to share items of interest in the community and advertise local business and family news. The Lancaster News carried the following item in 1906:
The Lancaster News, 14 Nov 1906
A grandson, William Barrett, reported that Grandpa Barrett always had a car. He had a Ford Model-T and later a 1930’s era Chevy. The boys would sometimes sneak the car out at night and role it down to the creek before cranking it to go see their girlfriends. When they returned, they would shut it off at the top of the hill and coast down into the shed.24
The Barrett family began having reunions yearly around the time of Grandpa Barrett’s birthday mid-May and later moved it to the beginning of June. Reunions were held at the old family place and later often at nearby Oakhurst Baptist Church.
The Barrett House
Grandpa and Grandma Barrett lived in the house until 1951 when Grandma Barrett died. Afterwards Grandpa stayed with Uncle Chapman. In 1954, Grandpa went out one day to get the mail while Chapman was away. On his way back into the house, he was reading the newspaper and stumbled over a chair and broke his hip in the fall. While in the hospital, he contracted pneumonia and passed away.25
Edna Dixon Barrett Reeves
Grandmama Reeves, as our family called here, was born 22 Dec 1915.26 She grew up, along with all her siblings, at the house her father had built on Barrett Rd. She and Stanley “Granddaddy” Reeves were married 4 Nov 1933.27 They moved several times, eventually settling on some property on East St. in Heath Springs where they raised their family.
“State vs. Newton Barrett, James P. Kendrick, Jasper Barrett – Falsifying bills of sale to assist slaves in running away from John James and Daniel Luton” – Stewart Co., Tennessee Court Case, 1846 [Original] ↩︎
“State vs. Wilie Barrett – Forfeited recognizance bond in the state case vs. Newton Barrett” – Stewart Co., Tennessee Court Case, 1846 [Original] ↩︎
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25680313/j_p-kendrick: accessed December 3, 2024), memorial page for J P Kendrick (13 Nov 1809–20 Feb 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 25680313, citing Mount Olive Baptist Church Cemetery, East Point, Fulton County, Georgia, USA; Maintained by Sarah Locklin Taylor (contributor 46921363). ↩︎
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34301349/george-barrett: accessed December 5, 2024), memorial page for George Barrett (13 Apr 1776–30 Aug 1836), Find a Grave Memorial ID 34301349, citing Bethsaida Cemetery, Posey County, Indiana, USA; Maintained by New England Family (contributor 47735816). ↩︎
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/54628330/newton_d-barrett: accessed December 5, 2024), memorial page for Newton D Barrett (3 Sep 1820–6 Oct 1865), Find a Grave Memorial ID 54628330, citing Barrett Cemetery, Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Paul McDonald (contributor 46977293). ↩︎
Barrett, William Alexander. (2005) Our Barrett Family History, p26 ↩︎
Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/63746744/mary_e-barrett: accessed December 5, 2024), memorial page for Mary E. Barnett Barrett (28 Jul 1830–10 Nov 1862), Find a Grave Memorial ID 63746744, citing Barrett Cemetery, Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, USA; Maintained by Paul McDonald (contributor 46977293). ↩︎
Fold3.com. US, Civil War Service Records (CMSR) – Confederate – South Carolina, 1861-1865 ↩︎
Whitaker, Mary Hinson. Our Hinson Heritage in N.C. and S.C., p192 ↩︎
“South Carolina, County Marriage Licenses, 1911-1951”, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Z4SX-DQ2M : Sat Mar 09 05:42:50 UTC 2024), Entry for Stanley Boyd Reeves and Edna Dixon Barrett, 4 Nov 1933. ↩︎
Our earliest proven Joyner ancestor is Frederick Joyner who lived in Lancaster County, South Carolina, in the late 1700s and early 1800s. There were other Joyners who also settled there around that time, but evidence shows that Frederick is the ancestor of any Joyners living in Lancaster County after about 1790. Early records indicate the Joyners settled near the area called Hanging Rock. Later, Frederick and his family appear to have lived near the Camp Creek area of Lancaster County. According to the 1825 Mills map, they lived about four or five miles northwest of present day Heath Springs, where some of Frederick’s descendants still live.
Section of 1820 Lancaster Mills Map with “Joyner” marked
Early Joyner Family
Among the other Joyners in the area were Jeremiah, Nehemiah, and Joseph Joiner. These men served under Col. Richard Richardson in the Cherokee Expedition which took place 1759-1760.1 They were all from Camden District of Craven County at the time, an area which includes present day Lancaster County. A Lancaster deed from 1789 mentions that John Cornelius was married to Charity Joiner in March of 1776 by Rev. Thomas Stringer (or Stinger) of the Church of England, although it does not say where.2 Another deed from 1788 reports that Jeremiah Joiner of Lancaster County sold a “negroe wench Phillis about 40 years of age” to Charles Barber.3 In an earlier Lancaster deed from 1778, there is mention of Nehemiah Joiner Jr. who had previously owned a piece of land in Craven county on the north side of Wateree River adjacent to Wateree River.4 Frederick and Jeremiah are the only Joiners on the 1790 census in Lancaster County, and only Frederick and the members of his family appear thereafter.5 Jeremiah does not appear in Lancaster deeds after 1791. At this time, it is not known how these other Joyners are related to Frederick, although Nehemiah is suspected by some to be the father of Frederick as there is at least one record directly associating them.
There is a deed dated 18 Feb 1762 from Edgecombe County, North Carolina from Nehemiah Joyner Jr. to John Dew for some land in Edgecombe County.6 The deed states that Nehemiah was of Craven County, South Carolina. Craven County was one of the original Proprietary counties of South Carolina established in 1664. Although its boundaries were not well defined in includes much of the northern part of South Carolina including what would later be Lancaster County.
He appears to have had dealings in South Carolina much earlier. A notice in the Virginia Gazette from 1746 lists him among other deserted soldiers from Capt. Robert Hodgson’s Independent Company. It states that he was 22 years of age, born in Virginia (thus born circa 1724).
Virginia Gazette, 3 Jul 1746
The notice also states that he was thought to be “somewhere near one Cornelius’s, who lives either in Caroline or Goochland County.” It’s likely this is the same Cornelius family mentioned later in Lancaster County records. It has already been mentioned that a Charity Joiner married a John Cornelius in 1776 according to a later Lancaster deed. It’s likely therefore that this Charity was a daughter of Nehemiah.
Nehemiah Joyner Sr. was present in Edgecombe County, North Carolina by 1733 when he bought some land from John Scot.7 He was from the Isle of Wight County Virginia where a deed from 1729 gives his wife’s name as Elizabeth.8 The will of Thomas Joyner of the Isle of Wight, dated 21 Apr 1708, names Nehemiah as his son.9 This Thomas was the son of an elder Thomas who probably immigrated from England, appearing in Isle of Wight, Virginia by 1665, and died around 1695. The younger Thomas was the administrator for his estate.10
Although the records indicate a strong connection back to Thomas Joyner from Isle of Wight County, Virginia, YDNA testing from two of Frederick’s descendants reveal they are not connected to the family of Thomas Joyner from the Isle of Wight. Instead Frederick’s descendants show matches to men with surname Palmer and Tedder. This indicates that somewhere between Frederick and Thomas there was a break in the line due to adoption or illegitimacy.
Frederick Joyner Sr.
The earliest known record mentioning Frederick Joyner is a case entitled “The King Vs. Frederick Joiner and Nehemiah Joiner, Dismissed, Bonded, and Bound Over” from 1770.11 Frederick Joiner also had an Account Audited of Claims Growing out of the Revolution.12 These were accounts that allowed those who helped the war effort to received payment from the treasury. Frederick, listed under Camden District, claimed nine pounds, eight pence and six shillings for one black mare. The earliest record from Lancaster is his appearing on the bond along with Bailey Fleming for Glass Caston being appointed administrator on the estate of Andrew Walker, late of Hanging Rock Settlement in 1787, a Camden District record.13
Although Lancaster County probate records were destroyed during the Civil War, a certified copy of Frederick’s will survives in an equity case from Lancaster District that was filed in Kershaw District.14 The case was filed in 1825. The will, in which he spells his name “Frederic Joiner” was dated 28 Aug 1818. He mentions his wife Ruth and children Middleton, Daniel, Frederic, Green, William, “the legal heirs of my son John Joiner,” “the legal heirs of my daughter Sarah Hide,” “the legal heirs of Rebecca Wallis,” and “my daughter Ruth Barret.” He also mentions “my son in law James Wallis” and “my daughter-in-law Phebe Joiner.”
In addition to the connection to John Cornelius, Frederick may be closely related to the House and McDonald families. John Cornelius and Charity Joiner had a son named Roger Cornelius. In 1804, John and Thomas House brought suit against the minor heirs of John Cornelius.15 Witnesses in the case included Rebecca Wallace and Ruth Joiner, and one of the witnesses for the Cornelius children was Frederick Joiner (19). Ruth was Frederick’s wife and Rebecca Wallace was his daughter. The Cornelius family were some of the earliest of the Camp Creek settlers. The guardian of the Cornelius children was a George Wade (Jr.). The wife of George Wade Sr. was a Sarah McDonald (b. 1772), daughter of a Middleton McDonald and Elizabeth Reeves or Rives. This is interesting, given that one of Frederick’s children was named Middleton.
Rutha Joyner Barrett
Frederick mentions “Ruth Barret” as a daughter in his will. Her name in other records appears as Rutha Barrett. She may have been one of the eldest of Frederick’s children. “Ruthy” Barrett is listed in the 1830 census in Lancaster County.16 There appears to be a Will Barrett (although it may be Barnett) listed next to Frederick Joiner in 1800.17 This is the only Barrett other than Rutha in the early census records. He may be the William Barrett living in Kershaw County in 1820. It therefore appears likely that this was the husband of Rutha.
Rutha had moved to Covington County, Alabama by 1840. She was listed next to Joyner Barrett and “Prestly” Barrett in the census.18 The name “Prestly” is probably a mistaken misrecording of Wesley Barrett’s name. They apparently lived in the Rose Hill section of Covington County and near what at the time was known as Cauleysville. James B. Parker operated a store there on old Three Notch Rd in the 1830’s.19 A list of some of the customers with accounts at the store include the following:
Martha Barret
Barrett D. Joyner
Paul Auten
Wesley Barrett
Sarah C. Barrett
Daniel Barrett
F.J. Barrett
When Frederick Joyner Jr. died, he left no children and his siblings and their children were the heirs. The court had to put out a notice asking the heirs residing outside South Carolina to appear and answer the court concerning the division of Frederick’s Jr.’s real estate. Among the heirs listed are Wesley Barrett, Joyner D. Barrett, Emily Auten and husband Hall (sic) Auten, Jas. P. Hendrick (sic) and wife Sarah C. The individuals appear to be grouped in the list according to each family of the children of Frederick Sr. Together with the record from Parker’s store and later court records, Wesley, Joyner, Emily, and Sarah appear to the be the children and heirs of Rutha Barrett.
Camden Journal, 28 Nov 1849
Further clues are provided from the receipt records for the sale of real estate of Frederick Joyner. These records are scattered throughout the book and are receipts for money received at various times by the heirs for a tract of land sold to Simon Bennett on 4 Feb 1850. It makes clear that the deceased Frederick Joyner had eight brothers and sisters and left a widow who received half of the amount from the sale. There are five relevant entries, a summary of which is provided here:20
February 21, 1855 – $16.48 – Received By Hiram Joyner as a 1/6 of 1/8 of ½ as one of 6 children of Middleton Joyner, a deceased brother of Frederick Joyner
February 21, 1855 – $32.96 – Received share of Rhoda Summerville as a 1/3 of 1/8 of ½ as one of 3 children of Green Joyner, a deceased brother of Frederick Joyner – John M. Joyner (Received under Power of Attorney dated January 24, 1853)
May 12, 1855 – $16.70 – Received By Johnathan Wallace as a 1/6 of 1/8 of ½ as one of 6 children of Rebecca Wallace, a sister of Frederick Joyner
June 7, 1856 – $16.00 – Received share of Joyner D. Barrett as a 1/6 of 1/8 of ½ – Newton D. Barrett, Attorney (Received under Power of Attorney dated May 5, 1856)
September 8, 1857 – $29.00 – Received share of Wm. J. Joyner as a 1/3 of 1/8 of ½ – Samuel J. Caston, Attorney in fact (Received under Power of Attorney dated August 22, 1857)
The numbers indicate that Joyner received 1/6th of 1/8th of 1/2 share. The half was divided between the eight siblings. This implies that six heirs of Rutha received a share. The Returns book contains more details on the amounts allotted to each siblings families. Among the half given to the siblings, it states “6 Children of Rutha Barrett sister 4.72 5/8 gives Each – 78 2/3.”21 Since Newton D. Barrett received Joyner’s share as his attorney, this is strong indication that he was one of the children. Jasper F. Barrett who lived in Union County, North Carolina near Newton and who was buried in the same family cemetery is known to be a brother by family knowledge. Thus the complete list of Rutha’s children is: Joyner D. Barrett, Wesley Barrett, Jasper F. Barrett, Emily Barrett Auten, Newton D. Barrett, and Sarah C. Barrett Kendrick.
Our earliest proven Reeves ancestor is James Reeves Sr. (c1780s – 1844) who lived in the Rich Hill area of Lancaster County, South Carolina. Since early high-school, I’ve spent countless hours tracing out his descendants and researching other Reeves families he appears to connect to. A tree containing numerous descendants of James Reeves is available here.
Early History of the Reeve(s) Family
Y-DNA testing and research with The Reeves Project has revealed that James is closely related to an early Virginia Reeve family which includes brothers George and John who appear in the Northern Neck area (Northumberland County) in the early 1700s but settled in Prince William County by the mid-1730s. These brothers may be sons of an earlier Thomas Reeve(s) who was present in the Northern Neck in the early 1700s and probably migrated to Virginia from England as an indentured servant.
Two of George’s sons, John and Moses, appear in South Carolina in the Chester County area by the late 1770s. Information contained in the Revolutionary War Pension Record of John’s son Daniel indicates they were living in Chester County during part of the Revolutionary War. His cousin Jesse testified in the record and is known to be the son of Moses since he was given administration of Moses’s estate in Kershaw County. John appears to have moved into Lancaster County by 1790 where he is listed on the census and Moses moved into Kershaw County. Most of Moses’s family appear to have moved to Alabama and Tennessee. Two of John’s children, Daniel and William are known for certain, and both moved to Tennessee.
In addition to our James Reeves Sr. being confirmed as a relative of the Prince William County, VA family through my YDNA test, descendants of Reuben Reeves/Rieves of Maury Co., TN, William Reeves of Bedford Co., TN, and James B. Reeves (aka Asa Reeves) of Jackson Co., TN, all of whom moved from upper SC to TN in the early 1800s, are also known through YDNA testing of descendants to be related to the Prince William County, VA families of George and John Reeve(s). Since George’s sons John and Moses are the only ones from this family to appear in upper South Carolina for any length of time, it’s likely all of these are children of either John or Moses.
John appears in the 1790 census in Lancaster County.1 It’s possible he died there. However, there was a John who appears afterwards in Chesterfield County. Given that Reuben Reeves was also present in that area around the same time, it’s possible some of this family moved on to Chesterfield from Lancaster.
John’s son William owned some land in Lancaster County previous to moving to Tennessee. Since all of Moses’s family appears to have been associated with Kershaw County and moved on from there, it’s more likely that the Reeves who lived and remained in Lancaster County descend from John. There was an Elisha Reeves who also appeared in Lancaster County in the 1790 census with a young man under 16 in the household and disappears afterwards.2 Our James Reeves Sr. is thought to perhaps be either a son or a grandson of John and perhaps the son of this Elisha, with Elisha being a son of John. It is of note that Elisha appears several doors down from several of the Blackmon households in the 1790 census. The Blackmon family and our James Reeves’s families were continually neighbors and intertwined by marriage from the early 1800s forward.
James Reeves Sr. was born in the 1780s based on available census records. His eldest known child, John, was born around 1805, so it appears he married his first wife Betsy Garris before then. She was the daughter of Revolutionary War soldier Bedford Garris, whom she predeceased. The only known mention of her is in her father Bedford Garris’s probate record from 1835 which lists: “Elisha Reeves, James Reeves, John Reeves, Winny wife of W. P. Richardson and Jane wife of Amos Blackmon the children of a deceased daughter Betsy Reeves.”3 Bedford bought some land in Lancaster County in 1805. His pension record implies that he lived in South Carolina for about ten appears, approximately 1803-1813.4 Therefore James and Betsey likely married 1803-1805.
Betsey must have died between early 1815 when her youngest child Jane was born and 1825 when the eldest child of James by his second wife Bethenia Williams was born. Bethenia is believed to be the daughter of David Williams and Elizabeth Reeves. According to the Perry Belle Hough Papers, notes collected through various interviews and family information from older generations of Lancaster County residents, Elizabeth’s full name was Nannie Elizabeth Reeves.5 Historical records identify Mrs. Williams only as Nancy, not Elizabeth. She was born 1775-1778 and died 28 Feb 1865.6 Based on her age, it is thought she could have been a daughter of the John Reeves who moved from Prince William County to Lancaster County.
Not much is known about James himself. He owned land in several parts of Lancaster County, but lived in the area of the Rich Hill Crossroads. His will mentions the land he resided on as including “the dwelling house, mill house, gin and screw and all the other buildings on the said tract of land.”7 He also mentioned the “Mike Horton tract of land.” Equity and deed records list four tracts of land sold after his death: the Mike Horton tract of 525 acres bought by his son John Reeves, land by the Blackmon and Baskin families of 78 acres bought by Thomas Fleming, land by the Blackmons and Baskins of 200 acres bought by his son-in-law James A. Blackmon, and land by D. Haile, Susannah Baskin et al of 201 acres bought by John Taylor.8 The mortgage of John Taylor to Commissoner James H. Witherspoon refers to the deed and plat from the sale by Witherspoon to Taylor and states “the plat shows the 20 acres laid off to James C. McMullan the tract being known as the James Reeves old place.”9 The plat shows these 20 acres as being situated right below Primus Crossroads between Flat Creek Rd and Rocky River Rd, along Flat Creek Rd, approximately between current address number 4280 and 4338 Flat Creek Rd.10 There are two deeds from 181311 and 181412 in which James bought land along Rocky River Road from James Blackmon and David Miers which may have included this land.
Plat from 1845 Deed showing the 20 acres known as the “James Reeves old place”
Robert Mills, the famous designer of the Washington Monument and many other public buildings, published an Atlas of South Carolina in 1825 which included surveys of each county. The surnames of prominent residential households were often included on the map along with other locations of interest like mills and taverns. The map for Lancaster County was surveyed by J. Boykin in 1820.13 “Reeves” appears marked on the map just to east of Rocky River Road, perhaps about where Daisy Couch Rd connects to Rocky River Road today. Either the plat or Mill’s Map was just an estimate, or James must have moved up the road a bit, and possibly to the Flat Creek side of the property, by the time of his death. It is interesting to note that the map shows a mill located along Bear Creek about two miles west from the Reeves place where there is a fork in the creek. Notably his will mentions a “mill house, gin and screw,” although at the time this was apparently on the same piece of land as his house.
Section of 1820 Lancaster Mills Map with “Reeves” marked
On 7 July 1831, the Weekly Raleigh Register reported that James was offering a reward for three slaves named Frederick, Poll and Dolly who had run away, possibly taken by his son John to Georgia. It seems to imply John could have stolen them. The age of John given in this advertisement is off by about seven years based on later census records, which is surprising.
Weekly Raleigh Register, 7 July 1831
James Reeves Sr. died on 29 Jan 1844 according to his son-in-law James A. Blackmon’s Family Bible.14 In addition to his will, there are a number of equity court papers and deeds which name all of his children. Although it is not known where he was buried, his family seems to be consistently associated with Fork Hill Baptist Church, about two miles from where he lived. Three of his children, James Jr., Elizabeth H., and Melissa Caroline, along with a number of other Reeves, were baptized there during a famous Great Revival which took place there in 1839.15 No family cemetery has been located for the Reeves family. Therefore it’s likely James and most of his family were buried at Fork Hill.
James Brady Reeves Jr.
Although a middle name has not been found in records for James Sr., multiple records give his son’s name as Brady Reeves16 and he appears as James B. Reeves in numerous records. He was born around 1812 according to the census17 and lived his entire life in Lancaster County, listed as a farmer. His wife was named Frankey H. Reeves, and a court case concerning the estate of Ervin Sims includes “Franky H. Reeves, wife of James B. Reeves” as one of Ervin’s children.18 Interestingly, a “Hawkins Reaves” is listed next to James Jr. on the 1839 list of baptisms from the revival at Fork Hill. In addition, the Death Certificate for their son James Calvin Reeves appears to list the mother as Hawkins Reeves.19 This therefore may have been her middle name.
His grandson James A. Reeves’s wife, “Tish” Robertson Reeves, said he always wore a suit and white shirt, information that has been passed down the family.20 The old minutes book of Fork Hill Baptist Church lists him as a member.21 A Common Pleas case states that James B. Reeves died intestate on or about the 11th day of March 1894 and lists the heirs as “Thomas C Reeves, Elizabeth Ellis, J J Reeves, James C Reeves and William D Reeves, and Jane Gardner, who has since died intestate.” Jane Gardner was the wife of Henry J. Gardner.22
Dora Reeves, a researcher in James A. Reeves’s family, was able to record some information from an old family Bible which now appears to be lost. Although she didn’t make an actual transcription, a family group sheet lists the names and birth dates of the children of James Jr.. and states “As recorded in the old Reeves Bible Cecile (Kinnet) has – the Bible belonged to Aunt Beulah, Grandpa Jim and may have been Johns Bible.”23 It appears at least the names and birth dates on the family group sheet are from the Bible and are listed by Dora as follows:
Thomas Columbus Reeves b. 5 May 1840
Mary Elizabeth Reeves b. 14 Nov 1843
John Garret Reeves b. 23 Feb 1845
Sarah Jane Reeves b. 22 Apr 1847
James Calvin Reeves b. 23 Apr 1849
William Darling Reeves b. 31 Dec 1850
Dorcas Missouri Reeves b. 21 July 1854
John Jarrett Reeves
According to Dora Reeves, the family Bible lists his name as originally John Garret Reeves. It’s likely he was originally named for his uncle Garrett Sims. But later records consistently give his name as John J. Reeves. The information from the family Bible states he was born 23 Feb 1845. Notably his death certificate gives a wrong date of 8 April.24 The 1900 census agrees with the information reported from the Bible, stating Feb. 1845 as his birth month and year.25
John enlisted as a private in Company H of the 2nd Regiment of the South Carolina Infantry, known as the Lancaster Invincibles, on 17 Feb 1863.26 The record states he “was only 17 years old when enlisted, is entitled to bounty.” It was six days before his 18th birthday. His older brother Thomas Columbus Reeves, was mustered into this same company the day it was originally mustered, 22 May 1861.27
According to Jim Boyd, a descendant of John’s son Erasmus, he was wounded once at Gettysburg in the heel.28 The family would always tease him, saying that he must have been running from the Yankees to get shot in the back of the foot. He would get mad and say that he was chasing a Yankee around a barn when the Yankee slipped behind and shot at him. Reports from the Battle of Gettysburg reproduced in Jeffcoat’s Confederate Records book do indeed show that he was slightly wounded at Gettysburg.29 John went through the war in the same company as his brother T. C. Reeves. T. C.’s obituary describes some of his own experience of the war: “He was wounded twice, once at Chicamauga, and received his second wound at Little Charlestown, Va. He belonged to the colorguard. The color sergeant was killed in battle and he caught up the colors and the staff was shot off just above his hand. He caught the colors before they fell and received a severe wound in his side. He delivered the colors to Colonel Wallace and was carried off the battle field. He has suffered a great deal since from the wound.”30
According to family information from Dora Reeves, John and Becky lived in a house in the right hand corner where Barrett Road connects with Rob Neal Road close to where Mr. Otis Reeves later lived. John always enjoyed gathering with his fellow men in arms after the war, and continued to attend reunions until his death. After Grandma Becky died in 1909, Grandpa John would walk regularly to Kershaw and meet with his friends at a Café owned by some black people. He’d spend the night with one of his daughters, then walk back home afterwards, a one way trip of over four and a half miles.
The Lancaster News, 5 Dec 1916
Henry Oscar Reeves
Oscar and Mary with children (L-R) Hazel, Gladys, Bill, Lewis and Anna Bell
According to a grandson, Oscar, as he was called, trained fox-hounds and bird-dogs when he was young. The game caught was sometimes his dinner. Oscar never learned to read. Overall, he had about a 3rd grade education. This did not cripple him though. He memorized long passages of scripture and would sometimes recite them in church.
The Lancaster Ledger, 4 Sep 1901
He and his wife Mary owned a small farm. Once on this farm there were two roosters: the red rooster and the white rooster. The white rooster was a bully and always got to be with the chickens because the red one could never beat the white rooster. So once, when Mary was away, Oscar poured molasses all over the white rooster and put ashes from the fire on him. When the roosters met, the red one fought and won against this new “grey” rooster, not recognizing him as the old white one.
Every night, Mary would read from the scriptures since Oscar couldn’t. Thus, he was able to remember and quote it at length. Oscar is said to have been a very strong man. The story is told that a man once bet him he could carry a cotton bale. They went down to the loading dock, and there Oscar carried one of the bales. Once, he got annoyed with his horse, hit at it, and missed, pealing his hand open. He paid no mind to it, continuing to work with the horse. Oscar loved to play catcher in baseball. Although his hands would swell after every game, he played without a glove. Later in life, Oscar worked at a box factory, cutting wood for the boxes. And although he could remember things read to him, he remained illiterate his entire life.
Stanley Boyd Reeves
Stanley and Edna with (L-R) John, Jack and Sylvia
As a young boy, Stanley went to the Flint Ridge School. Later, he went to the Heath Springs School. Stan lived next to (or with) his Grandpa Willie Crimminger during some of his teenage years, helping him with the farm. Kids would tie an inner tube from a tire to the fence, making a sling-shot, and shoot rocks at Grandpa Willie’s Cows. Stan’s father, Oscar wanted him to work in the fields instead of going to school. The school offered to let him skip a grade so that he would be with the kids his age after being out of school. Once, when Stan decided he was big enough to go to a party, Oscar told him, “If you’re big enough to go to the party tonight, you’re big enough to go to the field tomorrow.” He went to the party and the very next day was taken out of school. Once, Stan had to deliver Grandpa Willie’s produce to costumers in Lancaster while Grandpa Willie was sick. The horse that he used was accustomed to the trip and guided Stan to each of the costumer’s houses without Stan knowing who they were. Any time he went alone to Lancaster, Stan was afraid that the train might spook the horse.
By 17 years, Stan had moved in with his brother Bill and was working in the mill. About six months later, in November of 1933, he married Edna Barrett. Previous to their marriage, Stan would visit Edna any time he could, even though the distance was a long walk. After their marriage, they moved into the Rob Neal place in Flint Ridge. From age 17-20, Stan moved several times. The family finally settled on a property just on the limits of Heath Springs.
Stan’s farm was not doing well, so he got a job at a mill in Kershaw. He went to Loom School and later became a Loom Fixer. He began teaching loom school after 20 years in the mill. The teaching sessions would last for 8 weeks, the classes taking several hours in the morning. He did this whenever the mill needed more loom fixers. Stan went from loom fixer to assistant overseer to style change coordinator. He worked a total of 42 years at the mill, retiring at 62 in 1978.
Stanley Jackson Reeves, Sr.
Jack Reeves
As a child, Jack lived in Kershaw. His family moved about 11 times in 13 years. Mary White was a housekeeper of the Stanley B. Reeves house. Jack and his siblings would tag along wherever she went. Mary remained a favorite of the family until her death. Jack graduated from Heath Springs Elementary and Highschool, then headed off to college at Clemson. Jack married Wilma Wilson in 1957. He lived in Abbeville, where he worked at a mill. Jack died on 13 Jun 1972 in Abbeville, South Carolina, from a heart attack. The family moved into a newly completed house soon after.
