Our Reeves Family History
The history of our Reeves Family in Australia beging with the arrival of three couples, John & Jane Reeves, John & Sophia Wallis and Edward & Elizabeth Wichard.
Reeves
John and Jane Reeves left Gravesend, England on June 18 1839 and arrived NSW on October 26 1839. on the ship "Florist". Both were Prodestants and coud read and write. They were Free Immigrants bought out by the Govenment. They came from Battle. Sussex England. Battle being near Hastings, is where the "Battle of Hastings" acually took place. John (34) was the son of John and Anne Reeves. His Occupation was givin as a Quarryman and Well Digger. Jane (33) was the daughter of John (James?) Ransom and his wife Lydia Bell. Her occupation was a House Servant. They bought four of their children with them. Noel (14), John (9), Caroline (6), and Henry (2). After their arrival, they boarded another vessel to take them to Morprth. It was during this voyage that the first Australian Reeves was born.
Thomas William Reeves was born December 14 1839 at Brisbane Water (research showed thet the vessel he may have been born on may have been the "William the Forth" hence his name william).
After arriving in Morpeth they made their home at Hinton. Their child Jane was born there in 1842. They then moved to Paterson where two more children, Francis Charles in 1845 and Victoria Esther in 1847 were born. After living there a few years their next known home was near Dungog. They made their home on the property "Canningalla" owned by the Dowling family. The property is still in the Dowling family although not as big. The old homestead still stands. John died September 21 1884 aged 79 and Jane on October 7 1889 aged84. Both were buried at St. Peters Anglican Church Cemetery Bendolba.
Please Note: When John Reeves came to Australia he was known as John Reeves. Some documents refer to him as Francis John Reeves and others as John Francis Reeves.
Children:
| Noel | b. June 1825 |
| John | b. October 11 1830 |
| Caroline | b. January 16 1833 |
| d. August 24 1910 | |
| m. John Hancock | |
| Henry | b. February 1837 |
| d. October 23 1910 | |
| m. Elizabeth Berry | |
| Thomas William | d. December 14. 1839 |
| d. May 1 1921 | |
| m.Harriet Wallis | |
| Jane | b. July 3 1842 |
| m. John James Wallis | |
| Francis Charles | b. December 14 1845 |
| m. Rachel Berry | |
| Victoria Esther | b. July 3 1847 |
| d. September 8 1915 | |
| m. Charles Henwood |
One child died an infant
"On Monday last, another old resident of the district, in the person of Mrs Reeves, passed away, at the residence of her son-in-law, Mr J. Wallis of Canningalla. Deceased had reached the ripe old age of 84 years.
The fureral took place on Tuesday and was largely attended, her remains being interred at Bendolba Cemetery."
Jane Reeves' obituary from local paper October 15 1889.
Thomas William Reeves was working as a farmer at Munni, near Dungog, when he married Harriet Wallis of "Canningalla", daughter of John and the late Sophia Wallis at Dungog on November 11 1867. The property on which he worked is believed to be the one owned by the Smith family. This property had been established by 1839 by John Mann and Samual Feevaux. The Smith family took over in 1868. Part of the old homestead is still in use and is over 140 years old.
It was at Munni that our next ancestor Jessie Noel Reeves was born on February 22 1868. From our records eight children were born there.
Thomas William Reeves and Harriet Reeves and family left Munni after the birth of their daughter Victoria in 1878 and resided at Monkerai. Here, daughter Ellen was born. The last child Isabella was born at Lamb's Creek. They lived at Glen William for a few years and several of the older daughters were married here. By 1900 they were living at Clarence Town. They made their home at Stony Creek (now Wallaroo Creek) just outside Clarence Townwere Thomas William grew vegetables for market.
Their second son William George Reeves died as a result of an accident at Clarence Town timber mill in 1911 (this mill was demolished in 1989).
"A very serious accident occured at Clarence Town on Tuesday last to Mr William Reeves. He was working at the saw bench, at the mill, when a dray, laden with timber backed onto him, crushing him between the edge of the bench and the tail-board of the vehicle. Fortunately the saw stopped just before he fell forward onto it. Mr Reeves was found to be very seriously injured internally and was at once conveyed to Dungog Hospital, were he now lies"
Local paper accident report August 25 1911.
Thomas William was a short man with a bushy beard. He had a habit of sitting in the outside toilet, hitting the walls and making load yelping noises. No-one seems to know why but with eight daughters, this may have been his way of telling them he was there.
Thomas William Reeves died on May1 1921 aged 81 and Harriet March 21 1926. Both were buried in the Anglician section of Clarence Town Cemetery.
"There passed away early on Sunday morning a very old and much respected resident of Clarence Town in the person of Thomas William Reeves. Senile decay was the cause of death as the deceased had reached the ripe old age of 82 years. The late Mr Reeves had a wide circle of friendsin the district. His wife survivies and he leaves a family of one son, Mr J Reeves of Taree, eight daughters and many grandchildren."
Obituary from local paper May 3 1921.
Children:
| Jesse Noel | b. February 22 1868 |
| d. June 22 1938 buried Wingham | |
| Lydia Sophia | b.April 20 1869 |
| d. January 4 1952 buried Dungog | |
| William George | b. September 9 1870 |
| d. August 25 1911 buried Clarence Town | |
| Annie Elizabeth | b. March 9 1872 |
| d. July 26 1952 | |
| Esther Jane | b. January 31 1874 |
| d. April 5 1953 buried Whittingham | |
| Alice Mary | b. May23 1875 |
| d. April 29 1956 | |
| Emily Louisa | b. January 3 1877 |
| d. April 27 1956 cremated and ashes scattered | |
| Victoria Caroline | b. July 9 1878 |
| d. July 9 1954 buried Clarence Town | |
| Ellen Amelia | b. May 9 1880 |
| d. February 25 1969 cremated and ashes scatered | |
| Isabella Sarah | b. January 8 1883 |
| d. April 1 1948 cremated, ashes at Newcastle Crematorium |
* Jesse Noel Reeves married Emily Ann Wallis in 1895.
Children:
| Leslie Thomas | |
| Herbert William | |
| Harold John | |
| Edith Emily (McCloud) | |
| Alice May (Shelton) | |
| Dorothy Emma (Thatcher) | |
| Percy James | |
| Marjorie Harriet (Minett) | |
| Frederick Albert | |
| Eric Wallis |
* Lydia Sophia Reeves married Josiah Allen in 1880.
Children:
| Louis | |
| Clara (Carlson) | |
| Annie (Beggs) | |
| Stanley | |
| Frederick | |
| Claude | |
| Pearl (Packham) | |
| Jessie (Keegan) |
* William George Reeves married Elizabeth Jane McMurray in 1898.
Children:
| Harriet (Hastings) | |
| Mary | |
| Arthur | |
| Alfred | |
| Beatrice (Lyons) | |
| Lillian Jean |
* Annie Elizabeth Reeves married Emanuel Lea in 1897.
Children:
| Leslie | |
| Emanuel Bruce | |
| Myra (Irwin) | |
| Avis (Gander) |
* Esther Jane Reeves married Lewis "Peter" Fisher in 1897.
Children:
| Lill (Earl) | |
| Peter | |
| Chris (Meyn) | |
| Mabel (More) | |
| Bill | |
| Albert | |
| Eric | |
| Mary | |
| Ivan |
B. D & M state two children Lilly and Walter born to Esther Jane Reeves prior marriage.
* Alice Mary Reeves married Alfred Marsh in 1895.
Children:
| Beatrice | |
| Muriel | |
| Herbert | |
| Minnie | |
| Arthur | |
| Colin | |
| Mervyn | |
| Cyril | |
| Nellie |
* Emily Lousia Reeves did not marry
Children:
| Elsie (Fischer) |
* Victoria Caroline Reeves married John Alexander McMurray in 1908.
Children:
| Sarah Elizabeth Maude (Brewer) | |
| Margret Jean | |
| Edith May (Fischer) | |
| Hilda Mary | |
| Alexander John | |
| William Wallace | |
| Donald |
* Ellen Amelia Reeves did not marry
* Isabella Sarah Reeves married John Walterback in 1900.
Children:
| Mary (Preece) | |
| Elsie | |
| Cecil | |
| Alma (Bramley) | |
| Emily | |
| Irene | |
| Gladys | |
| Phillis | |
| Horrace |