Reuben Buckbee was the son of John Buckbee and Elizabeth "Elsey" George. He married Clarissa "Carrie" Elizabeth McLaughlin on January 16, 1879. Carrie was the daughter of Alexander McLaughlin and Mary Ann Sheeks.

The following is from an affidavit given by Reuben Buckbee; dated June 18, 1924 taken in regards to the widow of his brother, James Buckbee:

"Our father was John Buckbee. He served in the same company and regiment with my brother James. Our father died out in Oregon. Our mother's maiden name was Elsie George. She died in Oregon, before our father died.

I was born in Hardy Co., Va. I think that my brother James was also born in that county. My parents moved to Jackson Co., Va., when I was a small boy. We were living in that county when my father and brother James went into the army. We continued to live in Jackson Co., Va., until 1868. In that year my father moved to Meigs Co., Ohio, where we lived one year-when we moved to a farm three miles southeast of St. Joseph, Mo.-where we lived until the spring of 1873-when we moved to a farm out from Topeka where we lived one summer. We came to Rice Co., Kans., in the spring of 1874. We settled on a farm seven miles east of what was then called Atlanta which is no longer in existence. I lived in Rice Co., Kansas until I went to Oklahoma. That was about 1893. I lived in Oklahoma about eight years. I then returned to Rice Co., Kansas and lived a year when I moved to Ellsworth Co., where I since have resided."

Reuben and Carrie had thirteen children:
Mary Ellen, Noah Anderson, David Edward, William, Ethel Ann, Adelia Frances, Robert Milton, Oliver Loyd, Omar, Ruth, Leanora A., Alfred and Marion

Reuben's eight siblings were:
James, Mary Margaret Alderman, Benjamin F., John D., George Solomon (Solomon George), William Perry, Flora Jane Shelton and Elizabeth Ann D'Spain.