The Family of James Marion Reeves
by Tommie Reeves Smith

James Marion Reeves was born on November 4, 1823 to Thompson and Cinderella Reeves.. This fact is recorded in a Family Bible . Mary Ann was a widow and Childers was her first married name Mary Ann had a young son named John Childers. James Marion married on July 29, 1847 Mary Ann Childers, who was a widow. Her maiden name is not known Mary Ann was born on October 19, 1825 and died on October 11, 1861 on the same day James Marion was required to report for Civil War Service. She and her children had been settled with relatives for care during the absence of James Marion. We do not know where she was buried. Mary Ann was very ill and pregnant. I can only assume she gave birth just prior to the time of her death. In their personal Family Bible there is an entry that only states " James Jackson Reeves lived two years". Perhaps that was that birth.

His parents lived in Gwinnett Co. Ga. in 1820. This is almost certainly the county in which James Marion was born in 1823. Thompson and Cinderella were in Newton Co. Ga. in 1830. They were living in Randolph Co. Alabama by 1840. No doubt young James Marion traveled with his parents to these locations. James Marion first appeared in the Federal Census three years after his 1847marriage. In 1850 James Marion Reeves and Mary Ann are in Gwinnett County Georgia according to the census. The 1860 census of the Talladega County Alabama showed the family location there.

In 1870, the family of James Marion is in Roanoke, Alabama in township 21. James Marion has married a lady named Sarah whose surname was Fannin and was about 20 years younger than he. They have younger children present in addition to those from his first marriage to Mary Ann Childers Reeves. Nicknames are used. In parenthesis are the given names of record.

This records states:
J. M. Reaves age 50
(Should be 47)
Sarah age 30
Laughton (Thomas Lofton ) age 21
Wiley age 19
Bird ( Burgess Ransom) age 18 (Bird was frequently used as a nickname for Burgess)
Elijah ( Elijah Wallace) age 16 Father of Thomas Van Buron Reeves ,father of Tommie
Looiesa age 12 ( Looiesa Emmerline)
Mattie (Martha Jane) age 11 .
And from the second marriage
Mary age 5
Henry( William Henry) age 4
Marion (Francis Marion) age less than 1
In subsequent years, this family added sons named John Thompson, Wyatt Simion, Harrison G. and Trion Fuller.

Sara and several of these are buried in the Lanier Cemetery near Alpine. Sarah has a " Find A Grave Page"

The descendants of James Marion and Sarah's son, John Thompson Reeves give first hand information on life in Talladega County Alabama for James Marion Reeves. John Thompson had among other children two grand daughters who lived into their nineties. Ms.Christi Hamblen, and Mr. Robert Reeves are local Alabama Researchers for our line. . They have been given information from the Grand Daughters in which they affirm that James Marion and Sarah lived in home of the Elston Family. James Marion farmed the land. Mr. and Mrs. Barta now own the Elston Farm and recently graciously shared with us a small slip of paper that documented the fact that James Marion Reeves expired in the early months of 1883. He was buried in the Elston Family cemetery. His grave remained unmarked but it is described by his grand daughter , Nellie, as being under a large Magnolia Tree. She remembered accompanying her Father, John Thompson Reeves to visit the cemetery. There is a large Magnolia Tree by the fence. It is huge and appears very old. Hopefully it is the same. I appreciate the opportunity to honor my ancestor, James Marion Reeves in this manner. Tommie Reeves Smith