William Reese
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth Date: Abt 1738 Christening: Death: 28 Jun 1810 - Sumter Co., South Carolina ( about age 72) Burial: Cause of Death:
Parents
Father: William Reese (Abt 1716- ) Mother:
Spouses and Children
1. *Mary James ( - After Dec 1810) Marriage: Children: 1. William J. Reese (1770/1780-1840/1850) 2. Maria P. Reese (Abt 1794-1849) 3. Orlando S. Reese (1796-1852)
Notes
General:
PARENTS:
There is clear documentary evidence that five brothers with surname Reese/Rees were in South Carolina in the second half of the 1700s. They were William, Benjamin, Hugh, Edwin, and Isham. Benjamin and Hugh migrated westward to Georgia. The other 3 remained in South Carolina.
Isham of the five brothers might be the same person as the Isham Reese born 8 Aug 1732 in Bristol Parish, Virginia. A counterargument is that none of the other four brothers is in the Bristol Parish christening records. The five brothers have to have a common father.
Davis R. Reese ("Hugh Reese", 2005, unpublished) believes that William of the five brothers is the eldest son of the William Reese who along with his brother Roger patented land in 1738 in Amelia Co. which had been surveyed in 1726 for their father William. Davis points out that
1) William has the name of his paternal grandfather. Early English settlers in Virginia often named the eldest son after the paternal grandfather. A study of English child-naming patterns from 1558 to 1740 showed that from 1621 to 1680, 42.4 percent of oldest sons were named for the father's father. See
https://www.pricegen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/Child-Naming-Patterns.pdf
2) Deed records in Lunenburg Co. show that William's mother used two names -- Mary and Penelope. William named his daughter Maria Penelope.
Another possibility is that the 5 brothers are sons of the John Reese who received a patent in 1771 on 200 acres in the High Hills of Santee. See notes under Williams's brother Isham for more details.
BIRTH YEAR:
Davis R. Reese ("Hugh Rees", 2005, unpublished, pgs 2-3) says that William died 28 Jun 1810 in the 72nd year of his age. His will was proved in Sumter Co., South Carolina 14 Dec 1810. Davis believes that William is the oldest of the 5 brothers.
LAND in CRAVEN CO., SOUTH CAROLINA:
Summaries of documents relating to land grants and early land transactions in South Carolina can be seen at http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/.
A document dated 20 Oct 1762 relates to a grant to William Rees of 300 acres on High Hills of Santee in Craven Co. George Saunders and George Brunson are mentioned in the document. Another document dated July 13, 1762 refers to a grant of 300 acres in Craven Co. The two documents appear to refer to a plat for 300 acres laid out to Roger Rees in 1756 but ultimately patented to William Rees.
A document dated March 23, 1767 refers to a plat for 200 acres in Craven Co. on the north side of the Wateree River. It abuts vacant land on all sides.
Seventy three acres laid out to William Rees September 22, 1768 on the High Hills of Santee adjoin lands belonging to Charles Rees and lands granted to William Rees.
Other documents refer to Williams's brothers Edwin Rees, Isham Rees, Hugh Rees, and Benjamin Rees.
Various deeds involve William Rees including the following deed to his brother Edwin:
An indenture made October 29, 1772 between William Rees and Edwin Rees first describes a tract of land containing 300 acres situated in Craven County in the province of South Carolina on the north side of Santee River at a place called the High Hills granted to William Rees on July 30, 1765. The tract was bounded on the northeast partly by land laid out to George Sanders, on the southeast by land laid out to James Brunson, and on the other sides by vacant land.
On October 29, 1772 William Rees, planter, and Mary, his wife, of the Province of South Carolina and County of Craven, sell to Edwin Rees, planter of the same place, for and in consideration of 100 pounds lawful current money of the province aforesaid, to him in hand paid, a tract of 100 acres, more or less, out of the previously described tract of 300 acres. The description of the 100-acre tract being sold is somewhat hard to interpret. It appears that Charles Rees already owns a tract of 100 acres taken out of the 300-acre tract which is northwest of the tract being sold. It also appears that the 300-acre tract adjoins land laid out to Isham Rees.
The indenture is signed by William Rees. The witnesses are Hugh Rees, Isham Rees, and Benjn Key. However, John Newman Oglethorp, a Justice of the Peace for South Carolina, Craven, Camden District, states that Hugh Rees swore that he saw William Rees and Mary his wife sign, seal, and deliver the deed to Edwin Rees and that Isham Rees and Benjn Rees were the other two subscribing witnesses.
In fact, the 300-acre tract was patented to William Rees on July 13, 1762. The patent is on page 267 of a book of printed South Carolina patents. (FamilySearch film #008139503 https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSK7-13XG-5?i=165&cat=473372)
This same tract of 300 acres was laid out to Roger Rees on March 3, 1756 and then later granted to William Rees. Roger is William's uncle.
The following plat shows that William lived close to his brother Isham and his father-in-law Sherwood James.
A plat of 93 acres laid out in 1771 to Philip Pettypool on the High Hills of Santee in Caven[sic] County and St. Marks Parish is bounded on the SW by land granted to Isham Rees, on the NW by land laid out to Sherwood James, and on the SE by land of William Rees.
According to Wikipedia, Craven Co., South Carolina was one of the 3 original counties established by the Lords Proprietor of the English colony of Carolana in 1682. The original Craven County's lands now lie in parts of Berkeley, Charleston, Georgetown, and Williamsburg counties. The watershed of the Santee River drains a large portion of the piedmont regions of South and North Carolina and enters the Atlantic Ocean about 40 miles north of Charleston. It is formed by the confluence of the Wateree River and the Congaree River about 140 miles NW of Charleston. According to Wikipedia, the High Hills of Santee is a long, narrow, hilly region in the western part of Sumter Co. which extends north almost to the Kershaw County line. The Wateree River is the western boundary of Sumter Co.
CONFISCATION:
Summaries of documents related to confiscation can be seen at http://www.archivesindex.sc.gov/ along with documents related to land transactions.
Rees, William, Petition asking permission to return to South Carolina, having been banished and having had his estates confiscated by act of the Assembly. (4 pages) Date: 1783
Inhabitants of S. C., In behalf of William Rees, petition citing his many services to the American cause and asking that his property and citizenship be restored to him. (2 pages) Date: 1783
Reese, William, Plat #3 of forfeited estate for 340 acres in Camden District. Date: 1/3/1783
Inhabitants of Saint Marks Parish, In behalf of William Rees, petition concerning his actions during the British occupation and asking that his property and citizenship be restored to him. (2 pages) Date: 1/23/1783
BROTHERS:
The will of Isham Rees establishes that William, Benjamin, Hugh, Isham, and Edwin are brothers. Edwin's will names his brothers Hugh and Isham as executors.
CENSUS:
<pre>1790 Claremont District, South Carolina
Wm Reesse 232; 207 slaves
males >= 16 2
males < 16 3
females 2 </pre>
He is in the sequence Wm Reesse, Isham Reesse, Huberd Reese, Scarbro Reese, 38x, Thomas Reesse.
<pre>1800 Sumter District, South Carolina, Claremont
William Reese 10011 -- 11111; 70 slaves, 5 other free persons
male female
1 <10 1
10-15 1
16-25 1
1 26-44 1
1 >45 1 </pre>
He is in the sequence Hubert Reese, 7x, William Reese, 64x, Scarborough Reese, 16x, Isham Reese.
<pre>1810 Sumter Co., South Carolina, Claremont
Mary Reese 01000 -- 01111; 133 slaves, 1 other free person
male female
<10
1 10-15 1
16-25 1
26-44 1
>45 1 </pre>
WILL:
Probate records of Sumter Co., South Carolina, "Sumter County, South Carolina will books and estates index and file book, 1800-1963", "Will book, vol. A-AA, 1800-1822", film #355728, pgs 88-89, images 103-04/366:
The will of William Rees begins in the middle of page 88 below a double line drawn across the page. The first part containing the testator's name, the date, and the standard verbiage about being weak in body but of perfect mind and memory, understanding the inevitability of death, etc., etc. is missing. What follows is the part that remains. Non-standard spelling, capitalization, and punctuation have been preserved, but the text has been split into paragraphs for readability. There is no paragraphing in the original.
for Mrs Rees,
the use of my house & furniture, and During Life or while She remains my Widow and then a equal Division between my two children M. P. Rees and orlandon Rees I Likewise, [give] her the following negroes, Negro fellow named Derry and his Wife Beatty, also Sopha, and her two children, Likewise Lucy and her fore Children, and old wench namd Rose, also two nigras fellows, one named bob the other an old fellow named Harrey, a _hace, and two Carriage Horses, and to be supported while She remains my widow as She formerly has been.
I give to my Daughter M P Rees five tracts of Land Joining each other lying on the east Side of Cain Savanna Swamp an white oak branch, Likewise a tract of Land Bought at Sherriff Sale Lying on the waters of Black river, Likewise the following Negroes (Viz) Sam and his wife loady Isaac and his wife Nann, a Negro wench nam'd Sall and her Brother a yellow Boy nam'd Randil also a negro Girl nam'd Susyann & her Brother namd Virgil and a negro Girl cald milly and one cald wanskey, and one negro boy nam'd Dick,
I give to my Son orlandon Rees, the plantation where I now live and all the Lands adjoining it Likewise my plantation on the Swamp comily cald the cain brakes and all the Lands adjoining it with the following negroes, mases, & his wife, milly and her two children. Likewise a young fellow, namd moses and one namd Sam and boy namd Wilson and one named Joe, also Toney and his wife ginney & her two children, the above negroes I give to them their Ieres forever, but should either of them die before they arrive at the age of 20 years, and without Issue, and that Issue living, then the part of the one that Dies, to return to the living one. it likewise my wish as all my negroes, not named or given away in this my last will & testament, with all my Stock of all Description Should be equally Divided by 3 or 5 men chosen by my Executors hereafter namd.
it is also my wish that Miss Mary Pringle shall have the bed and furniture she now uses, and a negro garl between 12 & 15 years of age, an $300, to be paid her by my executors in one year after my Death or Sooner if Convenient,
I likewise leave my Daughter M P Rees, $5000 to be paid her in money in one year after marrage or when she arrives at the age of twenty one years,
it my wish the negro should be work on the plantations above mention and all moneys arising from the crops, that is not expended Raising and Education Should be put to Interest and an Equal Division maid between them the division taken place,
The above Will was proven in Solem form by the oaths of William Bracey Tolefero James, Merry Bracey, & John Mcdonald who Swore the above will was the handwriting of William Rees Deceased
Done before me in the Court of ordinary the 14 of December anno Domini 1810---
William Taylor
ordinary S. D.
Home | Table of Contents | Surnames | Name List
This website was created 21 Jan 2025 with Legacy 10.0, a division of MyHeritage.com; content copyrighted and maintained by nparker41@att.net