Person:William Ryves (1)

Childs' "Reliques of the Rives" show William to be the first Rives in Virginia and the father of George, Robert, John, and Timothy. However, Childs later came to believe that William's half-brother Timothy could have been the first Rives in America and the father of these four sons. Until we have more information, we will stay with Childs' original version. According to "Our Reeves and Related Families" by Beulah McGuire Reeves and Bessie Reeves Hoke William's father died the year the English Civil War began, and at the age of 16 young William came to Virginia.

He came to Virginia between 1653 and 1654 and settled in Surrey County, Virginia

His father died in 1643, the year the war broke out and for a time Oxford was the storm center of the revolt.

William was only 16 years old when he was imported by Littleton Scarburg into Surry County, Virginia (about 1652). By 1684 he had paid his indenture and began to appear in county records as a free man. We have found no will or estate settlement, but he seems to have had at least five sons, but there is no way of identifying possible daughters he may have had. His wife's name is not known.

Greer, George Cabell. "Early Virginia Immigrants, 1623-1666." Reprint. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1960." Page 274 - Wm arrived in Virginia in 1652.

Notes from: "The Descendants of William and Elizabeth Ryves" by Barry L. Reeves

William RYVES was only about six years old in 1642 when civil war broke out in England. The RYVES family were supporters of King Charles I, and when he was removed from the throne and eventually executed, his followers were not looked upon with favor. William's father Timothy, died in 1643, leaving William without a father during a most uncertain time. Later when he was sixteen years old, William decided to come to America and start a new life. According to immigration records, William was imported as an indentured servant by Littleton Scarburg into Surry County, Virginia in 1652. It is not known the exact term of his indenture, but by 1684, he was appearing in county records as a free man. No Will or estate settlement has yet to be found, but he is believed to have had five sons. His wife's maiden name and the names of possible daughters are not known. This William Ryves is believed to be the immigrant ancestor of most if not all of the Reeves family who trace their origins back to Virginia and the Carolinas. Many of William's descendants migrated from Virginia into North and South Carolina, then on into Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Texas.

More About William Ryves: Comment 1: #6 in RR (page 7) Ethnicity/Relig.: WASP Event 1: 1652, imp by Littleton Scarburg, Surrey Co, VA Event 2: 1684, appears as freeman on records.

Residence: came to America at age 16

More About William Ryves and Elizabeth (Ryves): Marriage: 1659, Surry County, Virginia

William was the first Reeves to come to America. Born in Woodstock, Oxford, England, he was recorded as having been buried in Surry County, Virginia. William Ryves’ father, Timothy, died in 1643 shortly after the English Civil War began, leaving William and his brothers in the storm center of the revolt, Oxford. When William was 16, he was imported by Littleton Scarburg into Surry County, Virginia, around 1652. By 1684, William had paid his indenture and became a freeman. William appears in George Cabell Greer’s “Early Virginia Immigrants, 1632-1666” on page 274. (“Wm arrived in Virginia in 1652.”) Despite not being a landowner at first, Ryves held the family tradition of perseverance proud and rejoined the ranks of the older Ryves, amassing considerable holdings in America.

William and Elizabeth had a number of children, though the exact number in unsure. Only sons were recorded, and of those he had five, George, Robert, John, Timothy, and William II.

1.   Barry L. Reeves, The Reeves Registry (at http:/www.reevesregistry.com, specifically, ryvesrob.ged.).