Person:Osborn Reaves (1)

birth parents: Unknown and Unknown (5842)

Osborn Reaves and Esther Osteen were Cherokee Indians. Osborn Reaves' son Jasper Reaves served in the Civil War. Jasper Reaves' Union Army discharge papers were found and are owned by Mary Lynn Reaves Crafton, Jasper Reaves' granddaughter, who lives in Arkansas. Jasper Reaves' discharge papers give this discription of Jasper Reaves; "five foot six inches in height, having black eyes, dark hair and dark complexion". See "Wayne County Tennessee Families 1817-1999" Volume 2, submitter James Alfred Graham Jr and published by Rose Publishing Company. The oral family history of Cherokee ancestry has been passed down through the descendents of Henry Clay Reaves (the son of Sarah Reaves), Jasper Reaves and Delila Reaves. Osborn Reaves is on the 1838 Wayne Co Tennessee tax list in district 8. He may have also spelled his name Osborn and Ozburn. The father of Osborn Reaves may have been a Peter Reaves who was in Williamson Co Tennessee in 1812 when Osborn married there. Osborn Reaves was also known by the name Major Reaves. Osborn Reaves is said to have served in the War of 1812 and drew a pension as a Veteran of that war. There were 3 children of Osborn Reaves' whose names are unknown. A son born about 1813 and who died by 1830. A daughter born about 1825 and a son born about 1824 and that died by 1830. OSBORN REAVES AND ESTHER OSTEEN ARE SAID TO BE BURIED ON A RIDGE IN THE OLD REAVES HOMESTEAD. THE HOMESTEAD WAS NORTH OF THE PHILADEPPHIA BAPTIST CHURCH, WHICH IS LOCATED OFF HWY 64 EAST OF WAYNESBORO TENNESSEE. THIS NOTE WAS WRITTEN BY OSBORN REAVES' GREATGRANDSON, FRANK REAVES JR, IN 2001 WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 86 YEARS OLD. IT WAS A NOTE TO HIS COUSIN LINDA MCKEE. "WILL WRITE MORE LATER ON BEN REAVES, IMMEDIATE FAMILY. SEPARATION NORTH CAROLINA/TENNESSEE INDIAN RESERVATION, CHEROKEE NORTH CAROLINA. STILL EXISTS AND OUR BACK GENERATIONS SHOW INDIAN BLOOD, ESPECIALLY BUNDY (UNCLE), JASPER (GRANDFATHER) AND MY FATHER (HARVEY FRANKLIN REAVES)". FRANK REAVES JR WAS THE SON OF HARVEY FRANKLIN REAVES, GRANDSON OF JASPER REAVES, NEPHEW OF BUNDY REAVES AND GREATGRANDSON OF OSBORN REAVES.

1.   Wayne County Tennessee Families 1817-1999. (Rose Publishing Company)
   Volume 2.

   THE INFORMATION WAS SUBMITTED BY JAMES ALFRED GRAHAM JR, A DESCENDENT OF JASPER REAVES THROUGH JASPERS' DAUGHTER MINNIE LOUELLA REAVES.