Silas's Will

**UPDATED:  Silas of Palmyra turned out not to be Bethuel's son.  I corresponded with a descendant of Silas of Palmyra who was very clear Silas of Palmyra was a different Silas.

So I wanted to put this up as soon as possible for anyone who follows my blog (is there anyone out there who actually follows my blog?). I just receive Silas' will from Ontario Co. It's very feint and difficult to read. I'm missing some of the legal terms of the time that I could not make out, but the important facts are there.

This Silas is the son of Bethuel, brother to my Joel Reeve (1755). Silas was born around 1760, but that's a guess. In his will he makes no mention of a wife, meaning she must already be deceased. There is an obituary listed for Mrs. S. Reeves dated Jan. 26, 1813, after the making of this will on Jan. 16, 1813. It may not be Silas' wife, or it might have been and at the time of the making of the will, her death was certain and imminent. At the time of the making of the will six children were living: Mrs. Eunice Foster wife to David Foster, Annie or Anna Fraklin, wife of Thomas Franklin, Elizabeth Reeve, unmarried, Rufus Reeve, Silas Reeve and Edden or Eden Reeve. The text of the will is written in one handwriting, likely by someone other than Silas, and the name Reeve(s) is used, including the (s) as are all records having to do with this family. Significantly, however, Silas' signature is in different handwriting, larger that the other words on the page, and a bit shaky as if this was indeed a dying man.

There also appears to be an obituary for Rufus dated 16 Mar 1813 in a local paper. Something terrible happened to this family, it seems that three members died within the first few months of 1813. Silas, Rufus and Eden all appear in militia list for 1812, and one in 1813. The families deaths could be related to the War of 1812. According to the Wayne Co. site:

The town of Sodus is one of only two towns in Wayne County to ever experience a military battle within its borders. In the morning of June 19, 1813, during the War of 1812, the British attacked Sodus Point. The British seized the stores in the warehouses and burned the town.

This event occurred in June so it was not directly responsible for their deaths. Silas and Eunice appear to have stayed in the area, Anne Franklin went to Vigo Co., Indiana, and I have not located Eden or Elizabeth yet.

In the name of God, Amen. I Silas Reeves of the

town of Lyons, in the county of Ontario, being

weak in body, but of sound and perfect mind

and memory that is to say fit. I give and bequeath

to my three daughters all my household furniture and (?)

able belonging to my house Mrs. Eunice Foster, Anney

Franklin and Elizabeth Reeves and I do also give

and bequeath to my son Silas Reeves all my freehold

estate real and personal not be fore (?) to his

heirs and assigns forever I do also give to my son

Rufus Reeves one hundred dollars to be paid out

of my real or personal estate I do also give to my

son Edden Reeves fifty dollars to be paid out of

my real or personal estate and after the (?)

(?) to my three daughters above named I do

also give unto my daughter Elizabeth Reeves so

long as she shall live unmarried one quarter grant

of my real estate after the (secured legacy?) is paid for her

use so long as is a (??) I do also hereby appoint

Rufus Reeves and Silas Reeves sole executrix

of this my last will and testament hereby revoking

all former wills by me made in (?) where of I

have here unto set my hand and seal the sixteenth day

of January in the year of our Lord one thousand eight

hundred and thirteen.

Signed sealed (?) and Silas Reeve (signed)

(?) by the above named

Silas Reeves to be his last will

and testament in the presence of us

who have hereunto subscribed our

names as witnesses in the (?)

of the testator.

David H. Foster

Luke Mason

James Reeves

appears to have been proved 10 Feb 1813

Link to download will