© Kathy Duncan, 2018
Solomon Reese, son of Charles T. and Mary (Desha)
Reese, was married first to a wife who is referred to in his will as his “first
wife,” but is otherwise unnamed. Solomon and his first wife were in residence
on Duck River in Maury Co., TN when their son William Wheeler Reese was born
there in 1816. Over the course of their marriage, Solomon and his first wife probably had several children, of which seven were still surviving at the time
Solomon wrote his will. Solomon’s first wife was deceased by 1830 when no wife
appears with Solomon on the Lincoln County, Tennessee census. With Solomon are the seven
children referred to in his will. His second wife was Mahala _____, who was in
her early twenties when they married. Solomon and Mahala Reese probably resided
in Lincoln Co., TN during the entirety of their brief marriage since Solomon
was in residence there in 1830, their son, James Solomon Reese, was born there in
about 1834/35, and Solomon died there in 1834.
Solomon’s children William W. and Mary Reese were of
age by 6 Feb 1843 when the following document was filed with the court:
Articles
sold by Cullen E. Sugg guardian for minor heirs of Solomon Reese sale on 26 Oct
1842. [Notation:] William W. Reese was entitled to one-sixth part of that rent
for 1841 which amount due last Christmas is $3.33. Mary Reese one of the heirs who is of age is entitled to property sold and the rent for 1842 $18.31. Charles C.
Couplin and wife Eliza one of the said heirs is entitled to their part of the
rent of 1842 $6.59. Document filed 6 Feb 1843.
[Source: Lincoln Co., TN, County Clerk Settlements, p.
139]
Known children of Solomon Reese and his first wife:
4. John Reese
7. Elizabeth “lately departed” Reese
I have not figured out why Solomon would have had two daughters named Eliza and Elizabeth, who were evidently living at the same time.
The first wife of Solomon Reese or her children may be mentioned in her father's estate settlement. The most likely places for that to be are Tennessee and Kentucky. Anyone seen them?
Known children by Solomon and Mahala Reese:
10. Thomas J. Reese?
Regretfully, Solomon Reese’s will, which was filed in
Lincoln Co., TN on 6 Dec 1834 does not specifically name his first wife or his
seven children by her. Nor does it name the two or three children by his now
wife, Mahala. However, it does make specific references to his horses. The
children of Solomon Reese can only be identified through the settlement records
of his estate, which will follow on each of their pages.
Will of Solomon Reese, Last Will & Testament:
Whereas I Solomon Reese of the county of Lincoln and
state of Tennessee being at this time laboring under weakness of body though of
sound mind and memory in order to prepare my Temporal affairs in the best
manner Do make publish and declare the following to be my last will and
testament. First I give and bequeath unto the Seven children of my first wife
or the survivor or survivors of them all my lands in Lincoln County nad my
negro man also I Give unto them the proceeds of the sales of the following
horses which I direct my executor to sell on a credit of twelve months one
large Sorrel mare and mother of the Steed one Steed horse one leopard filly or
mare one bay horse Peter our young horse a colt of the old Sorrel mare and
other horse named Lop [?] for the proceeds to be equally divided amongst them.
And I Give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Mahala and her three children if
she should be mother of so many within nine months after my decease all my
lands in Carroll County and one old spotted Leopard mare and her two youngest
filleys one Sorrel horse and one mare and her colt Got of Sugg during her
natural life and at her death to descend unto her three children the property
of our marriage. All my other Estate of whatever name and description in which
the same does exist except bed, I direct to be sold by my Executor and the
proceeds thereof to constitute a funds for the payment of all my Just debts and
legal liabilities. And if the same shall not be all exhausted in that may the
same to be Equally divided between my wife and ten children. The beds and
bedding is already known by distinctions such are know as my present wifes I
give to her and her children and such as are now known in the family as
belonging to my first seven children I give to them and must not be sold under
any considerations I nominate and appoint Cullen E. Sugg to be Executor to this
my last will and Testament. In testimony hereof I have hereunto set my hand and
affixed my seal this 11 day of October 1834.
Wit.: William Wofford, Wilie Wingo, C.T. Reese, N.G.
Pirison
Signed: Solomon Reese [seal]
Recorded 6 Dec 1834
[Source: Lincoln Co., TN Will Bk 1, p. 108]
Census Records:
1830 Lincoln Co., TN, p. 242:
Solomon Reese 011001-221
one male 5 - 9 = John Reese?
one male 10 - 14 = William Wheeler Reese
one male 30 - 40 = Solomon Reese
one females 1 - 4 = Phebe Evelina Reese
one females 1 - 4 = Ellenor Reese
one females 5 - 9 = Eliza Reese
one females 5 - 9 = Mary Reese?
one female 10 - 14 = Elizabeth Reese?
Solomon’s first wife is deceased by 1830, and he has
not yet married Mahala. The seven children on the census are the seven children
referred to in his will, who are of his first wife. Mahala must have felt overwhelmed when Solomon died four years later, leaving her with a total of nine children. My guess is that the seven children from the first wife were farmed out to Solomon's family and perhaps the family of his first wife. Nothing suggests that any of the elder children stayed with Mahala, who removed to Carroll County, Tennessee by 1837.
1830 Carrol County, TN:
Wilson Weaver 221001-01001 [no slaves] p. 152
Isaac Weaver 230001-000001
[no slaves] p. 171
If this is the same Isaac Weaver who married Solomon
Reese’s widow, Mahala, then his previous wife was still living in 1830.
Carroll Co., TN:
1837 [deed]. Mahala Reese pays off the debt on the land that Solomon Reese had left to her in his will. She is still a Reese in the deed record, so she must not have been remarried yet.
Carollton Twp., 1850 Carroll County, AR, houses 1 -
136:
38
Weaver,
Isaac 65 Farmer b. NC
---- Mahala 42 b. NC
---- William 22 Farmer NC
---- Alford W. 18 Farmer b. NC
Reese,
Cynthia 18 b. TN
---- Solomon 16 Farmer b. TN
Weaver,
Mikajah 12 b. ARK
---- Sarah
Ann 4 b. ARK
---- Mary
Jane 1 b. ARK
Cynthia and Solomon Reese are Solomon Reese's children. Sarah Ann and Mary Jane Weaver are likely to be the Isaac and Mahala Weaver's children. Micajah is also likely to be a child of Isaac and Mahala's. If he is, then they married by 1837, shortly after Mahala paid off her land debt.
12 July 1860 Shoal Creek Twp., Barry Co., MO p. 898:
601-589
Isaac
Weaver 68 M Farmer $400-$300 b. NC
---- Mahala 48 F Domestic b. TN
---- Michger 21 M b. ARK
---- Sarah
Ann 12 F b. ARK
---- Mary
J. 10 F b. ARK
---- John
W. 8 M b. ARK
1 Aug 1870 Shoal Creek Twp., Barry Co., MO., P.O.
Cassville, p. 739:
203
Weaver,
Isaac 79 M W Farmer $500-$225 b. NC
---- Mahala 62 F W b. VA
---- Sarah 22 F W b. ARK
---- Mary
J. 20 F W b. ARK
---- John 18 M W b. ARK
204
Hollis,
Cynthia 37 F W Farmer $200 - $123 b. TN
Capt Solomon Reese Obituary
