Saturday, October 22, 2022

It’s Family Time~The John B. Rivers Family

 John B. Rivers is a recurring name in early Rivers families. Today's post is about John B. Rivers, born about 1812 in Chesterfield County South Carolina.

John B. Rivers was the son of William Rivers and Elizabeth “Betsy” Rivers. He was a farmer.

John B. Rivers married Eliza Rivers about 1832. Eliza Rivers was a daughter of Frederick F. Rivers, Jr. and Sarah “Siddie” Boatwright. They raised a large family of 11 known children. They had eight (8) sons. Five of the eight sons died in the Civil War.

The following sons died in the Civil War.

1. William Rivers, b. 1831; died 15 July 1864, Adams Rin Charleston, SC

2. Louis B. Rivers, b. 1839; died 13 July 1863

3. James Rivers, b. 1841; died 8161-1865

4.  John S. Rivers, b. 1842; died Civil War 

5. Andrew “Drew” Rivers, b. 1844; died 8 May 1865, Pt Lookout, Md. 

The Children of John B. Rivers and Eliza Rivers were: 

i. William Rivers, born 1831, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Mary Ann Graves, abt 1859, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 15 Jul 1864, Civil War.

ii. William Frederick Rivers Sr., born 3 Jul 1837, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Lucy Jane Odom, abt 1865, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 12 Mar 1894, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

iii. Louis B. Rivers was born in 1839 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. He died on 13 Jul 1863 at the age of 24 in Adams Run, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA.

iv. James Rivers was born in 1841 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. He died in in Civil War.

v. John S. Rivers was born in 1842 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. He died about 1864 at the age of 22 in Civil War.

vi. Andrew "Drew" Rivers was born about 1844 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. He died on 8 May 1865 at the age of 21 in Pt. Lookout, Maryland.

vii. Doctor Wesley "Doctor W" Rivers, born 15 Jun 1847, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Mary Eliza Davis, abt 1870, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 2 Apr 1926, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

viii. Siddie Rivers was born in 1850 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. She died in 1857 at the age of 7 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

ix. Alfred L. Rivers, born 1852, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Isabella Eddins, 18 Mar 1877, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 24 Dec 1911, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

x. Nancy A. Rivers was born in 1854 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. She died about 1870 at the age of 16.

xi. Eliza Rivers was born in 1857 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina. Last found in 1860 Census, age 3.

John B. Rivers died unexpectedly in June 1859 of Typhoid fever leaving his wife and eleven children's ranging in ago from two to twenty eight. John B. Rivers death is recorded in the Mark Rivers Family Bible and the 1860 Mortality Schedule, page 7.



The death of Eliza Rivers, the surviving spouse, is not as clear as the death of her husband John B. Rivers. We know that she died sometime after 1870 leaving her younger children as orphans. A land deed ibn Chesterfield County (DB 5 , page 798 From Thomas J. Rivers   to Frederick Rivers Alfred Rivers, D. W. Rivers Deed [William Rivers (Killed in War) (Written in)] has this to say:

Thomas J. Rivers to Frederick Rivers, Alfred Rivers, D. W. Rivers Deed
The State of Texas}
Grayson County}
Know all men by these presents, that I Thomas J. Rivers of the County and State aforesaid being entitled to an undivided interest in the real and personal estate of my deceased Grandmother Eliza Rivers late of the County of Chesterfield in the State of South Carolina

Thomas J Rivers is the son of William Rivers (Killed in CIVIL WAR) who was the son of John B. Rivers and Eliza Rivers.  So Thomas J. Rivers is the Grandson of Eliza Rivers as stated in the land deed. But, here’s the conundrum!

Thomas J. Rivers paternal Grandparents were John B. Rivers and Eliza Rivers

Thomas J. Rivers maternal Grandparents were Thomas J. Graves and Eliza “Mollie” Rivers.

So, which Grandmother is he referring too when he says: that I Thomas J. Rivers of the County and State aforesaid being entitled to an undivided interest in the real and personal estate of my deceased Grandmother Eliza Rivers late of the County…

After much research we know that on 2 February 1880 when Land Deed 5, page 798 was executed that Thomas J. Rivers was referring to his paternal Grandmother Eliza. His maternal Grandmother Eliza did not pass away until 29 October 1898 (see Find A Grave Memorial#146202521).

We also know from Land Deed 3, page 500 that Eliza Rivers, widow of John B. Rivers, was alive on the 25th day of January  1871.

Eliza Rivers & Others to John Privett  Deed
 

State of South Carolina}
Chesterfield County}
                                Know all men by these present that we Eliza Rivers, Frederick Rivers, Doc Rivers, Alfred Rivers and Nancy Rivers of the County of Chesterfield…

Eliza (Rivers) Rivers died after 25 January 1871 (DB 3:500 and before 2 February 1880 (DB 5:789).

No tombstone's have been found for either parents.

John B. Rivers is my 3rd Great Grand Uncle.


UPDATE: 22 Oct.2022

Chesterfield County, SC DEED BOOK 5, Page 171 Shows Eliza Rivers alive and signing this Land Deed on 29 January 1877. Thus, Eliza (Rivers) Rivers died after 29 January 1877 (DB 5:171) and before 2 February 1880 (DB 5:789).

 

___________________

1. 1840 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No ED, page 365, Household of J. B. Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 16 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M740_Roll 510.

2. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page: 128A(stamped); Line 33, Dwelling 462, Family 462, Household of John B. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 16 March 2019); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.

3. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, mortality schedule, All, Chesterfield, South Carolina, Page 1, Line 22, Jno B. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 15 July 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm MRT573_2197.

4. 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) No Ed, Page: 116; Line 15, dwelling 314, family 313, Household of Eliza RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 29 August 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653_1217.

5. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, DB 4: pages 263, 264 & 265, Wm. RIVERS and Others to B. F. WHITE; 26 January 1870, Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

6. Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Deed Book 3: Pages 500-501, Eliza Rivers & Others to John Privett Deed; Register of Deeds, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

7. Land Deed - William Rivers (Killed in War), Thomas J. Rivers to Frederick Rivers Alfred Rivers, D. W. Rivers Deed; 2 February 1880; Deed Book #5; Page(s) 798 & 799; Register of Deeds; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, SC; 14 September 2017.

8. Randolph W. Kirkland Jr., Broken Fortunes: South Carolina Soldiers, Sailors and Citizens Who Died in the Service of Their Country and State in the War for Southern Independence, 1861-1865 (Columbia, South Carolina: University of South Carolina, 1997), page 298.

9. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey; Self-Published, 1995, page 1160. Tombstone of Lewis B. Rivers; 1838–13 July 1863, Rivers Cemetery, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

10. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (https://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 19 July 2013), entry for John B. Rivers, Private; 6th Regiment, South Carolina Cavalry (Aiken's Partisan Rangers); Confederate.

11. Minnie Sanders Rivers, A Rivers Family (Chesterfield, South Carolina: self-Published, 1926), page 17.

12. James C. Pigg, Chesterfield County Cemetery Survey, Self-Published, 1995. Tombstone of Drury RIVERS.

13. Johnson Hagood, Memoirs of the War of Succession (Camden, SC 29020: Jim Fox Books, 1997 (Reprint)), page 298.

14. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 4 January 2021); Memorial page for Drew Rivers; (1844–8 May 1865); Find a Grave memorial # 20255328, Citing Point Lookout Confederate Cemetery; Scotland, St. Mary's County, Maryland, USA.

No comments:

Post a Comment