Treasure Chest Thursday~Family Record of William James Rivers

The Family Record of W. J. Rivers


 





William James RIVERS was born Sept. 13th, 1830
Liddy Jane Massey RIVERS his wife was born Oct. 5th, 1834
And they were married Feb. 12th, 1857

Children:
Frederick W. RIVERS was born Nov. 13th 1857
Sarah E. RIVERS was born April 8th, 1859
Isaac B. RIVERS was born July 4th, 1860
Phillip H. RIVERS was born March 10th, 1862
Mary E. RIVERS was born Sept. 9th, 1864
John L. RIVERS was born May 2th, 1866
Jacob B. RIVERS was born Nov. 17th, 1867
James A. RIVERS was born June 5th, 1870
Nancy J. RIVERS was born June 7th, 1872
Margaret A. RIVERS was born Jan. 17th, 1875

This is a true record of Fathers Family
John L. RIVERS recorder


__________________________
[1] William James Rivers Family Bible Family Bible, 1830-1875 Holy Bible, (n.d.), Birth Records; William James Rivers Family, Obtained from: Source privately withheld.

Tombstone Tuesday~Sgt. Fred Mark Rivers

Sgt. Fred Mark Rivers

b. 17 June 1902

d. 16 June 1968

bu. Mililani Memorial Park

Waipahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii

Photo Courtesy of Marine Gunnery Sgt. David Dunnavant

Fred Mark Rivers was born 17 June 1902 in Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina. He was a son of William James and Sarah “Sallie” Spears Rivers and a grandson of Mark Rivers and Annie Parker. 

Fred Mark had six siblings; 3 brothers and 3 sisters. I did a blog post on his family that can be accessed at this link:

http://carolinafamilyroots.blogspot.com/2016/05/its-family-timewilliam-james-rivers.html

Fred Mark Rivers is my 2nd Cousin 3 times removed.

_________________
[1] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 May 2016); Memorial page for Sgt. Fred Mark Rivers; (17 June 1902–16 June 1968); Find a Grave memorial # 94940116, Citing Mililani Memorial Park; Waipahu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA.

It’s Family Time~William James Rivers

William James Rivers was born 6 October 1849 in Chesterfield South Carolina, a son of Mark Rivers and his  wife Annie Parker. William James joined an older sister Mary Ann born two years earlier in May 1847. 

In January 1864, William James, age 14, and his six sibling lost their Mother. Their Father, Mark Rivers was a soldier in Co. B 26th Regiment, SC Volunteers.
In early 1880’s Mark and his new wife Caroline moved from Chesterfield County across the Pee Dee Rivers to Marlboro County. It was there that William James Rivers met Sarah Ella Spears daughter of  Harris N. Spears and Mary Ann Frazier.
On 20 Dec 1883 William James Rivers and Sarah Ella Spears were united in Holy Matrimony in Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina. 

William James Rivers and Sarah Ella Spears had the following children:

I. Willie Harris Rivers was born on 2 May 1890 in Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina. He died on 19 Apr 1913 at the age of 22 in Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina. Unmarried
ii. Porter Rivers, born 25 Aug 1895, Bennettsville, Marlboro, South Carolina; married Ruth Helen Allen, 4 Apr 1923, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina; died 2 Nov 1973, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina.
iii. Edgar Spears Rivers, born 6 May 1899, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina; married Pearl Davis, 9 Oct 1931, Summerton, South Carolina; died 11 Sep 1993, Florence, Florence, South Carolina.
iv. Fred Mark Rivers was born on 17 Jun 1902 in Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina. He died on 16 Jun 1968 at the age of 65 in Wahiawa, Honolulu, Hawaii. FindAGrave Memorial# 94940116
v. Ruby Annie Rivers, born 7 Aug 1905, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina; married Johnny C. Johnson, 14 Feb 1931, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina; died 21 Feb 1988, Alcolu, Clarendon, South Carolina.
vi. Beulah Alice Rivers, born 31 May 1908, Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina; married John Nathaniel Calhoun, 7 Sep 1941; died 1 Jun 2007, Sumter County, South Carolina.
vii. Essie Mabel Rivers was born on 16 Mar 1912 in Sumter, Sumter, South Carolina. She died on 8 Oct 2010 at the age of 98 in Sumter County, South Carolina. Find A Grave Memorial# 132225275

 
 
William James Rivers is my 1st Cousin 4 times removed.









_______________________
SOURCES:
1. Mark Rivers & Caroline Dean Rivers Family Bible Holy Bible, (New York, New York: n.p., n.d.); Obtained from Betty Lee Hefty, 8 Xeroxed page from Original Bible. BIRTH - 6 Oct 1849, William James Rivers.
2. 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 179B, Line 25, Dwelling 1243, Family 1243, Household of Mark Rivers; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 22 June 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
3. 1900 U. S. Census, Marlboro County, South Carolina, population schedule, Red Hill, Marlboro County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #97, Page 252A, Line 01, Dwelling 161, Family 164, Household of William J. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 8 October 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm  T623_1536.
4. 1910 U. S. Census,  Sumter County, South Carolina, population schedule, Sumter, Sumter County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #0119, Page 136A, Line 13, Dwelling 5, Family 5, Household of William J. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 8 October 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm  T624_1465.
5. 1920 U. S. Census,  Sumter County, South Carolina, population schedule, Providence, Sumter County, South Carolina, enumeration district (ED) #139, Page 177B, Line 61, Dwelling 164, Family 165, Household of William J. RIVERS; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://ancestry.com : viewed 8 October 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm  T625_1712.
6. Mark Rivers & Caroline Dean Rivers Family Bible, DEATH - 5 Sept 1928, William James Rivers.
7. Elizabeth C. Drake, Marlboro County Cemetery Survey; Marlboro County Historical Society, 1984, page 133. Tombstone of William James Rivers; 6 October 1848–5 September 1928, Spears & Edens Graveyard, Bennettsville, Marlboro County, South Carolina.
8. Elizabeth C. Drake, Marlboro County Cemetery Survey, Marlboro County Historical Society, 1984. Tombstone of Sarah Ella Spears Rivers.
9. Sallie S Rivers, death certificate 012063 (15 September 1949), Vital Records, Department of Health, Austin, Travis County, Texas.
10. Elizabeth C. Drake, Marlboro County Cemetery Survey, Marlboro County Historical Society, 1984. Tombstone of Sarah Ella Spears Rivers.
 

Probate Record #496-Petition of I. B. Rivers

On 8 Sept. Ancestry announced a significant and massive release of Probates records for the United States.  The database can be accessed here:

http://search.ancestry.com/search/group/us_willsprobate

From the South Carolina (SC) portion of this database we can access the Probate records for Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

South Carolina, Wills and Probate Records, 1670-1980

http://search.ancestry.com/search/db.aspx?dbid=9080

From this set of records I pulled this petition of I. B. Rivers for the administration of his Father's estate.   Notice that this probate file (#496) is listed on Ancestry as W. S. Rivers. This is an error.   

I. B. Rivers is Isaac Berkley Rivers and his father is William James Rivers. 

Probate #496-William James Rivers
















Petition of Isaac Berkley Rivers


State of South Carolina
County of Chesterfield
I. The petitioner I. B. Rivers shows to this court that W. J. Rivers late of the county of Chesterfield departed this life on the 16^th April 1894 intestate and left a personal Estate of about three hundred Dollars situated in this county.
II. That your petitioner is the son of deceased and their being no Administration your petitioner ask that the Court do appoint him Said Administration and he ever prays
Sept. 4^th 1894                                    I. B. Rivers


This is valid and conclusive source of the death date for William James Rivers. The source is the Ancestry Probate Database. Citing this source should be done per the Genealogical Proof Standard.






_______________________
[1] "South Carolina Probate Records, Files and Loose Papers, 1732-1964," images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1-19388-16531-20?cc=1911928&wc=MPPB-C68:190567401,190561002,190567402,191054401 : accessed 17 September 2015), Chesterfield > Probate Court, Estate records > 1865-1927 > Cases 0470-0553A > image 628 of 1550; county courthouses, South Carolina, and South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia.

Household of William James Rivers

William James Rivers was born 13 September 1830, the 1st born son of Frederick C. Rivers and Sarah Ann Hurst. He had an older sister Charlotte and over the next 20 years a total of thirteen additional siblings.

At this point I feel I need to set the record straight  on William’s given name. many have taken it upon themselves and refer to William as William Jasper Rivers. The Family Bible shows that his name IS NOT William Jasper but his correct name is William James Rivers.

Click to enlarge

William James Rivers married Lydia Jane Massey on 12 February 1857. He was 26 year of age and she was 21. Their 1st child was born 9 months and 1 day later on 13 November 1857; they called him Frederick William Rivers. William James and Lydia had 3 small children and another one due at the time that William James enlisted into the Confederate Army.

William James enlisted with Company “B’ 26th SC Volunteers in January 1862 and served throughout the duration of the war. His time in the Civil War was uneventful except for several bouts of illness one of which resulted in him being hospitalized.  The birth of his 5th child in September 1864 shows that he was home on furlough around December 1863 or January 1864. His military records shows he revived new clothing on 30 July 1864, just months prior to the birth of his daughter, Mary E. Rivers.  At this point there are 5 children; 3 boys and 2 girls. Sometime after the birth of Mary in September 1864, her older sister Sarah E. passed away in 1865. No known date exist on this death.

After the War, William James and Lydia would have 5 additional children, 3 boys and 2 girls bringing the family total to ten. After the loss of Mary E. in 1865 they would lose son Phillip born  10 Mar 1862 in June 1870. The remaining 8 children; 5 sons and 3 daughters, would reach adulthood and have families of their own.

William James Rivers and Lydia Jane Massey had the following children:

i. Frederick William "Fed" Rivers, born 13 Nov 1857, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Charlotte Jane Hurst, 12 Feb 1882, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 13 Jul 1925, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ii. Sarah E. Rivers was born on 8 Apr 1859 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. She died in 1865 at the age of 6 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iii. Isaac Berkley Rivers, born 4 Jul 1860, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Effie Wadsworth, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 27 Mar 1913, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
iv. Phillip Rivers was born on 10 Mar 1862 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina. He died in Jun 1870 at the age of 8 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
BIRTH: Loose sheet stuck in Family Bible shows a Date of birth of 10 March 1862 for Phillip H. Rivers. Copy of this page was provided to Kathy Lee by her Aunt Flora Belle Sellers Huntley of Chesterfield, SC.
v. Mary E. Rivers, born 9 Sep 1864, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Phillip Opley Melton; died 21 Apr 1931, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
vi. John Lewis Rivers, born 2 May 1866, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Rosanna Hurst, abt 1888; died 18 Feb 1947, Kingsland,Cleveland Co.,AR.
vii. Jacob B. Rivers, born 17 Nov 1867, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Annie Curtis; died 16 Feb 1924, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
viii. James Alfred Rivers, born 5 Jun 1870, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married Martha Elizabeth Ballard, 23 Dec 1894, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 21 Mar 1932, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
ix. Nancy Jane Rivers, born 7 Jun 1872, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Hardy Jackson Sellers, abt 1891, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 14 Mar 1934, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.
x. Margaret Ann "Maggie" Rivers, born 17 Jan 1875, Chesterfield County, South Carolina; married Steven Lemuel Sellers, 14 Feb 1895, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 26 Dec 1935, Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

In his latter years William James spent many hours with his first born grandchild,  Sarah Elizabeth “Bess” Rivers,  daughter of Frederick William Rivers and Charlotte Jane “Lottie” Hurst.  The photo below of William James and Bess, courtesy of Kathy Lee, is one that has survived the years.

Sarah Elizabeth "Bess" Rivers and her Grandfather William James Rivers
Photon Courtesy of Kathy Lee

William James Rivers died 17 April 1894; his wife Lydia Jane died 14 November 1897. They are buried  in the Hurst Cemetery, Chesterfield, South Carolina.













_____________________________


1. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 13 June 2010); Memorial page for William J. Rivers; (13 September 1830–17 April 1894); Find a Grave memorial # 29992546, Citing Hurst Cemetery; Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
2. Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 30 August 2015), entry for W. J. RIVERS, Private; Company "B", 26th Regiment SC Volunteers; Confederate.
3. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, William J. Rivers (13 September 1830–17 April 1894), Memorial # 29992546.
4. William James Rivers Family Bible Family Bible Holy Bible, (N.p.: n.p., n.d.), Marriage - William James Rivers and Lydia Jane Massey; 12 February 1857, Obtained from .
5. Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database, "Record, Lydia Jane "Liddy" Massey Rivers (5 October 1835–14 November 1897), Memorial # 29992570.

Surname Saturday – Cash – Man in Black

Kingsland, Arkansas, now known as the "Birthplace of Johnny Cash".

But behind the scene is the fact that Johnny's heritage through his maternal line had its roots in Chesterfield, South Carolina. Johnny mother was Carrie Cloveree RIVERS, b. 13 March 1904, a daughter of John Lewis Rivers and Rosanna Lee Hurst. John Lewis and his wife Rosanna migrated from Chesterfield County, South Carolina about 1892 to Kingsland, Arkansas.

It was Carrie, his Mother, who saw the musical possibilities in her son, J.R. and saved the money for singing lessons. Johnny musical career began in the 1950's and ended with his death on 12 September 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee

Generation 1

1. John R. "Johnny" Cash: born 26 Feb 1932 in Kingsland, Cleveland Co., AR; died 12 Sep 2003 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Generation 2

2. Ray Cash: born 13 May 1897 in Cleveland Co., AR; married 16 Aug 1920 in Cleveland Co., AR; died 23 Dec 1985 in Hendersonville, Sumner Co., TN.

3. Carrie Cloveree Rivers: born 13 Mar 1904 in Kingsland, Cleveland Co., AR; died 11 Mar 1991 in Hendersonville, Sumner Co., TN.

Generation 3

6. John Lewis Rivers: born 2 May 1866 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married abt 1888; died 18 Feb 1947 in Kingsland, Cleveland Co.,AR.

7. Rosanna Lee Hurst: born 13 Oct 1870 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 6 Nov 1951 in Kingsland, Cleveland Co.,AR.

Generation 4

12. William James Rivers: born 13 Sep 1830 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina, United States; married 12 Feb 1856 or 12 Feb 1857 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 16 Apr 1894 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina.

13. Lydia Jane Massey: born 5 Oct 1835 in Chesterfield County, South Carolina; died 14 Nov 1897 in Mt. Croghan, Chesterfield County, South Carolina.

14. Phillip James Hurst: born 22 Jan 1840 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; married; died 14 Feb 1912 in Cleveland County, Arkansas.

15. Mary Ann Gainey: born 20 Jul 1843 in Chesterfield, Chesterfield, South Carolina; died 19 Mar 1908.