Descendants of Beverly Clementine Stephens
Generation No. 5
BEVERLY CLEMENTINE STEPHENS (RUTHA EMALINE MERRELL, BENJAMIN, CHARLES, CAPTAIN BENJAMIN MERRILL and JEMIMA SMITH) was born 29 Nov 1863 in Paint Rock, Marshall County, Alabama, and died 15 Aug 1947 in Socorro, Socorro Co., New Mexico. She married SIDNEY LITTLE REAVES 03 Jan 1884 in Paint Rock, Jackson County, Alabama. He was born Aug 1858 in Alabama, and died 20 Sep 1911 in Jewell, Eastland Co., Texas.
Notes for BEVERLY CLEMENTINE STEPHENS:
BEVERLY CLEMENTINE STEPHENS, was my greatgrandmother, whom I loved dearly.
She was a very interesting woman to listen to, as she had so many stories of her life to tell. The memory that stands uppermost in my mind, was her love of peppermint candy. She always told me that she would give me a piece of peppermint if I would sleep with her and help keep her warm. She knew I hated peppermint and she always smelled of it. I would sleep with her and listen to her talk about her younger days. Didn't eat any peppermint though! We always bought it for her in the largest sticks we could find and she would take a knife and break pieces off of it. She always dipped snuff which I also hated, but as I said, I loved her dearly.
Beverly always said that her father was a steam boat captain and that the first twelve years of her life was spent on the steamboat. She said her father's name was Peter, but it wasn't. Her father was Willis Stephens Jr. and her mother was Rutha Emaline Merrill of the famous Merrill's. She grew up on a farm near Paint Rock, Alabama. There was a Peter Stephens, Captain of a steam boat at that time, and maybe he was related and took her for a ride, but we will never know for sure.
She married Sidney Little Reaves and they had two daughters. She didn't want a lot of children, so she said her birth control method was to use hog lard mixed with salt. The salt dried her ovaries up. Must have worked, as she only had the two girls, Emma Elizabeth (my grandmother) and Eva.
They moved to Texas when Eva was fourteen years of age for her health. Eva had Asthma. She said that they ran a mortuary in Sweetwater, Texas when they moved there. She was teaching daughter Emma the trade when she married my grandfather Will Jones. Soon after the marriage, my grandfather put a stop to that. According to the census report of 1900 they were shown as farmers. So many tales from Beverly, and so many disproved.
She was a Harvey girl, and worked in the Harvey House in Amarillo, Texas. She and Sidney were also Morticians for a while. She always said that when she died, she didn't want to be buried until the third day so that we could make sure she was dead before burying her. I could sit and listen to her tales for hours on end. At one time I wrote a small book of all her tales for my Junior English Class. Don't know what became of the book, but wish I had it as I don't remember all she told me.
Her death certificate shows that she died from Senility and chronic bronchitis. That she was born in Marshall County, Alabama to Peter Stephens and Rutha Emeline Merril. It isn't true, as her fathers name was Willis Stephens, Jr.
Notes for SIDNEY LITTLE REAVES:
SIDNEY REAVES was a farmer. He married Beverly Clementine Stephens 2 January 1884 in Jackson County, Alabama. They had two daughters, Emma Elizabeth and Eva. When Eva was 12 years old, they moved to Texas for her health as she had asthma. They were my great grandparents.
MARRIAGE LICENSE
THE STATE OF ALABAMA ]
JACKSON COUNTY ] To any licensed Minister of the Gospel, Judge of the Suprene or Circuit Courts, or Chancellor of said State Judge of Probate or any Justice of the Peace, in said county, GREETING:
YOU ARE HEREBY AUTHORIZED To celebrate the Rites of Matrimony between
Sidney L. Reeves and Beveraly C. Stephens
and this shall be your sufficient authority for so doing
Given under my hand and seal this 1st. day of Jany A.D. 1884
John B. Tally [L.S.] Judge of Probate
The above named parties were married by me at W. C. Stephens on the 2nd day of Jany A.D. 1884.
FIFTY DOLLARS FINE FOR FAILING TO RETURN THIS LICENSE W. G. Petty Justice of the Peace
THE STATE OF ALABAMA, ]
JACKSON COUNTY, ]
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That we Sidney L. Reeves and James Reeves
are held and firmly bound unto the State of Alabama in the sum of Five Hundred Dollars, to the which payment, well and truly to be made, we bind ourselves, our heirs, executors, administrators, and assigns, jointly, firmly by these presents.
Sealed with our seals and dated this 1st. day of Jany 1885
THE CONDITION OF THE ABOVE OBLIGATION IS SUCH, That if there be no legal cause to obstruct the Marriage of
Sidney L. Reeves and Beveraly C. Stephens to whom a License has this day been granted, then to be void: else to remain in full force and virtue.
WITNESS our hands and seals the day and year above written.
Sidney L. Reeves [L.S.]
ATTEST___________________________________ James Reeves [L.S.}
Judge of Probate
More About SIDNEY REAVES and BEVERLY STEPHENS:
Marriage: 03 Jan 1884, Paint Rock, Jackson County, Alabama
Children of BEVERLY STEPHENS and SIDNEY REAVES are:
i. EMMA ELIZABETH REAVES, b. 13 Nov 1884, Paint Rock, Marshall County, Alabama; d. 08 Sep 1974, Albuquerque, Bernalillo Co., New Mexico; m. WILLIE LEE JONES, 06 Aug 1905, Jewell, Eastland Co., Texas; b. 28 Mar 1880, Jewell, Eastland Co., Texas; d. 19 Aug 1954, Albuquerque, Bernalillo Co., New Mexico.
ii. EVA REAVES, b. 16 Sep 1886, Paint Rock, Marshall County, Alabama; d. 08 Sep 1971, Amarillo, Potter County, Texas; m. W. W. HARRISON; d. Amarillo, Potter County, Texas.