They traveled over a Military road from Memphis to Batesville thenfollowed a country trail to the mouth of the Buffalo River, stopping in the Buffalo-Tomahawk section in December, 1845.
Included in this group were three brothers: Joshua, Peter, and Asa Reeves, and their half brother John Reeves.
Joshua Reeves was married to Mahala Grinder, and a son (Uncle Bob) was born to them July 20, 1845 a short time before the wagon train left Tennessee. This family stopped at Keeling Spring on Tomahawk. In 1848, Joshua and family moved to Texas to grow cotton where Mahala died in 1849 and is buried at Belton, Texas (Note 3). Joshua and his children then returned to Arkansas by way of Fort Smith and Springfield, Mo. He soon married again - the children were not popular with the new wife and they went to make their home with David Barnett and wife, who reared Uncle Bob Reeves along with their own family.
Peter Reeves who had married Katie Grinder, sister of Mahala, settled with his family on the Buffalo River, taking a government patent on the land along the north side of the river where US Highway 65 now bridges Buffalo. Their home was in the Joel Baker Hollow at a point just north of where Highway 65 now leaves the valley. Fletcher Reeves and James Reeves were the sons of Peter. There were two daughters, Louisa who married Cass McKinney and Jone (jane??) who married Andy McKinney. Fletcher Reeves was the father of Redin Reeves and Tennessee Reeves who married John Henry Barnett.Asa Reeves lived on Silver Hill.
The (reference to "half brother" scratched out) John Reeves patented the lands along Bear Creek known now as the Dan Peek place. There were two children, Bruin and Cynthia.
Included in the wagon train was Aunt Becky Baker, mother of Jessie, John Riley, and Redin Baker, and Aunt Sarah Mays. Aunt Becky was the sister of Joshua, Asa, and Peter Reeves.
Another sister of Aunt Becky's married a Baker, the father of Jasper and Calvin Baker. They settled on Bear Creek in the present Baker Hollow community. This may account for the first county seat of Searcy County, located in the Baker Hollow area, being named Lebanon. Clay Hensley's mother and Jeff Stephenson's mother were sisters of Jasper and Calvin Baker. Therefore, the mother of Jasper and Calvin Baker and also the grandmother of Clay Hensley and Jeff Stephenson on the Baker side - the mother of Jessie, John Riley, and Redin Baker and Aunt Sarah Mays - were sisters of Joshua, Peter, and Asa Reeves.
The wagon train from Tennessee carried several unmarried young people, including Marget F. (Flurry) Grinder, her brother Bob Grinder, and David Barnett. no direct (kindred??) of David Barnett emigrated from Tennessee at this time. Bob Grinder later became the father of George Grinder.
Shortly after reaching Arkansas David Barnett patented lands along Dry Creek and married Flurry Grinder. It has been noted above that Bob Reeves made his home with David Barnett after he was
five years of age. He was a nephew to Flurry and a first cousin to the following children born to David and Flurry:
Nancy -- April 25, 1853
James Perry - October 14 1855
William J. (Uncle Jack) - March 5, 1857
Robert M. - February 11, 1861
David O. - August 9, 1864
Samuel S. (Uncle Siegel) - April 10, 1866
John Henry - March 29, 1869
Martha E. - September 25, 1871
Mary C. - January 9, 1874When the Civil War broke out, David Barnett went to Springfield Mo. to join the Union army. Later Bob Reeves and James Reeves, Peter's son, slipped away under the cover of the night and made their way also to Springfield to fight with the Federal Forces. As a reprisal by the Confederates Joshua, Bobs father, and Peter were taken away in a chain gang. Joshua was released some six months later, but Peter was never heard of again. Later Bob Reeves and Siegel Barnett became famous as hunters of wild game. It was their responsibility to furnish the large family with meat of deer and turkey and it is said that they always had a good supply of meat on hand.
After Flurry passed away in the late 70's, David married Sarah Jane Cross in 1879. One son was born to this marriage, Noah, -- April 10, 1880
David Barnetts's third marriage was to Cyntha Reeves in the early 80s. To this union was born two sons:
Granville M. (Uncle Murph) -- May 21, 1884
Absalum A. (Uncle Drew) - Jan 27, 1886David Barnett passed away March 3, 1915 and Cyntha passed on June 15, 1934.
As told to W.F. (Frank) Reeves in 1903 by Joshua Reeves and re-told to James Barnett by Frank Reeves, June 4, 1954,
Editors Notes..
This transcription was prepared from a old, typewritten, and smudged copy of the text, that explaining the occasional ??? in spelling.
Note 1: The Date of this narrative is somewhat questionable. Joshua and his brothers were reported in the Tomahawk region well before the 1845 date on the tax rolls. Some census reports show "Bob" Reeves as born in Arknasas, not Tennessee.
Note 2: The location of "a point ten miles northeast of Lebanon, Tennessee on Rock Creek" is much in question. There are two places bearing that name today that are both a bit far away for being the base. However.. many towns have changed names since then, and the following may prove a better judgement of the origin. The 1836 Wayne County Tax report shows the wagon train families as concentrated in District 3. This district, according to a contemporary map, was located in the far northeast part of the county. This area today may be in Perry or Lewis counties. The major waterway through that area is the Buffalo River (an amazing coincidence, or.. homesick settlers). A number of creeks flow into this stream.. Sinking Creek.. Hurricane Creek.. and Rock House Creek, smack in the middle of Reeves/Grinder country. My guess would be "Rock Creek" is "Rock House Creek".. and Lebanon has disappeared or been renamed. There is a Mt. Lebanon church west of this area which is also a candidate.
Note 3: Not quite. Mahala died after the birth of her youngest daughter in 1851. As for being buried in Belton, Belton didn't exist then. Their home was in the "Milam-Williamson" district of Milam county, and it has been difficult to pin down where they lived precisely. However.. even this area is a bit to the south of modern Belton.
