Fayette County History

By Linda Hanabarger

Wednesday, September 21, 2011 at 12:06 pm

On Sunday, Sept. 11, 2011, the Kaskaskia Chapter of the U.S. Daughters of the War of 1812 officiated at a grave-marking ceremony at Edwards Cemetery in Seminary Township honoring the service of Isham Reavis, a veteran of the War of 1812.

Reavis died on Sept. 24, 1844, and was a veteran of the War of 1812.

Karen Bauer-Reelitz, president of the Kaskaskia chapter, working in conjunction with members of the Hill’s Fort Society, combined the recognition of Isham Reavis with a history event that group was sponsoring at the Hill’s Fort Museum site in Greenville on the same day. During that program, attention was given to both the Rev. Billy Jones, whose name was given to Jones’ Fort, and Isaac Hill, of Hill’s Fort. When Hill and Jones built their forts, Isham Reavis was already living on his improvement on the east side of Shoal Creek, northwest of both forts. Bauer-Reelitz also contacted several known Reavis descendents, only to learn that the Reavis family reunion was being held on the same day. An invitation was extended for them to attend the program, and their attendance added to the celebration of Reavis’ life.?Isham Reavis was born about 1779 in Surry County, N.C., the only son of Henry Reavis, of Northhampton County, N.C., a soldier of the Revolution. Sometime after 1800, Henry Reavis moved with members of his family, including his brother, Harris, to Warren County, Ky.?Isham married his cousin, Mary Reavis, daughter of Harris Reavis, in Warren County, Ky., about 1805. Their first three children, Cynthia, Zachariah and Elizabeth, were born in Warren County.?When Isham’s father, Henry Reavis, made the move to Madison County, Ill., in about 1809, Isham and Mary, and their young family, made the move with him. Isham’s three sisters also came with their father to Illinois, including Elizabeth Burgess (Mrs. William), Pheraby (Ferabe) Renfro (Mrs. Joshua) and Mary Low (Mrs. Aquilla).?According to family history, two of Isham and Mary’s 10 children, Hiram Wilberton, born June 10, 1816, and Delilah, born July 23, 1819, were born at Hill’s Fort in Bond County.?In 1813, with increasing hostilities from the Indians, Territorial Gov. Ninian Edwards sent out a call for a state militia. Isham enlisted on Feb. 20, 1813, and served under Capt. Samuel Whiteside in a company of U.S. Mounted Rangers. He re-enlisted in May 1814, and served until Nov. 7, 1815, attaining the rank of corporal. Many of the men who served in the state militia would return to their homes during times of their enlistment if their services were not needed, but they were always ready to be called out by their captains. Information in the 1882 History of Bond and Montgomery counties tells that Henry Reavis and his family settled in Madison County early, returned to Warren County, Ky., and returned to Illinois several years later.?During the early 1810s, the Indians were fighting against the encroachment of Americans moving into the Illinois and Missouri territories. Paid bounties for scalps and provided with guns and ammunition by the British, the Indians kept up a continuous harassment of the white settlers.?Isham’s wife, Mary, died about 1825, and two years later, he married Nancy Rhodes in Madison County. They were the parents of a son, Jonas, before they were divorced by the state legislature. Jonas is said to have taken the surname of Rhodes.?Isham Reavis was rather well educated for a man of his time, and listed among the inventory of his assets in his estate papers are a number of books. Family tradition says that Isham was a big man, and that his death on Sept. 24, 1844, was caused by pneumonia. He would have been about 65 years old.?A doctor was called and used one of the remedies popular at the time for various ailments, bleeding the patient to remove bad humours from the body. The loss of blood probably contributed to his death. Members of Isham’s immediate family also rest in the Edwards Cemetery.?Joining in the tribute with the Kaskaskia Chapter of the Daughters of the War of 1812 was Carole Wylder, state president of the U.S. Daughters of 1812, members of the Illinois Territorial Rangers, Sons of the American Revolution and members of the Hill’s Fort Society, along with the descendents of Isham Reavis.?As Karen Bauer-Reelitz stated, it is a privilege to bring attention to the sacrifices and accomplishments of our valiant heroes, the veterans of the War of 1812.