THE JESS REAVIS FAMILY
Source: The Hx of Klamath Country Oregon pub 1984
Pg. 362 Jess and May Revis were married in Talihina, Oklahoma on April 23, 1918. They were parents of five children (Arion, Carmen, Gene, Marion "Jim" and Max). Mr. and Mrs. Revis were farmers in the Kiamichi Valley at Muse, Oklahoma. Jess helped build the Dierk's Lumber Co. Mill at Pine Valley where he was employed until he moved to Oregon.
In 1938, Arion and his two best friends enlisted in the U.S. Army for three years. In the meantime Mr. Revis heard about the wonderful opportunities for work in Oregon. Upon receiving his honorable discharge from the Army, Arion decided to look for work. Jess and Arion decided to look for work in Oregon. In July of 1941 they arrived at Sprague River, Oregon, were employed at the American Box Company and sent for the family in October. They spent 1 1/2 years here.
In March, 1943 the Revis' moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon where Jess was employed by Weyerhaeuser Timber Co. Later he was employed by Klamath Hardboard Co.,
"ADMIRATION"
poem found in old newspaper clippings by Don Comer,
on the back of page it says, "Large Wesson Oil .41 cents, Rath Bacon .59 cents" date unknown
Mrs. Ethel Reavis Williams, a Yadkin native who lives in Concord, thinks a lot of her native county. She was d/o David Isom Reavis and Pernie Conklin and married H. Sinclair Williams, Sr.
Here is a poem she wrote that proves it:
Flowers always bloom their best
In Yadkin
The atmosphere gives one jest
In Yadkin
The sun shines just a little brighter
In Yadkin
And hearts beat just a little lighter
In Yadkin
The people wake up with a smile
In Yadkin
Living is so worthwhile
In Yadkin
And when St. Peter opens the gate
I'll rush right up and say; "Wait,
Is it like Yadkins
I don't care in which direction
One goes seeking for perfection,
We have rivers, forests too,
Glorious sun a-shining through
All this makes heaven for me and
You, In Yadkin
(this last part was cut-off & think tis what it says)
"HIRAM WILBURTON REAVIS" 1816-1897
Source: Old Settlers Association, Bond Co Il
This is from a copy of the original handwritten query to members.
Hiram Wilburton Reavis, born June the 10th, 1816 ini the state of Illinois bond County near the old fort
At what place did you locate or settle? near Pleasant Mound
Where do you reside? on farm town 5 sec 36
If married when and to whom?
married 1837 to Alezada Moore
No church connections
Father: Isham Reavis
Mother: Mary Reavis, a cousin (of father)
Occupation? Farming
"I was born near the old fort in Bond county. I can remember the place where ?? was buried can remember the old stockade My brother and I hauled the rails for a man by the name of Edwards to fence the fort or where the fort was (there is a part here that is to faded to read) Remember when the Indians was moved from the Okaw they stopped at or near Shoal Creek and stayed part of the winter to hunt and fish near my father's hous (sic) about the year 1830 my father and family moved on the place I now live about 61 years ago. My father entered the land I have lived here all time being in Section 36 T5 R2W not been out of the state but few times only when we had to haul our produce to St Louis the above subject is Blind has been for 15 years, August 12th, 1891 (sounds as if someone is writing this for him).
"WILLIAM R. REAVIS" Souce: Old Settlers Assoc.
Born January the 19th 1829 Bond County Burgess Township
Resides in Millersburg
Port office: Badon Badon
if married to whom? October the 21st 1870, Anna T. Walter (Walker?)
No church
Father? William Reavis born January the 18th 1808
Mother? Mary A Sasseth
Occupation: Farmer
FRM HISTORY OF WILLIAMSON CO TN
HARTWELL HYDE(1759-1833) and MARY REVIS (1758-1828) came from Halifax, North Carolina to Tennessee with their eleven children in 1802. Hartwell Hyde settled on a thousand acres he had purchased in 1801 from William Gilmore, it having been part of a Revolutionary grant to Lt. Thomas Pasteur. Here, just east of Triune, Mr. Hyde established a plantation community complete within itself. The Hydes built a sturdy log house and lived simply but abundantly, never replacing the pioneer dwelling with a more pretentious brick as some of their neighbors did. (still standing) They were members of the Wilson Creek Baptist Church. Their daughter Letisha (Leticia) their oldest child was born in 1778, was grown when her parents came to Williamson County from North Carolina. Before 1805, William Spann had come from Roanoke, Virginia, and soon after his arrival here they were married (Letisha Revis). They settled on a large tract of land three miles east of Triune, built a log home and readed a large family of children. As the sons married, each built a log home near a good spring on about seventy acres of land either given to him or willed to him by the father. As the property lay in one piece with the eight or more homes scattered over it, the little settlement became knows as "Spanntown". Their houses all followed the same pattern, a large, two-story, log room with detached kitchen. When the boundary line between Williamson and Rutherford Counties was changed long ago, it was run in such a way as to place this house astride the line with all of the other Spann houses being in Rutherford County, only two of which remain. The Billy Spann place was bought in the 1940's frm the Spann heirs. The old house is as strong and comfortable as it was 135 years ago (this frm Old Homes and Sites)
HOPEFUL LAWSUIT BY A SURVIVOR OF A LOST WORL
Frm: St Louis Post-dispatch ....unk date
Column by Christine Bertelson
ELIZBIETA KRASICKA REAVIS wants her castle back. her reasons are more serious than money, more personal than politic. They are as deep as 10 centuries of "fmaily history", as strong as "childhood memories".
For the past 40 years, Reavis, a retired French teacher, has lived on Flora Place with her American soldier she met in a cafe in Poland during World War II.
But she was born a countess in a 15th century castle in the village of Lesko, Poland. "Bisha" as her friends call her, was the younget of seven children of Count August and Countess Isabella Krasicka.
In one black and white snapshot taken in 1931, Bisha is a round-faced firl with a fringe of dark bobbed hair. She is sitting in the back of a carriage driven by a liveried coachmen and pulled by four white hoses.
She studied music, art, languages and literature with private turots.
The idyll of childhood came to an abrupt end in 1939, when the war swept across Europe. One evening, German tanks and artillery appeared in the castle courtyard. Hitler's army, advancing from the west,commandeered her father's two automobiles (the only two in the village), took every horse in his stable and set up a gun emplacement.
The family scattered, settling eventually in Warsaw and Krakow. At 17, Bisha joined the Polish underground to fight the Germans who crushed Poland. She decided to desert. On her way back fromthe front, she met and married ISHAM REAVIS
Reavis was evacuated with other Allied troops in March of 1945. It would take Bisha another ten months to get out of Poland-lying on her belly on top of a box car from Krakow to the Polish-Czech border, using forged papers to sneak past Russian border guards, working as a translator for the Third Army in Nuremburg; crossing the Atlantic in stormey winter seas on a Belgian Cargo Ship/
After the war, the castle in Lesko and its surrounding land holdings became property of the Polish communist government. The Krasicka family and its brances were banned from coming within 50 miles of Lesko.
In 19??, Reavis, her daughter and grandchildren went back to Lesko to visit. her joy at being home was tempered by despair at the condition of some of the buildings and land. Most of her family's possessions were taken by the Germans or the communists, what remained is in a museum near Lesko.
Bisha and a sister, brother and uncle in Poland are pursuing a claim to the castle through the country's bysantine legal system.
JAMES ADDISON REAVIS-'THE BARON'
Article frm The DowneyEagle Newspaper Dec 6, 1996
by John Adams
James Addison Reavis duped railroads and gold mines, and lived like a king until his adventurous scheme was unmasked. He served as a principal at Gallatin School for two years before he sprang his mega-scheme. Later, after six years in a Sante Fe prison, he retunred to Downey where he raised vegetables and lived until 1913, often in the county poorhouse.
His story is so colorful it was dramtatized in a motion picture, "The Baron of Arizona" starring Vincent Price. (Re Peralta Land Grant)
Judie McKellar, also a lifelong downey resident, recalled Reavis when he first came to Downey in 1876. He was principal of the old Gallatin School here.
She wrote that Reavis taught history, math and other subjects, and was very poud of his appearance.
