Individual Details
Rev. Michael Dean Reeves
(November 16, 1818 - September 11, 1906)
1880 Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail County, Minnesota census, page 201A: Michael Reeves, farmer, head of household, married, 62, born in IN, Fa. born VA, Mo. born KY; Hulda Reeves, house keeper, wife, widowed, 51, born PA, parents born in PA; Hariet Reeves, at home, daughter, single, 17, born MN, Fa. born IN, Mo. born PA; A. I. Reeves, at home, son, single, 16, born MN, Fa. born IN, Mo. born PA; Charles Reeves, at home, son, single, 7, born in MN, Fa. born IN, Mo. born PA. (NOTE: The 1880 census birth dates for his him, Hulda, and three kids seem to off about two years compared to other sources.)
"Aged Pioneer Passes Away - Rev. M. D. Reeves our most Respected Citizen Answers Death Call; In the death of Rev. M.D. Reeves which took place at his home here Tuesday, September 11th, a life remarkable for the breadth and success of its ministry, its Christian spirit and its wide influence came to its earthly ending. Parker's Prairie has lost one who was at the same time both its oldest and its most respected citizen. Regardless of creed all in the community valued him as a friend and looked to him in time of need for fatherly advice. He was the "Grand Old Man" of this region of Minnesota, grand in the goodness of his character grand in the achievement of a well rounded life. The pioneer days of America are passing, as its vast domain is now practically all settled, and, as this is true, so also is the type of which Mr. Reeves is an example, becoming a matter of the past, the rugged pioneer who undaunted by the danger of a new country carved his path in the wilderness. Mr. Reeves solicited from Gov. John S. Pillsbury aid for northern Minnesota and with his wife had charge of the distribution of supplies for the suffering of this region. Many and many a family was saved that year from well nigh starvation through his unselfish efforts. The last few years of his life he retired from active service as a minister. His last visit to town was on "Old Settlers Day" June 22nd. Ministered to by loving friends and relatives his long life came to a peaceful and painless close September 11, 1906. Funeral services were held at the home at 10 a.m., and at the church at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 13th, the acting pastor of the Baptist church conducting the funeral. The pallbearers were J.K. Deming, S.F. Deming, Wm. G. Hall, James Bright and James Clarno. Interment was at the Parker's Prairie cemetery. Appropriate to the life that was lived, were the words used as a text for the funeral discourse: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith henceforth there is land up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also who love his appearing." (Obituary from the newspaper in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, September 1906, page 1.)
"Rev M. D. Reeves was born Nov. 16, 1816 at Rising Sun, Indiana, thus had he lived two months more he would have reached his ninetieth birthday. At the age of nineteen he became a follower of Christ at a camp meeting in Cook County, Illinois where the great metropolis of the west, Chicago, is now situated and was baptized by Rev. Isaac Eaton in the Des Plaines river. Chicago then was but a small western village. Dearborn street, now the center of the great city, then numbered as its business enterprises but two small general stores. The same year of his conversion,the year 1836, he was married to Martha Harrington. He saw service as a soldier with Abraham Lincoln in the Black Hawk wars. In June of 1855 he moved to the territory of Minnesota . He organized the second Protestant Sunday school and church in the state in other words the first one south of the city of St. Paul and this in the town of New Lebanon. He was ordained at this place. For seven years he labored in southern Minnesota for the freewill Baptists, in the service organizing 17 churches, building one meeting house and traveling 14,000 miles. In 1861 his first wife having died, he was married to Mrs. H. M. Rider, who now survives him. The same year he affiliated himself with the regular Baptists and for them held successively pastorates at Spring Valley, Pleasant Grove, Marion Wacoka and Parker's Prairie. Revivals everywhere attended his preaching. For seventeen years of the thirty of which he was a resident of Parker's Prairie he was the pastor of its Baptist church, which church was organized by him. As the pastor of this church he had charge of the building of its meeting house contributing of his time and his resources to its erection. In connection with the work here he helped to organize and sustain churches at Miltona, Eastern Imman, Henning." (Obituary in an unknown newspaper, possibly be from Alexandria, Minnesota.)
"Aged Pioneer Passes Away - Rev. M. D. Reeves our most Respected Citizen Answers Death Call; In the death of Rev. M.D. Reeves which took place at his home here Tuesday, September 11th, a life remarkable for the breadth and success of its ministry, its Christian spirit and its wide influence came to its earthly ending. Parker's Prairie has lost one who was at the same time both its oldest and its most respected citizen. Regardless of creed all in the community valued him as a friend and looked to him in time of need for fatherly advice. He was the "Grand Old Man" of this region of Minnesota, grand in the goodness of his character grand in the achievement of a well rounded life. The pioneer days of America are passing, as its vast domain is now practically all settled, and, as this is true, so also is the type of which Mr. Reeves is an example, becoming a matter of the past, the rugged pioneer who undaunted by the danger of a new country carved his path in the wilderness. Mr. Reeves solicited from Gov. John S. Pillsbury aid for northern Minnesota and with his wife had charge of the distribution of supplies for the suffering of this region. Many and many a family was saved that year from well nigh starvation through his unselfish efforts. The last few years of his life he retired from active service as a minister. His last visit to town was on "Old Settlers Day" June 22nd. Ministered to by loving friends and relatives his long life came to a peaceful and painless close September 11, 1906. Funeral services were held at the home at 10 a.m., and at the church at 11 a.m., Thursday, Sept. 13th, the acting pastor of the Baptist church conducting the funeral. The pallbearers were J.K. Deming, S.F. Deming, Wm. G. Hall, James Bright and James Clarno. Interment was at the Parker's Prairie cemetery. Appropriate to the life that was lived, were the words used as a text for the funeral discourse: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course. I have kept the faith henceforth there is land up for me a crown of righteousness which the Lord the righteous Judge shall give me at that day and not to me only but unto all them also who love his appearing." (Obituary from the newspaper in Parkers Prairie, Minnesota, September 1906, page 1.)
"Rev M. D. Reeves was born Nov. 16, 1816 at Rising Sun, Indiana, thus had he lived two months more he would have reached his ninetieth birthday. At the age of nineteen he became a follower of Christ at a camp meeting in Cook County, Illinois where the great metropolis of the west, Chicago, is now situated and was baptized by Rev. Isaac Eaton in the Des Plaines river. Chicago then was but a small western village. Dearborn street, now the center of the great city, then numbered as its business enterprises but two small general stores. The same year of his conversion,the year 1836, he was married to Martha Harrington. He saw service as a soldier with Abraham Lincoln in the Black Hawk wars. In June of 1855 he moved to the territory of Minnesota . He organized the second Protestant Sunday school and church in the state in other words the first one south of the city of St. Paul and this in the town of New Lebanon. He was ordained at this place. For seven years he labored in southern Minnesota for the freewill Baptists, in the service organizing 17 churches, building one meeting house and traveling 14,000 miles. In 1861 his first wife having died, he was married to Mrs. H. M. Rider, who now survives him. The same year he affiliated himself with the regular Baptists and for them held successively pastorates at Spring Valley, Pleasant Grove, Marion Wacoka and Parker's Prairie. Revivals everywhere attended his preaching. For seventeen years of the thirty of which he was a resident of Parker's Prairie he was the pastor of its Baptist church, which church was organized by him. As the pastor of this church he had charge of the building of its meeting house contributing of his time and his resources to its erection. In connection with the work here he helped to organize and sustain churches at Miltona, Eastern Imman, Henning." (Obituary in an unknown newspaper, possibly be from Alexandria, Minnesota.)
Events
| Birth | November 16, 1818 | Rising Sun, Dearborn County, Indiana | |||
| Marriage | July 4, 1861 | Spring Valley, Fillmore County, Minnesota - Hulda M. Newman | |||
| Death | September 11, 1906 | Parkers Prairie, Otter Tail County, Minnesota | |||
| Burial | Parkers Prairie Cemetery, Otter Tail County, Minnesota |
Families
| Spouse | Hulda M. Newman (1827 - 1912) |
| Child | Martha Reeves (1862 - 1867) |
| Child | Harriett Irene Reeves (1863 - 1922) |
| Child | A. I. Reeves (1864 - 1951) |
| Child | Charles Reeves (1872 - ) |