Taken from "Rogers' History of Mercer County," 1911, p 503
John Reeves, one of the earliest pioneers of Mercer county and highly regarded as a citizen until the time of his death June 19, 1904, was born in Virgina September 24, 1823, and was the sone of Brewer Reeves, born in Virginia June 5, 1803, died in Kentucky, December 21, 1859. Brewer Reeves was a son of William and Eva Reeves. Mary Ann (Cain) Reeves, mother of John Reeves, was born April 7, 1797, and died February 17, 1847. John Reeves went to Kentucky with his people at the age of seven, came to Missouri on a visit, travelling on horseback, in 1847, returned home in 1848 and, in 1851, with seven brothers and sisters, moved to Mercer county in wagons drawn by oxen. John's education was received in the select schools of Kentucky, and he was for some time overseer of a tobacco plantation owned by Benj. Bradshaw and manned by 65 negroes. He was first a Whig, afterwards a Democrat. At his death he owned 160 acres of land in Morgan township, four miles south of Princeton. He entered the land known as the Ed Kaufman farm and lived there until his residence was destroyed by fire.