Union County ArArchives Biographies.....Reeves, B. W. 
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Robert Sanchez http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00027.html#0006574 July 12, 2009, 5:48 pm

Author: S. J. Clarke (Publisher, 1922)

B. W. REEVES.
    B. W. Reeves of El Dorado is senior partner in a large general mercantile
store in which he has associated with him his sons and daughters. He has long
been connected with commercial activity here and has manifested a spirit of the
utmost progressiveness in controlling his interests. He was born in Union
county, Arkansas, October 3, 184S, a son of John A. Reeves, who came from
Georgia to Arkansas in 1845, settling on a farm near El Dorado, where he
operated his land with the labor of the slaves whom he owned. His place was
situated two miles northeast of El Dorado, and thereon he spent his remaining
days, his death occurring in the fall of 1860.

    B. W. Reeves was born and reared on the old homestead. He was only three
years of age when his mother died, and a lad of twelve when his father's demise
occurred. He attended one of the old-time subscription schools held in a log
building, and when still quite young he and his elder brother operated the home
farm. He turned to commercial pursuits when twenty-two years of age by securing
a clerkship in the store of T. C. Moore & Son of El Dorado, with whom he
remained for three years. He then returned to the farm, upon which he again
lived for three years, and later he opened a small country store at Hillsboro,
carrying on business for a year. He next engaged in clerking for a few months,
and then in March, 1879, established a store under the firm style of Reeves &
Gresham, this partnership being maintained for two years, at the end of which
time Mr. Reeves purchased the interest of his partner, who had died. Later the
firm became Reeves & Miles, and the business was carried on at the present
location for two years. At the end of that time Mr. Reeves purchased the
interest of his partner and afterward carried on the business independently
until January, 1921. when he admitted his four sons and three daughters to a
partnership. They have a large and well-appointed general store, and in 1900
erected a fine brick building fifty by one hundred and fifty feet. Aside from
his connection with the mercantile interests of El Dorado, Mr. Reeves became the
first president of the First National Bank and is still one of its stockholders.
He is also a director in the Bank of- Commerce and he has oil interests in
Arkansas, being connected not only with oil companies, but also with oil
refining companies. He is the oldest merchant of the city and one of the most
enterprising and progressive business men, having long been a potent factor in
the commercial development of El Dorado.

    On the 13th of November, 1879, Mr. Reeves was united in marriage to Miss
Julia S. Moore, and they have seven children, all now connected with the
business. In 1872 Mr. Reeves purchased the block where he lives, the property
now being worth one hundred thousand dollars.

    In community affairs Mr. Reeves has ever taken deep and helpful interest. He
has served as mayor of El Dorado, has been a member of the school board for a
number of years and is the stalwart champion of all those interests which are a
matter of civic virtue and civic pride. He has for an extended period been a
consistent member of the Baptist church and is chairman of the building
committee of the new Baptist church which is now being built at a cost of one
hundred and fifty thousand dollars. The cornerstone was laid by Mr. Reeves on
Sunday, March 12, 1922. His life has ever been guided by those high and
honorable principles which command for the individual respect and confidence in
every land and every clime.


Additional Comments:
Citation:
Centennial History of Arkansas
Volume II
Chicago-Little Rock: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company
1922


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