Dear Andrew and All, I feel I must reply to your theory that Edward had a shady past. He did according to the Law at that time; Edward was a Baptist or Anabaptist as they were called in some places. It was against the Law to be anything but a good Angelican, so into Newgate Prison went all of the discenters. It is most interesting that you found an Ashley listed. This name is a very favorite among my Reavis kin. Maybe Edward was an Ashley and in order to protect his annimity, he decided he would have a new name in America. Fascinating! Sincerely, Bonnie ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andrew Sefton" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2000 3:01 PM Subject: RE: [REAVIS] Setting up a separate List for RIVIS/REVIS > I have been on the list only 6-7 months and I have at first sight I found no > common links to my family tree apart from a similar sounding name RIVIS. All > names were in a foreign country with no possibility of linking to me. So why > did I stay? I did note from time to time it was not just REAVIS but also > RIVIS and REVIS mentioned. Also THE most fascinating thing for me compared > to other lists was the sheer volume of postings from a relatively small > number of members on the list. It also dawned on me that all names mentioned > seemed to be derived from a common source; Edward-1. This is fascinating for > me as a genealogist. I am still amazed that all 20,000 REAVIS names in Barbs > database and in the USA can be traced back to this one individual. > > With my research on my own RIVIS name here in England,(BTW my mother was a > RIVIS),I feel it is my duty to see if is possible to extend this tree back > even though it is unlikely to link to me. However I have to report that my > progress may be slow and may in fact be futile for the following reason. > From some of the postings that Barb has made it is clear that the REAVIS > name may have been created by Edward after changing his name from ASHLEY. He > may have done this to protect a shady past. He is known to have been in > Newgate Jail in England. > > On the following web site: > > http://www.fred.net/jefalvey/newgate.html > > There is a list of inmates of Newgate Prison in London. Among them is > someone called Ashley but no sign of any REAVIS/REVIS/RIVIS. This lends > weight to the theory. There are also very small numbers of people called > REAVIS in England but many of us know how early names were easily > transcribed incorrectly with the majority of the population at this time > being being illiterate. I have found many examples in my tree of how an > individual can be called RIVIS on one document REVIS on another and I do > have some documents occasionally misspelled as REAVIS! So although there are > REAVIS names in England it is more likely that Edward was more likely a > REVIS or RIVIS than a REAVIS by birth in England. > > There are Revis names on passenger lists and also on a list of persons > transported to Barbados. > > I will persist, but do not expect instant results. The records for this > period are often incomplete. It was just after our own civil war when the > country was in turmoil. The systems of government were often disrupted and > the religious institutions who we rely upon for records were themselves > under attack. > > Keep up the good work everyone. > > This list is still fascinating as it is. > > Andrew Sefton > Pocklington > Yorkshire > England > > > -----Original Message----- > From: James Shuman [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: 12 November 2000 21:49 > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [REAVIS] Setting up a separate List for RIVIS/REVIS > > > At 1:15 pm -0500 11/12/00, sheepshine wrote: > > [snip] > > >Maybe there should be a separate RIVIS/REVIS mailing/discussion list on > >Rootsweb to keep others from confusing the two lines. What about this > >suggestion John S.? * Bill L. > > > > People are always free to request a surname mailing list from > RootsWeb. Generally, if the requesting person can show that there are > researchers interested in that particular spelling who are > independent of the "main" spelling, they will honor the request. > > At this time, we are finding that *most* of the "Revis rhymes with > crevice" researchers are actually descendants of the "original > Edward." > > However, our British cousin, Andrew Sefton, indicates there are quite > a few folks in England who use one of the alternate spellings. We > have also seen that a few immigrations to the New England colonies > apparently bear little relationship to "our" Edward. > > On the other hand, Andrew feels there *might* be a relationship > farther back, and has promised on this List that he will keep > searching the early records in England. > > Membership on the REAVIS Mailing List has stayed around 75 - 85 for > the past several months, and it appears that nearly all of the > subscribers are, in fact, looking for better information relating to > the wide-spread family descending from Edward-1. As anyone can see, > the bulk of the messages contributed on this list are sent by 12-15 > people, with another dozen or so making less frequent contributions. > that leaves 2/3 to 3/4 of the subscribers as "lurkers" -- folks who > wish to receive the messages, but have nothing at the moment to > contribute. > > Further, there is already a REAVES list, which has about 50 > subscribers, and very low "traffic." > > Thus, I do not feel that it is appropriate at this time to establish > a separate List, as that would tend to confuse most of the > REVIS/RIVIS researchers who are just beginning their work. If it > becomes obvious that quite a number of them are actually searching a > different line or lines, then *that* would be the time to establish > such a List -- and I would welcome someone from that group doing so. > > Perhaps the answers to Barb's "poll" will indicate the degree of > interest, or lack thereof. > > Regards! > > JS > List Custodian > -- > ____________________________ > James Shuman, art instructor > Modesto High School > [email protected] > ____________________________ > > > ==== REAVIS Mailing List ==== > ----------------- > You can unsubscribe by clicking below for the regular list: > mailto:[email protected] > Click below for the digest list: > mailto:[email protected] > In the BODY include only one word: unsubscribe > ----------------- > > > > ==== REAVIS Mailing List ==== > ----------------- > Need to post long-term query? > http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/surnames/rea/Reavis > or choose from many other options at > http://resources.rootsweb.com/surnames/r/e/REAVIS/ > ----------------- > >