Mary Reeve b1812 from Great Chesterford, Essex married John Smith and was Tony’s patrilineal great great grandmother. Her father was William and her mother Lois (or Loris) Reeve. Mary was the elder sister of Benjamin Reeve b1815, who in Little Chesterford was the local boot and shoemaker by 1841, when he was 25 years old. We have no information on other siblings but there are several families named Reeve in the district. Mary may have assisted Benjamin in the business and was certainly living with him in 1841 before she married.
Benjamin married shortly after Mary, in October of 1841, a Susan Searle from Great Chesterford and the daughter of Thomas Searle. They had at least six children by 1861.
Mary met and married John Smith from Little Chesterford and both were boarding with Benjamin in 1841. Mary will continue our family story as Mary Smith.
