HENRY J. RIVES

The following bio was taken from page 366 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Claudia Schuster

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Rusk County TX Coordinator

 Henry Josiah Rives, was born in Prince Edwards County, Virginia, May 27, 1846, son of Robert and Elizabeth Francis (Perdue) Rives, and grandson of Henry Rives of Albermarle Parish, Sussex County, Virginia.

 Henry enlisted at age seventeen in Company “F”, Third Battalion, Missouri Infantry.  Henry’s father, Robert, served as a captain in the company under the command of Robert’s brother, Benjamin Rives.

 While serving as a scout during the Marmaduke Raid near St. Louis, Missouri, Henry was captured by a Union Patrol and sent to the Federal Prison at Alton, Illinois.  He was later released in a prisoner exchange and rejoined the Confederate Army, serving his second enlistment in the Willis Battalion under the command of General Nathan Bedford Forrest.

 Henry’s father was killed by a sniper during the war, somewhere in Arkansas.  His mother died before the outbreak of the Rebellion.  Without close family ties, Henry set out on his own, migrating to Texas and settling in the Bethel Community of Rusk County around 1868.

 On September 8, 1869, Henry married Mary Adeline Tipps (1851-1902), daughter of L.E. and Mary (Windle) Tipps.  They became the parents of ten children, three of whom are still living.  Henry Josiah Rives died at his home in Bethel, December 5, 1920.

 Henry and Mary Rives’ children are listed in the order of their births.  Reverend Richard Robert Rives (1871-1953) married Mary Davenport.  Their children are Robert, Jr. and Mary.

  Dr. Colby P. Rives, born in 1874, married Mittie Parr.  They had two children, Colby, Jr. and Bonnie. 

William Carrelton Rives (1876-1974) married Ella Harper (1886-1978), daughter of William B. and Columbia (Blair) Harper.  Their children are Sallie, Henry, Wilbur, and Wilma.

 Henry Josiah Rives, Jr. (1878-1960) married Toletha Ellen “Nellie” Pate, daughter of C.D. and Ellen (Wilson) Pate.  Their only child was Faye Rives.

 Jacob Emory Rives (1881-1955) married Stella Dennard; their children were Jake Dennard, Emory, and Gus Edward Rives.

 Leander Ervin Rives (1883-1960) married Mattie Barner.  They had one child, Mattie Mae.

 L.F. Rives, born in 1886, married Lonie E. Ector (1904-1967), daughter of L.M. and Rendle (Hendrix) Ector.  Their children were Lucy, Betty and Marion.  L.J. still lives on the Rives homestead at Bethel in the house he built using the original lumber from the first Rives family home, built by Henry in the early 1870’s.  L.J., a veteran of World War I, enlisted July 7, 1917 and was in Company C., 133 Machine Gun Battalion, serving in  France.

 Mary Travis Rives, born in 1889, never married.  She is a registered nurse and worked in the first Henderson Hospital. 

 James Bynum Rives (1892-1980) married Bessie Dulin.  He was also a veteran of World War I, enlisted in the same company as L.J. Both participated in the Muse-Argonne Offensive.  James and Bessie has two children, James B. Rives, Jr., and Mrs. Rubye Lee Hays. 

Sue Ann Rives, born in 1896, is the widow of the late Judson Wyche.  They had three children; Marilyn, Doris and Thelma.

 Submitted by Rubye Lee Hays