John Graves

Personal and Family Information

John was born in 1740 in Spotsylvania, Virginia, the son of unknown parents.

He died on 6 MAY 1811 in Randolph Co., NC.

His wife was Margery Harvey, who he married in ABT 1764 in Randolph Co., NC. Their nine known children were Samuel (<1764-1835), William (<1765-1791), Richard 'Dickey' (>1765-1849), Mary Ann (1771-1811), Leonard (<1773-1847), John (1790-1883), Gilliam (1790-?), Elizabeth (<1791-1811) and William (<1793->1850).

Events

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Graves acrea...

Notes

Note 1

5x GGrandfather, Will was signed Jan 5 1811

often confused with John Herndon Graves

Info provided by Clark Graves:

John Graves of Randolph County, NC, b. abt. 1740, who is at the head of Genealogy 77 on the Graves Family Ass'n site.

Attached in media links is a list of land purchases and sales between 1757 and 1765, in the area which became Randolph County, NC.

JOHN GRAVES AND HIS SON JOHN

John I'll call him "Sr.") and William Graves seem to have preceded Thomas and his sons in coming to this region.These three are likely brothers or cousins. John Sr bought over a thousand acres in June, 1758. Thomas recorded his first purchase four years later.

In deed 46, John Graves sells 453 acres to William Kimbrough, witnessed by another John Graves, who is probably the John Graves at the head of Gen. 77. This would mean his father is John Graves Sr., and will call the head of Gen 77 "John Graves, Jr.".

THE CONNECTION BETWEEN JOHN SR., THOMAS AND WILLIAM of NORTH CAROLINA

A connection between Thomas and William is easy to make, because they lived about a mile or so apart, in the SE corner of what became Randolph County. Thomas' 700 acre Granville grant straddled Deep River, adjoining the downstream land of William Searcy, the owner of Searcy's Ford and Ferry. William Graves lived on Brush Creek, which enters Deep River a mile upriver from Thomas' land.

John Sr. was certainly in the vicinity. I haven't traced his land on the map. He may have lived on the western side of the county near Seagrove, or possibly further away at Camp Creek.

THOMAS' HOME BEFORE NORTH CAROLINA

Thomas sold his land in Culpepper County, VA to raise the money to buy the Granville grant in NC in 1763. Before coming to NC, Thomas lived close to his brother James Graves, in the little 'burb just north of the town of Culpepper, named Catawba. Thomas and James received their lands from their father, John Graves, of Spotsy County. Their land adjoined Lewis Davis Yancy and was purchased from him. This is important to know because there is another James and Thomas Graves who lived in the southern part of Culpepper and who are a different family.

If I had to guess, John Sr. is another son of John Graves of Spotsy, besides Thomas and James.

Note 2

John Graves (1) was born about 1740 in VA, and died in 1811.  According to Miss Laura L. Walker (from information originally supplied by Mrs. Nellie (Cox) Beane), John was born in England.  However, according to R‑50, the statement that John was born in England probably came from someone who re-copied copies of notes of Phanney Graves (b. 1803) who stated her grandfather, John Graves, was from a John Graves, born in England, who came to America about 1635.  The year of 1635 got changed through re-copying to 1735 or 1755 or somewhere in between.  There is no information as to who may have a copy of the original notes of Phanney Graves.  R‑50 states that John Graves came to NC with explorers of the same last name, some sons of Thomas Graves of Spotsylvania Co., VA.  They came to the area by 1755.  He married Margery Harvey, also said to be from VA.  John and Margery lived on Bumper’s Fork of Little River.  This 312 acres of land was sold in 1822, after Margery was deceased, by sons Leonard and Samuel to Silas Moffitt (Randolph Co. Deed Bk. 14, p. 214).  This land adjoined Leonard, Samuel, and William Bolling.

Per R‑210, which cites the Randolph Geneaolgical Journals, the name of John Graves’ wife is rendered as Margery in his 1811 will and in an 1815 tax roll, as Margere on the 1820 tax roll, and as Marge in a 1789 deed.

John’s will was dated 5 Jan. 1811, and probated in Nov. 1811 in Randolph Co., NC (Will Book 3, p. 311).  Margery and their son Samuel were executors of the will.  Beneficiaries were wife Margery, daughters Mary and Elizabeth, sons Samuel, William, Leonard, and John Jr.  Richard, a witness to the will, had shared a land grant with John Graves, Sr., so apparently had received his share of the estate previously.  Not all of the following 8 children are proven.  There are obvious discrepancies between the accounts and possibilities given in the book by Lillian Sheppard and that by Aubrey Graves.

The first William Graves listed below died in late Dec. 1791 or early 1792.  In a will dated 30 Dec. 1791 he gave his land to his brother Leonard, and personal possessions to his brother Samuel and his sister Mary Anne (“Anne”).  According to R‑50 and R‑210, William obtained land grant No. 401 from the state of North Carolina on 18 Aug. 1787, registered 12 Dec. 1788 (Warrant No. 208, surveyed 29 Dec. 1786), for 300 acres of land on the Little River in Randolph Co.  If the entry date for this land grant was 1786, then he must have been born by 1765 at least, according to R‑50.  William Graves may also be placed in Randolph Co. by a signed 1785-1788 petition regarding court house location.  If he had a family, they predeceased him.  The last son born, William, was named after his older brother.

Per R‑50, Elizabeth Graves married Michael Harvey, who may have presented John Graves’ will in court in 1811.  If Elizabeth was married in 1811, she was probably born by 1791.  Leonard sold land in 1794 (the 312 acres willed to him by brother William).  Having to be at least 21 years of age in 1794, he was born by 1773.  Anne and Mary Graves, previously listed separately, are, according to R‑50, one daughter named Mary Anne Graves.  In 1794, she witnessed a deed as Mary Hudson.  If she was at least 21 years of age at this time, then she was born by 1773.

It is believed that there may be a connection between this family and the families of Peter Graves, page 90, 1978 Graves Family Newsletter, and William B. Graves, page 69, 1979 Graves Family Newsletter?

Also, on pages 105 and 107, 1978 newsletter is information on the descendants of Samuel L. Graves, b.c. 1816, NC, d. 25 March 1869, Texas Twp., DeWitt Co., IL.  He probably first married Molly Mann, married second Mary Wright, then married Sarah Ann (Baily?) Davis.  Since one of his grandchildren was named Zilpha, perhaps he was related to John Graves of Randolph Co.  (R‑1, R‑7, R‑9, R‑18, R‑44, R‑50, R‑201, R‑202, R‑210)

Note 3

Children - Graves

+2.  Samuel Graves, b. bef. 1764, m. Zylphia Steed, bef. 1790, d. 1830-1840.

  3.  William Graves, b. bef. 1765, d. Dec. 1791 or early 1792 (Randolph Co., NC).

+4.  Richard Graves, b. 1765-1769, m. Hannah Fincher, d. 15 June 1849.

  5.  Elizabeth Graves, b. bef. 1791 (or c. 1765 per R‑44), m. Michael Harvey.  He was b.c. 1767.  Two sons listed in 1790 Randolph Co., NC census: one b.c. 1786 and the other b.c. 1788.

+6.  Leonard Graves, b. bef. 1773, m. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, d. before 1850.

+7.  John Graves, Jr., b. 2 Jan. 1790, m. Margaret Brookshire, d. 7 March 1883.

+8.  Mary Anne Graves, b. bef. 1773, m. Joseph Hudson.

+9.  William Graves, b. bef. 1792/3, m. Sarah Ann ‑‑‑‑‑‑, d. after 10 Sept. 1850.