Gilliam Graves

His second wife was Delila (or Delilah) Hawthorne, who he married in 18 AUG 1845 in Montgomery County, AR. They had no known children.

Pedigree Chart (3 generations)

Gilliam Graves (1790-?)	John Graves (1740-1811)



	Margery Harvey (1747-1810)	John Miles Harvey II (1705-1770)
		John Miles Harvey II (1705-1770)
		Mary Hannah Bonner (1709-1767)
		Mary Hannah Bonner (1709-1767)

Events

Multimedia

Gilliam Graves and Mary Tyler Family Multimedia

Notes

Note 1

Graves family folklore has it that Gilliam was 1/2 Indian. The story goes that during the Revolutionary War, "Becky" Rebecca Graves, then 10 years old and living with her Grandmother and Mother in N.C./VA was having a birthday gathering. Her only wish was for her father to come home. Both her father and her grandfather had left to fight in the war. The Grandfather, sur-name "Gilliam" had been killed early on. Becky's mother was with child and had stated often that if her child was a boy, she would name him Gilliam after her father.

Becky's father had promised her that he would be home by her birthday, therefore, Becky was certain he would make it. The small family of Mother, Grandmother and Daughter sat at the table, but Becky wouldn't let them eat until her father arrived. Darkness fell, and the three continued to wait. All at once the door swung open and in came Becky's father. Everyone had a great moment of happiness, but shortly the door swung open again and three British Soldiers burst in and began firing. First to go down was Becky's Grandmother who quickly pulled her Grand daughter down with her and under the table. She told Becky to hide behind the flour barrel, and Becky quickly did as told. The firing stopped but Becky, too terrified to leave the Flour Barrel, stayed hidden for some time. When she finally came out of hiding she saw her mother lying on the floor with her Father over her. His hand moved and Becky ran to him. He told her that her mother and grandmother had died and that he was dying also and that the Soldiers might return so she should run to the Indian Camp not far from her house. She did as told, the Indians took her into their camp and treated her as there own.

The Indian Chief especially loved her as did his squaw. They became her adoptive parents in every way. She never went outside of the camp, she learned their language and they learned hers. The Chief had a son, now a young brave, his job was to watch out for Becky, so anywhere she went, the young brave followed. The Chief gave him Becky in marriage and they lived quite happily for many years. The time came, though, that the white man wanted the Indian's land and the white man became very indifferent to their Indian Neighbors. Becky who had difficulty having children finally had a little boy whom she named "Gilliam" after her Grandfather, just as her mother had wanted to name the child she carried in the womb when she was killed by the British. Afraid they were going to lose their home and land, Becky and her family moved outside the Indian Camp back on her father's land and since the Indians did not have sur-names they took Becky's sur-name "Graves". Now, just as Becky never left the Indian Camp for fear of giving herself away, her husband, the Indian Brave, never left their homestead.

Becky was blessed with very fair skin and blonde hair. Young Gilliam was rather dark, with dark hair, but passed easily as "White". After the death of her husband, Becky rejoined her white family, who still loved her very much, especially her uncles. Here, her little boy Gilliam grew up as a white child. He stayed in Tom's Creek, Randolph County, North Carolina where he also married a Cherokee and had a son who they also named "Gilliam". This child, born in about 1813 being 1/2 Cherokee from his father and full blooded from his mother was in reality 3/4 Indian. Gilliam fell in love and married Mary Tyler "White" in about 1832. Mary died in childbirth, the child, named William was raised by the "Tyler" grandparents in North Carolina. In 1840, just after the Great “Trail of Tears", Gilliam, and his brother Samuel moved their families west, through Alabama, finally stopping in Montgomery County, Arkansas. Gilliam went on to join the Union Army, Co. D, 4th Reg. Sr. He was described as have dark complexion, with dark hair and black eyes. He was 5'10" tall. He deserted in October of 1864, only to return from desertion in December of 1864. Gilliam had several wives and many children.

This is folklore, I cannot know how much is reality. Just an interesting story I found about Gilliam Graves.”