Revised 8 Dec. 1992, Gen. 272

George Graves (1) was "of Lancing, Sussex, England." He married ------. They probably lived in Landport, Hampshire, England, since that is where their son James was born. (R-1)

Children - Graves

+2. James Graves, b. 29 April 1817, m. Charlotte Beach, c. 1836, d. 5 May 1866.

CHILDREN OF GEORGE GRAVES (1)

James Graves (2) was born 29 April 1817 in Landport, Hampshire, England, and died 5 May 1866 in England. He was a son of George Graves of Lancing, Sussex. James Graves, labourer, signed "Articles of Agreement" dated 4 March 1833 to apprentice as a blacksmith for 7 years from 1 Jan. 1832. First year wages were to be 8 pence a day, rising by 2 pence each year until, in the 7th year, he would be receiving 20 pence per day. He obviously continued to make his living this way, as he was listed as a "smith" in 1854 on the birth registration of his son George.

James married Charlotte Beach about 1836, probably in Portsea, England. She was born 19 Sept. 1815 and died after 1875, both in England. In 1854, the family lived at Bailey's Row, Landport, Hampshire. Charlotte made a will on 14 Oct. 1875. At that time she lived at Hereford St., Landport, Portsea parish. In her will she referred to George, Charlotte and Edward, her children. She bequeathed 20 pounds by the Union Burial Fund Society to George Graves of Hereford St., blacksmith. Witnesses to the will were William and Mary Ann Crowter. It appears that the will may never have been probated.

All the children of James and Charlotte were born in England. (R-1)

Children - Graves

3. George Graves, b. 12 Dec. 1838, d. 20 Nov. 1839 (England).

4. William James Graves, b. 20 Oct. 1840.

5. Charles Graves, b. 12 April 1843.

6. Mary Ann Graves, b. 4 Oct. 1845, d. 24 Sept. 1855 (England).

7. Edward Graves, b. 20 March 1849.

8. Charlotte Graves, b. 31 July 1851.

+9. George Graves, b. 13 June 1854, m. Ellen Hyde, 31 Oct. 1876, d. 16 Feb. 1939.

10. Walter, b. 6 July 1856, d. 8 May 1858 (England).

CHILDREN OF JAMES GRAVES (2) AND CHARLOTTE BEACH

George Graves (9) was born 13 June 1854 in Landport District, Southampton Co., England, died 16 Feb. 1939 in Belleville, Essex Co., NJ, and was buried 18 Feb. 1939 in Glendale Cem., Bloomfield, NJ. He married Ellen Hyde, daughter of George Hyde and Elizabeth True, on 31 Oct. 1876 in St. Mary's Church, Portsea Parish, Portsmouth District, County of Hants, England. She was born 27 June 1855 in Salisbury, Wiltshire, England, died 21 June 1941 in Cedar Grove, Essex Co., NJ, and was buried 24 June 1941 in Glendale Cem., Bloomfield, NJ.

The curate who married them was H. R. Venn, and their witnesses were Amelia Vandepeer and William James Mullice. They were married in the Church of England "after banns". The original St. Mary's church building was replaced by a new one in 1843, and that is the one George and Ellen were married in. The parish of Portsea expanded greatly in the 1800's, and the second church was demolished and a new, much larger one was built in 1889.

After their marriage ceremony, they had tea aboard the "Victory" in Portsmouth Harbor. George's brother had been a Yeoman of Signals on board the Victory.

At the time of their marriage, George's address was listed as Palmerston Road; Ellen's was Ivy St., Portsea, Portsmouth. Ellen was supposed to have been a teacher at the time, but she has no profession listed on her marriage certificate. She is listed in a census as studying to be a teacher.

It appears that George and Ellen moved around a lot in the Portsea area after their marriage, since on each of their children's birth records a different address was shown. In 1876 they were listed on Palmerston Rd. (may have been Palmerston Court in Hereford St.); 31 Aug. 1877, 22 Victoria St., Portsea (Kingston District); 14 May 1879, 33 Abercrombie St., Portsea (Kingston District); 1881 and 1882, 13 Malta Rd., Buckland USD (Kingston District); 2 July 1885, 19 Marlborough Row, USD, Portsea; unknown date, Bailey's Row (12 houses belonging to C. H. Bailey between Fratton Path and Guilford St.).

George Graves was listed on his marriage certificate as a blacksmith and so was his father. Ellen's father was listed as an upholsterer (although he was dead at the time of her marriage). Later research shows he was a furniture broker.

The 1881 English census (3 April, Portsea Parish, R.G. 11/1144) shows the family as follows:

Name Position Age Occupation Place of Birth

George Graves Head 25 Blacksmith Portsea, Hants

Ellen Graves Wife 24 Salisbury, Wilts

Nellie E. Graves Dau. 3 Portsmouth, Hants

George J. Graves Son 1 " "

William E. Graves Son 2 mos " "

George emigrated to the U.S. from Liverpool, England on the American liner "Indiana". It appears he arrived in Philadelphia about 8 March 1885. After a few weeks, he found a job with "Delaney, Ship Smith" for $12 a week (in Philadelphia? or Brooklyn?).

George filed a "Declaration of Intention" on 4 June 1891 in Brooklyn, Kings Co., NY. He actually became an American citizen on 29 Oct. 1894 in Elizabeth, Union Co., NJ, Court of Common Pleas. He first lived on Hamilton Ave., Brooklyn, NY. He moved from Brooklyn to Bayonne, NJ, and, in 1913, to Belleville, NJ, where he stayed the rest of his life.

One of George's brother's (we don't know which one) also emigrated to the U.S. He wrote home to tell his family that he had arrived, but no one ever heard from him after that.

Ellen came to the U.S. to join her husband, George, in October 1886 aboard the "Laird". With her came four children -- George, Jr., Eleanor (Nelle), Edward and Albert. Albert was only about 15 months old at the time. Ellen landed in America the Sunday before the Statue of Liberty was dedicated, which was Oct. 28, 1886. (R-1)

Children - Graves

11. Nellie Elizabeth Charlotte Graves, b. 31 Aug. 1877 (Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England), never married, d. 20 Feb. 1957 (Belleville, Essex Co., NJ). She legally changed her name to Eleanor. She was a Registered Nurse. She corresponded with family in England, even after World War II. There was a male relative who was alone (widowed or single) and had a small income. He wrote Nellie and asked whether, if he came to America, he could live with her and pay her a specified amount per month. Nellie refused him because it was so little money. Nellie got the house in Belleville after her parents died. Her funeral arrangements were handled by Levine & Son Funeral Home.

+12. George James Hyde Graves, b. 14 May 1879, m. Ella Purdy.

13. William Ernest Graves, b. 14 Jan. 1881 (Portsea, Portsmouth, England), d. 8 Nov. 1881 (Portsea, Portsmouth, England). Bur. Portsea Island General Cem. at Mile End, Portsea. This area is now a park for large trucks which use the ferries from Portsmouth to France.

14. Edward Walter Graves, b. 18 Jan. 1882 (Buckland, USD, Kingston Dist., Southampton Co., England), d. 9 March 1940 (Belleville, Essex Co., NJ). He emigrated to the U.S. in Oct. 1886, and lived in Belleville, NJ until Feb. 1915. He went to Cathcart, Glasgow, Scotland in Feb. 1915 to work for Messrs. G. & J. Weir. He was back and forth between Europe and the U.S. for many years after that. He used to kid the family that he had married someone in Europe, but no one knows for sure. He died at 24 Belleville Ave., either in a factory accident or had pneumonia and collapsed at work. He was buried 13 March 1940, funeral arrangements handled by Levine & Son Funeral Home. On his death certificate, he is shown as being a polisher (plating). His social security number was 135-10-3527.

+15. Albert Rodney Graves, b. 2 July 1885, m(1) Clara M. Weaver, 7 July 1907, m(2) Martha Louise Wilhemina Bertha Marie Voellner, 15 Oct. 1910, d. 12 Nov. 1955.

16. Emma Graves, b. 20 Nov. 1887, d. 8 Sept. 1888. Twin.

17. Alice Graves, b. 20 Nov. 1887, d. 12 Sept. 1888. Twin.

18. Grace Natalie Graves, b. 2 Nov. 1888 (U.S.), m. William Worts, d. of kidney cancer. She was deaf. She and her husband were witnesses to Albert Rodney Graves' first marriage.

19. Sarah Louise Graves (called Louise), b. 31 Aug. 1890 (U.S.), m. Joe Conway, d.c. 1917-18 (childbirth in NJ).

+20. Claudine Graves, b. 21 Feb. 1892, m. H. Shepherd.

21. Dorothy True Graves, b. 15 Feb. 1893 (Brooklyn, NY), d. 12 April 1921 (Newark, NJ, of strangulation from hyperthyroidism). She had surgery before she died at the Homeopathic Hospital, Newark, NJ. Bur. 16 April 1921.

+22. Lindley Allison Graves, b. 8 March 1903, m. Martha I. Miller, d. 25 May 1968.

CHILDREN OF GEORGE GRAVES (9) AND ELLEN HOWE

George James Hyde Graves (12) was born 14 May 1879 in Portsea, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England, and died in the U.S. He married Ella Purdy, apparently in England, and had 3 sons and a daughter. One child was blind. George, himself, had a temporary blindness when he was a child in England. He used to rock the twins in their carriage because he couldn't do much else. George may have lived in Stamford, CT. (R-1)

Children - Graves

23. son

24. son, twin, died in England.

25. son, twin, died in England.

26. Bernice Graves

Albert Rodney Graves (15) was born 2 July 1885 in Portsea, Hampshire, England, died 12 Nov. 1955 in Ocala, Marion Co., FL, and was buried in Union Cem., Tyronne, NY. When he was born, they thought he was going to die. In England, a birth had to be registered quickly, so his father, George, hurried down to the registrar to register the birth. They had not selected a name for the child at that point. George saw a billboard for cigars (or something) with Prince Albert on it, so that is how he picked the name.

Albert first married Clara M. Weaver on 7 July 1907 in Elizabeth, Union Co., NJ. She was born 2 Aug. 1893 in Evans City, PA, died 13 May 1977 in Butler, Butler Co., PA, and was buried in Butler. They were divorced.

He secondly married Martha Louise Wilhemina Bertha Marie Voellner, daughter of George Voellner and Louise Lunge, on 15 Oct. 1910 at home, 36 Mead St., Newark, Essex Co., NJ. She was born 30 April 1892 in Berlin, Germany, died 10 Oct. 1975 in Geneva, Ontario Co., NY, and was buried in Union Cem., Tyronne, NY. (R-1)

Children - Graves, by Clara M. Weaver

27. Mary (or Marie) Elizabeth ("Dorothy") Graves, b. 18 June 1908 (Elizabeth, NJ), m. Joshua Draper, c. 1926, d. 13 Sept. 1946 (near Butler, PA). They were divorced.

Children - Graves, by Martha Voellner

28. Alberta Louise Graves, b. 23 July 1914 (Charleston, MO), m. Frank E. Craugh, 15 Oct. 1936 (NY), d. 29 July 1987 (Great Barrington, Berkshire Co., MA). They were divorced.

+29. Virginia Lee Graves

Claudine ("Dina") Graves (20) was born 21 Feb. 1892, and died of pneumonia. She married H. Shepherd. (R-1)

Children - Shepherd

30. Danny Shepherd

Lindley Allison Graves (22) was born 8 March 1903 in Elizabeth, Union Co., NJ, died 25 May 1968 at Clara Maas Memorial Hospital, Belleville, NJ, of a cerebral hemorhage, and was buried 28 May 1968. He was born when his mother was almost 48 years old. They thought she had a tumor. He was a bookbinder by trade. He married Marthua I. Miller. (R-1)

Children - Graves

31. Elizabeth Ann Graves

32. Richard David Graves

33. John Robert Graves

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