James S. Graves of Alabama

Rev. 23 Jan. 2014, Gen. 379

DESCENDANTS OF JAMES S. GRAVES OF ALABAMA

GENERATION 1

James S. Graves (1) was born about 1822 in AL. He was said by R‑1 to have died 13 Dec. 1859 in Pike Co., AL; however, he was still alive in 1870, since he, his second wife Eliza and 5 children were in the 1870 census for Butler Co., AL.

Considering the discrepancies (such as R‑1 saying that James S. Graves died in 1859), it is possible that there were two different men named James Graves, born about 1822 in AL, but no solid evidence of that has yet been found.

He first married Helen Mae McGehee on 4 Oct. 1849 in Montgomery, Montgomery Co., AL. (This marriage date doesn’t fit with the birth dates of their children.) She was born about 1833 in AL, and died about 1860 in Montgomery, AL. They were in the 1850 census for Montgomery Co., AL. They couldn’t be found in the 1860 census (since at least she had probably died), but their two children were in the 1860 census for Montgomery Co., AL, living with the family of James M. and Almira Herrington, and were listed as Joseph Graves Herington and William Graves Herington. This Herrington family was in the 1850 census for Montgomery Co., AL, and it seems possible that Almira (or Elmira) was a Graves, and perhaps a sister of James S. Graves; she was born about 1817 or 1818 in GA. However, information submitted to World Family Trees on Ancestry.com[1] is that James Madison Herrington married Elizabeth Almira (or Elmira) Urquhart, so perhaps Almira was not related to this Graves family. James Graves was a farmer. Neither of the two children listed below could be identified in the 1870 census, and perhaps they had already left Alabama for Texas.

He married second Eliza (or Elizabeth) Barganier, daughter of John Barganier and Mary Ballard, 1862-1863 in Greenville, Butler Co., AL. (Either this marriage date is wrong, or the first 3 children attributed to Eliza were by his first wife, or they were Eliza’s by a previous marriage, since 3 of the children living with them in 1870 were born before 1862.) Eliza was born about 1836, supposedly in Lowndes, Lowndes Co., AL, and died after 1880 in Dead Fall, Butler Co., AL. She was living with her father and his second wife (Marcella Elizabeth Robinson) in the 1850 census for Lowndes, Lowndes Co., AL.

James Graves has been said to be a son of James Graves of genealogy 402, born about 1787 in Lancaster, Lancaster Co., SC, and Elizabeth ‑‑‑‑‑‑. However, that seems unlikely. In that proposed connection, James and Elizabeth have two sons named James, and James S. Graves is the only one supposedly born in AL, with the others all born in SC or GA.

James Graves has also been said to be a son of William Graves and Mary B. Durham of genealogy 220. However, there is no evidence that is true. If it were true, James might also be closely related to Thomas Graves (who is also suspected of descending from genealogy 220) who heads genealogy 248, and had a daughter Rutha Ann Graves who married James Franklin Barganier. The possibility of this connection is strengthened by the marriage of James S. Graves to Eliza Barganier.

In the 1840 census for Montgomery Co., AL, there are three families headed by someone with the Graves surname. Henry Graves is the only one with a son of the right age to be James S. Graves, so he is a possible father.

Eliza E. Graves was in the 1880 census for Dead Fall, Butler Co., AL, with sons John H. McCrary, 23, H. Frank McCrary, 19, and William A. McCrary, 16, and sons Sidney Gile Graves, 10, and Jesse B. Graves, 8.

It is possible that following up on the Herrington and McGehee connections, as well as performing DNA testing on descendants may be the best way to find the ancestry of this part of the Graves family.

All the children by the second marriage of James Graves were born in Butler Co., AL. (R‑1, R‑5, R‑7)

Children - Graves, by Helen Mae McGehee

+2. Joseph Kirkland Graves, b. 22 Aug. 1846, m. Martha Ellen Collier, 13 May 1873, d. 22 Nov. 1905.

3. William Monroe Graves, b.c. 1848, d. 1905 (TX). Not found in census records after 1860.

Children - Graves, by Eliza E. Barganier

4. John Graves, b.c. 1857.

5. James Graves, b.c. 1859.

6. Frank Graves, b.c. 1861.

+7. William Walter Graves, b. Feb. 1864, m(1) Sarah E. Gearhard, 19 March 1882, m(2) Jennie B. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, 1894, m(3) Leona M. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, d. 10 March 1943.

+8. Sidney Giles C. Graves, b. Aug. 1869, m. Callie ‑‑‑‑‑‑, c. 1898.

9. Jesse B. Graves, b.c. 1872.

GENERATION 2

CHILDREN OF JAMES S. GRAVES (1)

William Walter Graves (7) was born in Feb. 1864 in Butler Co., AL, and died 10 March 1943 in Tangipahoa Parish, LA. He first married Sarah E. Gearhard on 19 March 1882 in Washington Co., AR. She was born about 1866 in AL, and died after 1891 in Pike Co., AR. He married second Jennie B. ‑‑‑‑‑‑ in 1894 in Tangipahoa Parish, LA. She was born in Nov. 1875 in KY. They were in the 1900 census for Portland, Ashley Co., AR, with children John and Sophronia; none of her 3 children were living. He married Leona M. ‑‑‑‑‑‑ after 1909 in LA. She was born about 1861 in LA. They were in the 1910 census for Tangipahoa Parish, LA, with his name listed as Walter W. Graves. According to the census, this was his 6^th marriage and her first. They were in the 1920 census for Amite, Tangipahoa Parish, LA, listed as W. W. and Leona Graves, in the same dwelling as son John and his family. Both children by Sarah were born in Pike Co., AR. (R‑5)

Children - Graves, by Sarah E. Gearhard

+10. John William Graves, b. 1888-1889, m. May Thomasine Morgan, 24 July 1909, d. 6 May 1949.

11. Sophenia (or Sophronia) Graves, b. March 1890.

Sidney Giles C. Graves (8) was born in March or Aug. 1869 in AL. He married Callie ‑‑‑‑‑‑ about 1898. She was born in Oct. 1879 in AL. They were in the 1900 census for Chattanooga, Hamilton Co., TN. Although there is no documentation showing that this is the Sidney who was a son of James Graves, there is no other Sidney Graves born in Alabama around this time. Also, they were living next to John Barganier (b. March 1876) and his wife Florence in 1900; John was probably a cousin on his mother’s side. She was in the 1910 census for Walker Co., AL, with the 2 children listed below, her second marriage, but no husband in the household.

Children - Graves

12. William Joseph (“Joe”) Graves, b. April 1899 (AL).

13. Estell Graves, b.c. 1907 (AL).

Joseph Kirkland (“Joe”) Graves (2) was born 22 Aug. 1846 in Montgomery, Montgomery Co., AL, and died 22 Nov. 1905 in Wood Co., TX. He married Martha Ellen Collier, daughter of James Bollier Collier and Elizabeth E. Davis, on 13 May 1873 in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX. She was born 7 Oct. 1850 in AL, and died 9 Aug. 1931 in Winnsboro, Wood Co., TX. They were in the 1880 census for Hunt Co., TX, with their first 3 children. They were in the 1900 census for Wood Co., TX, with their last 4 children. Martha was a widow in the 1910 census for Wood Co., TX, with her son Vardie and her married daughter Bessie living with her. Six of their 12 children were still living in 1900 and in 1910. Joseph was a farmer. At least their first 5 children listed below were born in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX, and their last child was born in Jacksboro, Jack Co., TX. (R‑1)

Children - Graves

+14. James Franklin Graves, b. 17 March 1873, m. Eula May Scoggin, 27 Nov. 1895, d. 7 March 1958.

+15. Ernest Octavus Graves, b. 18 June 1877, m. Elva Mae Flack, c. 1918, d. 19 Aug. 1953.

16. Theodacia Graves, b. Dec. 1879, d. before 1900 census.

+17. Bessie Graves, b. 6 Dec. 1882, m. Lemuel A. Rape, c. 1907, d. 17 July 1959.

+18. William Russell Graves, b. 22 Jan. 1885, m. Emma Lee Champion, d. 21 Aug. 1929 (Hunt Co., TX).

19. twin boy, b. and d. 1887.

20. twin boy, b. and d. 1887.

+21. Beulah Graves, b. 12 April 1890, m. Albert Lafayette Morrow, d. 10 Feb. 1970 (Quitman, Wood Co., TX).

+22. Vardie Lee Graves, b. 24 Oct. 1893, m. Ada Sue Watson, d. 24 Sept. 1939.

GENERATION 3

CHILDREN OF WILLIAM W. GRAVES (7)

John William (“Willie”) Graves (10) was born between 5 Jan. 1888 and 1889 in Pike Co., AR, and died 8 May 1949 in Amite, Tangipahoa Parish, LA. He married May Thomasine Morgan, daughter of John J. Morgan and Rebecca ‑‑‑‑‑‑, on 24 July 1909. She was born 16 Nov. 1883 in LA, and died 16 Oct. 1952 in Amite, LA. She had apparently been married before, since in the 1910 census for Amite, LA, she was living with her father-in-law, Walter W. Graves, with her two children, John L. Aderhold, 6, and Audrey E. Aderhold, 4. John and May were in the 1920 census for Amite, LA, when her two children by her first marriage were listed as Graves. They were in the 1930 census for Amite, LA, with all 5 of their children. (R‑6)

Children - Graves

23. William Roscoe Graves, b. 10 Feb. 1911, m. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, d. 3 Aug. 1958. 2 sons and 1 dau.

24. Grinice (or Grenes) Graves, b.c. 1913.

25. Charles W. Graves, b.c. 5 Feb. 1916.

26. Robert M. Graves, b.c. 1919, m. Nova Elizabeth Ricks, 1938-1940 (Amite, LA), d. 2001-2004 (Metairie, Jefferson Co., LA). She was b. 11 Nov. 1920 in Amite, LA, and d. 22 Dec. 2006 in Metairie, Jefferson Co., LA, dau. of Lewis Benjamin Ricks and Ada D. Fussell. 1 daughter.

27. Shirley Rae Graves, b. 12 Jan. 1921, m. John Ebeling, Jr., 10 April 1942 (Amite, LA), d. 10 April 1994 (Metairie, Jefferson Parish, LA). He was b. 10 April 1917 in New Orleans, LA, and d. 5 Oct. 1982 in Metairie, Jefferson Co., LA. 3 children.

CHILDREN OF JOSEPH K. GRAVES (2) AND MARTHA E. COLLIER

James Franklin Graves (14) was born 17 March 1873 in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX, and died 7 March 1958 in Plainview, Hale Co., TX. He married Eula May Scoggin, daughter of William Jacob Scoggin and Frances (“Fanny”) E. Corley, on 27 Nov. 1895. She was born 25 Oct. 1880 in Amity, Clark Co., AR, and died 31 May 1935 in Plainview, Hale Co., TX. They were in the 1930 census for Plainview, Hale Co., TX, when he was a traveling salesman for a candy manufacturer.. All their children were born in TX. (R‑1)

Children - Graves

28. Cedran Graves, b. 15 Sept. 1898 (Winnsboro, Wood Co., TX), d. 12 June 1899 (Winnsboro, Wood Co., TX).

29. Bernice Courtney Graves, b. 16 Sept. 1899, d. 15 Sept. 1992 (Amarillo, Potter Co., TX). His World War I draft registration card, dated 12 Sept. 1918, gave his father’s name, his date of birth, his address as Canyon, Randall Co., TX, and his occupation as student at Texas A & M, College Station, TX. He was in the 1940 census for Alpine, Brewster Co., TX, single, lodger, coaching and teaching school.

30. Mildred Graves, b. 1 March 1901, d. 27 July 1983 (Orange Co., CA).

31. Marie Graves, b. 3 Oct. 1903 (Winnsboro, Wood Co., TX).

32. Ilene Graves, b. 4 Sept. 1904, d. 10 Aug. 1988 (Corpus Christi, Nueces Co., TX.

33. Monnie M. Graves, b. 1907.

34. Olan Aaron Graves, b. 13 Jan. 1910, d. 23 Oct. 1944 (Riverside, CA). Birth and death dates and places confirmed by California Death Index, familysearch.org.

+35. Fannie Sue Graves, b. 13 Jan. 1913, m. Orval Clarence Boyd, 19 Jan. 1935, d. 11 Nov. 2001.

36. James O. Graves, b.c. 1915.

37. Marion W. Graves, b.c. 1916 (Plainview, Hale Co., TX), d.c. 1988 (Vernon, Wilbarger Co., TX).

38. Edwin B. Graves, b. 11 Nov. 1917 (Plainview, Hale Co., TX), d. 1 Aug. 2002 (Lancaster, Los Angeles Co., CA).

39. Betty Jane Graves, b.c. 1921, m. Robert Bert Marr, d. 2007 (Templeton, CA). He was b. 17 Sept. 1919 in Red River, TX, and d. 28 Aug. 1978 in Kernville, Kern Co., CA.

Ernest Octavus Graves (15) was born 18 June 1877 in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX, and died 19 Aug. 1953 in Amarillo, Randall Co., TX[2]. He married Elva Mae Flack, daughter of Rufus Benjamin Flack and Bertie May Burnett, about 1918. She was born 6 July 1900 in Wilbarger Co., TX, and died 5 April 1983 in Kirbyville, TX. They were in the 1920 census for Billings, Yellowstone Co., MT, when he was Assistant Chief in the Fire Dept. They were in the 1930 and 1940 censuses for Amarillo, Potter Co., TX, with their 3 sons. Ernest was a carpenter. (R‑4)

Children - Graves

40. Joseph Inri Graves, b. 12 April 1920 (Billings, MT), m. Elizabeth Clark, d. 13 June 1988 (Strasburg, CO). She was b. 28 Feb. 1924, and d. 5 April 2009 in Strasburg, CO. 1 son.

+41. Ernest Octavus Graves, Jr., b. 6 Oct. 1921, m(1) Marguerete Reap, m(2) Bessie Blanche Hughes, d. 24 Feb. 1985.

42. Rufus Burnett Graves, b. 15 May 1927 (Amarillo, Randall Co., TX), m. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, d. Jan. 2006 (Ogden, Weber Co., UT). 3 daughters and 1 son.

43. daughter; not in any census.

Bessie Graves (17) was born 6 Dec. 1882 in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX, and died 17 July 1959 in Reeves Co., TX. She married Lemuel (“Lem”) A. Rape, son of Augustus D. Rape and Virginia C. ‑‑‑‑‑‑, about 1907. He was born in June 1878 in TX. They were living with her widowed mother in 1910 in Wood Co., TX. They were in the 1920 census for Wood Co., TX, with his parents and his nephew Henry Rape living with them. They were in the 1930 census for Wood Co., TX. He was a farmer. Both their children were born in TX.

Children - Rape

44. Gazille Rape, b.c. 1911.

45. Norval Rape, b.c. 1915.

William (“Will”) Russell Graves (18) was born 22 Jan. 1885 in Greenville, Hunt Co., TX, and died 21 Aug. 1929 in Hunt Co., TX. He married Emma Lee Champion, called Lee. She was born about 1891 in TX, and died 14 Aug. 1974 in Travis Co., TX. They were in the 1920 census for Slaton, Lubbock Co., TX, with the first 3 children listed below. She was in the 1930 census for Harris Co., TX, widowed, with 6 children. He was a house carpenter. All their children were born in TX.

Children - Graves

46. Russell L. Graves, b.c. 1914.

47. Oma Graves, b. 12 April 1914 (Ellis, Ellis Co., TX).

48. Ernest Graves, b.c. July 1918, d. before 1930 census. He was not in the 1930 census, and Essie’s birth certificate stated that only 3 of the 6 children were still living (including her) when she was born.

49. Essie Graves, b. 4 Jan. 1920.

50. June Graves, b.c. 1923.

51. Devell Graves, b.c. 1925.

52. John Miller Graves, b. 4 June 1927.

Beulah Graves (21) was born 12 April 1890 in TX, and died 10 Feb. 1970 in Wood Co., TX. She married Albert Lafayette Morrow. He was born about 1888 in TX, and died 27 Dec. 1956 in Dallas, TX. They were in the 1920 census for Slaton, Lubbock Co., TX, with her widowed mother living with them. They were in the 1930 census for Wood Co., TX, with their name spelled Marrow. They were in the 1940 census for Wood Co., TX, with their last 4 children. He was a farmer. All their children were born in TX.

Children - Morrow

53. Kenneth Morrow, b.c. 1911.

+54. Wilma Marie Morrow, b. 10 April 1915, m. Welton Leon Stone.

55. Arvel Morrow, b.c. March 1919.

56. Aaron (or Oran) Morrow, b.c. 1920.

57. Sybil Morrow, b.c. 1922.

58. Cecil Morrow, b.c. 1925.

59. Jean Morrow, b.c. May 1929.

Vardie Lee Graves (22) was born 24 Oct. 1893 in Jackson Co., TX (or Jacksboro, Jack Co., TX), died 24 Sept. 1939 in Dallas, Collin Co., TX, and was buried 25 Sept. 1939 in Quitman, TX[3]. He married Ada Sue Watson. She was born about 1894 in TX. His World War I draft registration card, dated June 5, 1917, Dallas, TX, listed him as living at 1509 McKee, Dallas, TX, and working as Assistant Manager of a United Grocery Co. store in Dallas[4]. They were in the 1930 census for Mineola, Wood Co., TX, when he was a barber in a barber shop.

Children - Graves

60. Wynona Graves, b.c. 1915.

61. Valeria Graves, b.c. 1916.

62. Valare Dalene Graves, b. 2 May 1919 (Mineola, TX), d. 26 June 2007 (Dallas, TX).

63. Elwana Graves, b.c. 1922.

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