Rev. 10 Jan. 1997, Gen. 74

Alexander Graves (1) was born 26 Jan. 1806 in NC, died 11 Aug. 1875 in GA, and was buried in Liberty Hill Cem., Acworth, Paulding Co., GA. He first married Sarah Philips Bailey on 29 Nov. (or Oct.) 1828 in Henry Co., GA. She was a widow, and a member of the Phillips family in the community. This is the earliest record found for Alexander. There were no children by this marriage. Alexander was listed as "Gravitt" in the 1830 census of Henry Co., GA.

He secondly married Anna (or Ann) Craft on 13 Dec. 1832 in Henry Co., GA. She was born 15 (or 16) July 1808 in GA, according to the 1850 Henry Co. census, died 25 Dec. 1857, and was buried in Liberty Hill Cem., Acworth, Paulding Co., GA.

After Anna's death in 1857, Alexander married Ellender Harrison on 25 Jan. 1859 in Paulding Co., GA. She was born 15 April 1803 in SC, died 12 June 1883, and was also buried in Liberty Hill Cem., Acworth.

Alexander Graves signed an oath in 1866 in Cartersville, GA to uphold the Constitution.

It is believed that his father could have been William S. Graves, because there is an 1834 tax receipt for payment of taxes in Henry Co. by Alexander and William S. Graves signed by both of them. Also, Alexander named his first son William S., and that William S. named his first son William Alexander.

The descendants believe that Alexander had a sister who married a Davidson. They have a letter written to Alexander on 2 April 1872 from Fares City, AR from John C. Davidson, addressed to Alexander Graves as "Dear Uncle".

Four people named Alexander Graves born in NC between 1800 and 1812 have been found. It is possible that a Graves female (or a male) married an Alexander, and these Alexander Graveses could all be cousins. In fact William Graves, born 1752, a descendant of Capt. Thomas Graves, had a daughter, Mary ("Polly") Graves, who married Edmund Alexander.

It has been believed by some family members that Alexander Graves was descended from Capt. Thomas Graves of VA (gen. 169). If this is so, it is probably through Ralph Graves who married Unity White, and the Graves family of Granville Co., NC, and Giles Co., TN, some of whom went to Arkansas. The name Alexander is very common in this part of the family, and there is even one occurrence of Avery as a middle name.

One of the daughters listed below married John Tanner. (R-1, R-2, R-4)

Children - Graves, by Anna Craft

2. William S. Graves, b.c. 1833.

3. S. L. Graves (dau.), b.c. 1835.

4. M. A. Graves (dau.), b.c. 1837.

+5. John T. Graves, b. 13 July 1839, m. Caroline Elizabeth McEver, 1860, d. 20 June 1903.

+6. George Lawrence Graves, b. 1 April 1840, m. Mary Jane Tanner, 17 Dec. 1869, d. 31 May 1906.

7. Nancy A. Graves, b.c. 1842.

8. J. Hazeltine (or Hasseltine) Graves, b.c. 1844.

9. James I. (or J.) Graves, b.c. 1847.

10. Thomas M. Graves, b.c. 1849.

CHILDREN OF ALEXANDER GRAVES (1) AND ANNA CRAFT

John T. Graves (5) was born 13 July 1839 in Henry Co., GA, died 20 June 1903, and was buried in Crossroads Baptist Church Cem. (located on GA Hwy. 92, between Dallas and Acworth, in Crossroads Community). He married Caroline Elizabeth McEver in 1860 in Cobb Co., GA. She was born 12 April 1837 in Cobb Co., GA, and died 24 June 1908 in Paulding Co., GA. They lived in Acworth, Paulding Co., GA, where at least their first 3 children were born.. (R-3, R-4)

Children - Graves

11. Margaret Graves, b. 1861.

+12. John T. Graves, Jr., b. 14 July 1864, m. Sarah E. Kennedy, 20 Feb. 1887, d. 21 June 1940.

+13. William A. Graves, b. 8 Aug. 1866, m(1) Elma Elizabeth Harrison, 13 Oct. 1888, m(2) Minnie Elizabeth Garrison, 1 June 1895, d. 20 Oct. 1939.

14. Sarah Graves, b. 1868, m. J. J. Browner, 28 Aug. 1886.

George Lawrence Graves (6) was born 1 April 1840 in GA, and died 31 May 1906 in Gwinnett Co., GA. He settled in Gwinnett Co., GA in 1876. He entered the Civil War, after enlisting in the Confederate Army in Richmond, VA, on 21 Aug. 1861. He served in Co. A, 18th Regt. for 3 years in Virginia, and went home as soon as his time was up.

He married Mary Jane Tanner, daughter of Joseph Tanner and Elizabeth Bruner (?), on 17 Dec. 1869 in Walton Co., GA. She was born 2 Sept. 1842 in Walton Co., GA, and died 10 (or 14) Dec. 1909 in Gwinnett Co., GA. They were both buried in Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cem., Tucker, GA. (R-2, R-4)

Children - Graves

+15. Annie Graves, b. 17 Jan. 1874, m. Charles E. Leavell, 21 Jan. 1900, d. 13 Nov. 1907.

+16. Joseph E. Graves, b. 17 Feb. 1877, m. Mittie C. Langford, 18 Feb. 1904, d. 13 July 1954.

+17. John Thomas Graves, b. 11 Feb. 1882, m. Jennie Evelyn Cofer, 23 Aug. 1903, d. 1 Aug. 1960.

+18. George William Graves, b. 13 June 1888, m. Hattie Lee Ola Purcell, 4 Oct. 1908, d. 18 Feb. 1978.

CHILDREN OF JOHN T. GRAVES (5)

John T. Graves, Jr. (12) was born 14 July 1864, died 21 June 1940, and was buried in Liberty Hill Cem., Acworth, GA. He married ------. They lived in Acworth, Paulding Co., GA. (R-3)

Children - Graves

+19. Raymond Floyd Graves, b. 28 Sept. 1904, m. ------, d. 11 April 1977.

William A. Graves (13) was born 8 Aug. 1866 in Paulding Co., GA, and died 20 Oct. 1939 in Acworth, Paulding Co., GA. He first married Elma Elizabeth Harrison on 13 Oct. (or Dec.?) 1888. She was born 9 Oct. 1869, and died 19 Oct. 1893 in Paulding Co. He secondly married Minnie Elizabeth Garrison on 1 June 1895. (R-4)

Children - Graves

+20. Minnie Elizabeth Graves, b. 30 Sept. 1889, m. Jessie Matterson Dawson, 25 Dec. 1910, d. 19 Aug. 1935.

CHILDREN OF GEORGE L. GRAVES (6) AND MARY J. TANNER

Annie Graves (15) was born 17 Jan. 1874 in Norcross, GA, and died 13 Nov. 1907. She married Charles E. Leavell (or Level) on 21 Jan. 1900. (R-2, R-4)

Children - Leavell

21. Paul Leavell, b. 21 Aug. 1901, d. 28 Oct. 1928.

22. Mary Lou Leavell, b. 25 Oct. 1902, d. 24 Dec. 1923.

Joseph E. Graves (16) was born 17 Feb. 1877 in Norcross, GA, and died 13 July 1954 in Gwinnett Co., Ga. He married Mittie C. Langford (or Lankford?) on 18 Feb. 1904. She was born 28 July 1878 and died 9 Feb. 1932. (R-2, R-4)

Children - Graves

23. Allie (or Alley) Graves, b. 24 Dec. 1904.

24. Joseph M. Graves

John Thomas Graves (17) was born 11 Feb. (or Dec.) 1882 and died 1 (or 2) Aug. 1960, both in Gwinnett Co., Ga. He married Jennie Evelyn Cofer (or Crawford) on 23 Aug. 1903. She was born 22 March 1883, and died 2 April 1975 in Gwinnett Co., Ga. They both lived in Gwinnett Co. all their lives and were buried in Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cem., Tucker, DeKalb Co., Ga. All their children were born in Gwinnett Co. (R-2)

Children - Graves

+25. George DeWitt Graves, b. 23 Aug. 1904, m(1) Clara Burnett Thomas, 21 Nov. 1925, m(2) Ruby Denmark, 1945, m(3) Blanche Hollingsworth, m(4) Johnnie Mae (Haney) Pennington, April 1962, d. 1 Jan. 1984.

26. Ruby Jane Graves, b. 25 May 1907, m. Earl Haller, d. 25 Oct. 1945 (Fulton Co., Ga.). No children.

+27. John Lester Graves, b. 23 Nov. 1909, m. Grace Truman Story, 8 Dec. 1929, d. 20 Nov. 1985.

+28. Bernice Ethel Graves, b. 23 Sept. 1911, m. Robert Faye Cown, 18 Aug. 1929, d. 28 Aug. 1985.

+29. William Dorsey Graves

+30. Jennie Louette Graves

+31. Emma Grace Graves, b. 3 April 1919, m. James Chester Duncan, d. 7 July 1989.

+32. Sidney Seldon Graves

George William Graves (18), called "Will", was born 13 June 1888 in Norcross, Gwinnett Co., GA, and died 18 Feb. 1978 in Gwinnett Co., GA. He married Hattie Lee Ola Purcell, called Ola, daughter of Jackson McKenny Purcess and Mary Emma Hazelrigg, on 4 Oct. 1908 in Norcross, GA. She was born 20 March 1893 and died 10 Jan. 1980, both in Norcross, Gwinnett Co., GA. They were both buried in Pleasant Hill Baptist Church Cem., Tucker, GA. The gravestone at the cemetery has her name spelled Pursell, which is what her father changed it to because of a difference of opinion with his family. All their children were born in GA. (R-2, R-4)

Children - Graves

+33. Avery Anderson Graves

+34. William Lawrence Graves

35. Fred McKenny Graves

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