GRAVES FAMILY BULLETIN

A Free, Occasional, Online Summary of Items of Interest to Descendants of all Families of Graves, Greaves, Grieves, Grave, and other spelling variations Worldwide

Vol. 6, No. 1, March 14, 2004

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Visit the GFA web site at https://gravesfa.org

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CONTENTS:

**General Comments

**Graves Family Books

**Graves/Greaves DNA Study

**Graves Reunion in Virginia in 2007

**To Submit Material to this Bulletin & Other Things

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GENERAL COMMENTS

This is the first issue of this bulletin since 2002. It will be published on a more or less regular basis in the future.

The lack of publication for the past year and a half or so was because of some changes in my personal life. I had previously been spending a huge amount of time (probably at least 40-50 hours per week) on this bulletin, the Graves Family Newsletter, the GFA website, the compiling and publishing or genealogies and books, managing the Graves/Greaves DNA study, and trying to respond to at least some of the correspondence I receive. At the same time, I was trying to do many other things – athletic, social, church, various organizations, travel, etc. It became obvious that I would have to make some changes, especially since my wife has now retired and we expect to spend more time doing things together (for instance, we are now in Florida but will be home soon). It should also be noted that the effort I have put into the Graves Family Association since 1976 is a part-time hobby and has always been a money losing one.

Some of the changes you can expect to see are the following. There will continue to be a Graves Family Association, but the Graves Family Newsletter will no longer be published as a 24-page printed newsletter sent through the mail. It may reappear in some form as an online publication in the future, especially if someone else volunteers to create and manage it. (Present and past members will receive a more detailed letter about their membership status and options.)

The Graves Family Association website will be greatly changed and expanded, and will eventually include a “members only” section with access to back newsletter, a membership directory, databases of vital records, etc. I plan to mention the changes in more detail in future bulletins and on the website.

Since it is not possible for me to respond to all correspondence I receive in a direct, personal manner, I will try to answer any questions of general interest in this bulletin.

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GRAVES FAMILY BOOKS

The six Graves family books published by 1995 are (1) Robert Graves of NC & SC (one of the lines descended from Capt. Thomas Graves of VA), (2) Samuel Graves of Lynn, MA, (3) Thomas Graves of Hartford, CT & Hatfield, MA, (4) Rear Adm. Thomas Graves of Charleston, MA, (5) Deacon George Graves of Hartford, CT, and (6) Graves Families of the World. All these books are described more completely on the Graves Family Association website, with prices and ordering information.

A seventh book was published in 2002, John Graves of Concord, MA. It was the largest yet, at 1703 pages, and is also described on the GFA website.

The Graves Families of Randolph Co., NC book that was expected to be published last year will be ready this year instead. I will let you know as soon as it is ready.

I hope to publish the book on John Graves of Frederick Co., VA in 2005, and will definitely be publishing the book on Capt. Thomas Graves of VA (the 1608 immigrant) in 2006. This 2006 date is firm, since it is essential that it be published before the 2007 celebration of the 400^th anniversary of the settling of Jamestown, Virginia.

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GRAVES/GREAVES DNA STUDY

A more compete update will be available soon. In the meantime, you might want to look at the GFA website to see a review of the results to date.

MORE PARTICIPANTS NEEDED

If you have not yet returned your DNA samples, PLEASE do so as soon as possible.

If your part of the Graves, Greaves, or other spelling, family is not yet included in the DNA study, it would be very helpful if you could either volunteer to participate (if you are a male with the Graves, etc.) surname or find someone else in your part of the family who would be willing to take part.

FINANCIAL HELP STILL NEEDED

All contributions toward the DNA study will be much appreciated. Many thanks to those of you who have already contributed. We especially need funding for testing of descendants in the British Isles, some of whom will probably be less apt to pay the cost. You may also want to consider sponsoring a relative as a way to get a test for your part of the family.

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GRAVES REUNION IN VIRGINIA IN 2007

There will be a Graves Reunion in Virginia in 2007, to coincide with the 400^th anniversary celebration of the settlement of Jamestowne. We urgently need volunteers to plan this. We will need a place to meet, dates, a program, suggestions for lodging, coordination with other organizations involved in the celebration, etc. Please let me know as soon as you can how you would like to help.

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ABOUT THIS BULLETIN:

This bulletin is written and edited by Kenneth V. Graves, ken.graves@gravesfa.org. Ken Graves is also editor of the Graves Family Newsletter, the official publication of the Graves Family Association. This bulletin will contain announcements and news of special interest to Graves descendants with Internet access. It will not contain queries, genealogies, photos, and the kind of in-depth articles that appear in the Graves Family Newsletter.

TO SUBMIT MATERIAL TO THIS BULLETIN:

Send any material you would like to have included in this bulletin to ken.graves@gravesfa.org. The editor reserves the right to accept, edit or reject any material submitted.

TO JOIN THE GRAVES FAMILY ASSOCIATION:

If you do not already belong to the GFA, you can join by sending $20 per year to Graves Family Association, 20 Binney Circle, Wrentham, MA 02093 (more details on GFA website). Payment may also be sent electronically via PayPal to gfa@gravesfa.org. Note that membership is for a calendar year so if you join late in the year be sure to specify which year dues are for. (This may change in the near future.) Benefits include access to the “members only” section of the website, membership directory, and help with learning more about your Graves/Greaves family. The purpose of the GFA is to bring together as many descendants as possible to work toward learning more about the Graves/Greaves families, to help other descendants, and to instill pride in our ancestry.

COPYRIGHTS:

Although the contents of this bulletin are copyrighted by the Graves Family Association and Kenneth V. Graves, you are hereby granted rights, unless otherwise specified, to re-distribute articles to other parties for non-commercial purposes only. Do not re-distribute the newsletter in its entirety.

TO SUBSCRIBE OR UNSUBSCRIBE TO THIS BULLETIN:

To subscribe to this bulletin, send an e-mail message to ken.graves@gravesfa.org. Please include your full name. Your postal mailing address and information on your Graves/Greaves ancestry would also be appreciated, although not essential.

To remove your name from this subscription list, send an e-mail message to ken.graves@gravesfa.org asking to be removed.