Thomas Graves was born about 1820 in Anson County, North Carolina. He is a brother to my 3rd Great Grandfather Davis W. Graves. Their father is unknown and his Mother is Mary Graves, b. 1795 and listed in the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina.[1]
The 1850 Census shows Thomas’ Wife as Eliza. However, his Civil War record lists her as Mary. In 1850, Thomas married his wife Eliza “Mollie” Rivers about 1837. Another daughter Martha Jane was born in October 1841. They had two daughters, Mary, age 12 and Eliza, age 10.[2]
When the Civil War started in January 1861, Thomas waited before finally enlisting on 13 August 1861 as a Private into Company "C". 8th Regiment SC Infantry. I’m sure he was very concerned with leaving 3 young daughters and a wife all along to fend for themselves while he was away.[3]
Right away the September – October 1862 Company Muster Roll shows Thomas sick and hospitalized. It also states that he was reported dead but not officially.
The very next Company Muster Roll for November – December 1862 reports that Thomas Graves died of pneumonia of 15 October 1862.[4]
This is where the confusion starts. Mary Graves, Widower, filed for a claim for his pay and effects on 24 December 1862. Several of the letters filed by Mary Graves are unreadable on-line.
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Mary Graves, the Widower, collected $48.46 from the Confederate government. His body must have remained buried somewhere near Charlestown Hospital, Virginia. No tombstone exists for Thomas Graves in Chesterfield County.
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His youngest daughter Martha Jane married Elisha B. Smith. She died 24 Mar 1905.
No record of daughter Eliza Graves has been found after the 1850 census.
Eliza "Mollie" Graves is living with her daughter Martha and her Elisha Smith in 1880 Census. Eliza died 29 October 1898 and is buried in the Smith cemetery on the NC/SC state line. This Cemetery was in a bad sate back 20 years ago when I visited it and took photo's.
David and Thomas also had a sister, Mary Ann Graves that married Andrew Jackson Wallace.
Thomas Graves is my 3rd grand uncle, a brother to my 3rd Great Grandfather.
[1] 1850 U.
S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule,
Chesterfield, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 176B, Line 19, Dwelling
1196; Family #1196, Household of Thomas GRAVES; digital images, Ancestry.com
(http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 3 September 2011); citing National Archives
Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[2]
Ibid.
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