Amy Johnson Crow of No Story To Small has started a challenge of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks.
From her blog “The challenge: have one blog post each week devoted to a specific ancestor. It could be a story, a biography, a photograph, an outline of a research problem — anything that focuses on one ancestor. Not only should this get me blogging more, but also to take a deeper look at some of the people in my family tree.”
The focus of my blog post today is David W. Graves, prime candidate for 3rd Great Grandfather.
One of the biggest challenges and disappointments in my 38 years of research is that my direct Purvis line has been “frozen in times” at my 2nd Great Grand Parents William A. Purvis and Sarah Jane Graves. For years I have searched with no obvious advancement.
Many of the ideas, suggestions, conclusions espoused in this article are the opinion and thought process of the author of this blog. Solid, concrete proof prior to Civil War is almost non-existent in Chesterfield County, South Carolina.
With the advances in DNA it made sense that I should test in an effort to extend these two lines. My male Y-DNA-67 test and Family Finder results gave me two clues on the Purvis line.1
- I matched with a descendant of James F. Purvis b. 1760 in Chesterfield, son of John Purvis and Sarah Johnston; James F. Purvis, b. 1760 is a brother to Gilbert Purvis.2
- I also have almost a “prefect” match with Joseph Purves, (1770 – 1841) born 13 May 1770 in Chirnside, Berwickshire, Scotland.3
Sarah Jane Graves is my 2nd Great Grandmother. She married William A. Purvis sometime before 1860; mostly the later part of the 1850’s. In the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, she is enumerated in the household of Mary Graves, female, age 55, born in SC. 4
As genealogist we all know that census prior to 1880 shows no relationship other that head of Household thus labeling each individual within the household as either male or female.
Thus, looking at the above image of the 1850 census for Household #110 , we have no idea about relationship of the four individuals listed.
David W. Graves is listed as age 32 making his year of birth to be 1818. But his tombstone at St. Mary’s Presbyterian Church Cemetery (old) in Patrick, Chesterfield County, South Carolina shows his date of birth as 22 January 1812.
- David W. Graves, b. 1818 (1850 & 1860 Census)
- David W. Graves, b. 1825 (1880 Census)
- David W. Graves, b. 22 January 1812 (Tombstone)
Thomas Graves, age 16, b. 1836
Thomas Graves is William Thomas Graves. He married Mary Gilley Lassiter on 26 July 1857.
MARRIAGE: St. David's Parish, South Carolina; Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832; Parish register 1819-1924, Page 105, by Brent H. Holcomb, C.A.L.S., Southern Historical Press, Greenville, SC 1991. July 26, 1857 at the residence of James Hewitt, William Graves and Mary G. Lassiter, both of the district.5
Their first born daughter, Clarinda was born on 23 October 1859. Their next child, also a daughter, Nancy Jane was born in 1862.
NAME: "St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832, Parish Register 1819-1924" by Brent H. Holcomb, 1991. Page 67-68.(1) 1874-Jany 1st Fest. Circumcision. At St. David's Church, after the Last lesson at Morning Prayer, Clara Edna Green[Clarinda], aged 14, daughter of Mary and Wm. Thos. Graves. Sponsors Jacob Gainey, Miss R. A. Reddy & Revd. Jno W. Motte, page 67. (2)1874-Jany 1st Fest. Circumcision. At St. David's Church, after the Last lesson at Morning Prayer, Nancy Jane, aged 12, daughter of Mary and Wm. Thos. Graves. Sponsors Jacob Gainey, Miss R. A. Reddy & Revd. Jno W. Motte (Page 68).6
William Thomas Graves died 15 October 1862 at Charlestown Hospital, Virginia from pneumonia.7
Based upon the the ages of the two children in the above listing, Sarah Jane, age 16 and [William] Thomas, age 14; it’s logical they are siblings.
So, we are at a point where we have two siblings living in the household of an Older woman who may be and is most likely their Grandmother with a young man, age 32+ that could be their father.
Mary Graves, age 55, b. 1795
Mary Graves is old enough to be David's mother and the grandmother of the two children, Sarah Jane and [William] Thomas Graves. She lived through the 1860 census and died sometime between 1860 and 1870. No obituary, estate file or tombstone has been found for her. 8
After the death of Mary Graves, David W. Graves married Mary Ann Gulledge about 1872. She was a daughter of Daniel Gulledge and Jane Henderson.
One of the major reasons that I think that David W. Graves is the father of Sarah and William Thomas is this marriage after the death of Mary Graves, whom I believe to be his Mother.
I believe that David was previously married to an unknown wife and they had Sarah Jane and William Thomas before the wife/mother passed away. I don’t believe that David waited until he was age 60 (1872-1812) to find a wife and marry Mary Ann Gulledge, Thus, Mary Ann Gulledge would be a second wife.
In conclusion, this is David W. Graves and his two children, Sarah Jane and William Thomas in the household of His Mother, Mary Graves.
I’m open to suggestions from you, my readers, on how I can use DNA to prove or reject the suppositions made within this blog. Any comments greatly welcomed and appreciated. Sometimes, I think I have developed a case of “tunnel vision” when contemplating this line.
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[1] http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/purvis/results
[2] https://my.familytreedna.com/family-finder/matches.aspx
[3] http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/15610355/person/442821121?ssrc=
[4] 1850 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 106A, Line 8, Dwelling 110, Family 110, Household of Mary GRAVES; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 20 November 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M432 Roll 851.
[5] Brent H. Holcomb C.A.L.S., St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832,: Parish Register 1819-1924 (Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1991), page 105.
[6] Brent H. Holcomb C.A.L.S., St. David's Parish, South Carolina Minutes of the Vestry 1768-1832,: Parish Register 1819-1924 (Greenville, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, 1991), pages 87-68.
[7] Ancestry, "Civil War Service Records" database, Military Service Records (http://www.fold3.com/ : accessed 13 October 2013), entry for Thomas GRAVES, Private; Co. C, 8th SC Infantry; Confederate.
[8] 1860 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 171A, Line 6, Dwelling 1083, Family 1081, Household of Mary GRAVES; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 20 November 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M653-1217.
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