The “Aunt & Uncle” series of biographical sketches are Artificial Intelligence (AI) compiled narratives of selected individuals from my Genealogical database. The selected AI will used the RootsMagic Individual Summary from my Genealogical Software, Roots Magic. All genealogical data is my research material acquired over the past 46 years of research. Today's Biography of Daniel Gulledge Graves (1877-1955) was compiled with the assistance of Claude Sonnett 4 and is entitled:
Daniel Gulledge Graves: A Life in Chesterfield County (1877-1955)
Early Life and Family Origins
Daniel Gulledge Graves was born on January 27, 1877, in Chesterfield County, South Carolina, during the challenging Reconstruction era that followed the Civil War. He was the son of David W. Graves (1812-1898) and Mary Ann Gulledge Graves (1842-1921), part of a farming family that had deep roots in the South Carolina soil.
Daniel grew up in a large family with several siblings: his older sister Margaret I. Graves (1875-1883), who sadly died young at age eight, his younger brother Archabald James Graves (1878-1947), and his sister Mary Hannah Graves (1881-1953). The family lived through the difficult post-Civil War years when the South was rebuilding its economy and society.
Childhood and Young Adulthood
The 1880 census found four-year-old Daniel living with his family in Cole Hill Township, Chesterfield County. His father David worked as a farmer, like most men in rural South Carolina during this period. The family shared their home with Daniel's maternal grandmother, Jane Gulledge, who was 68 years old at the time.
By 1900, when Daniel was 21, he was still single and living with his widowed mother Mary Ann. His father David had passed away in 1898, leaving the family to manage on their own. This was a common situation for young men of the era, as they often remained home to help support their mothers and younger siblings.
In 1910, Daniel was boarding with the Rivers family in the Court House area of Chesterfield County, suggesting he may have been working away from home, perhaps learning a trade or seeking employment opportunities.
Marriage and Moving to Georgia
Daniel's life took a significant turn when he married Eula Lee Holley on July 9, 1911, in Jefferson County, Georgia. Eula, born April 23, 1895, was 18 years younger than Daniel. She was the daughter of Lawrence Holley (died 1901) and Indiana Widener Holley (1875-1947).
The young couple initially made their home in Georgia, where their first three children were born: Mary Dell in 1912, Mattie Lee in 1915, and David Holley in 1917, all in Louisville, Jefferson County, Georgia. This period coincided with World War I (1914-1918), though there's no record of Daniel's military service, which was not uncommon for married men with children during that era.
Return to South Carolina and Growing Family
By 1920, Daniel had brought his growing family back to his childhood home in Cole Hill, Chesterfield County, South Carolina. The 1920 census shows him as a 40-year-old farmer who owned his own farm—a significant achievement that demonstrated his success and determination. The family had grown to include two more sons born in Georgia: Hubert Carl, born in 1919, who was just four months old in the census.
The family continued to grow after their return to South Carolina, with their youngest child, James Archie Graves, born on November 30, 1921, in Chesterfield.
Life as a Farmer During Challenging Times
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Daniel worked his farm in Cole Hill, providing for his family of seven during some of the most challenging economic times in American history. The 1930 census found him still farming at age 55, successfully maintaining his property through the onset of the Great Depression. This was no small feat, as many farmers lost their land during this period.
The family weathered the economic storms of the 1930s together. By 1940, Daniel was 65 and still working his farm. The household had changed somewhat—his daughter Mattie had married Ira Carson Hendricks and was living at home with her six-year-old son Robert, showing how families often came together for mutual support during difficult times.
Later Years and Community Life
The 1950 census found Daniel, now 73, still living with his wife Eula in the Steer Pen area of Chesterfield County. After decades of hard work as a farmer, he had achieved something remarkable for his generation—a long, stable marriage and the successful raising of five children who survived to adulthood.
Daniel was a member of the community that gathered at Bethesda Methodist Church, reflecting the important role that faith played in rural Southern communities during this era.
Family Legacy
Daniel and Eula successfully raised five children who went on to establish their own families:
Mary Dell Graves (1912-1984) married John B. Jacobs around 1929 and settled in Hartsville
Mattie Lee Graves (1915-2003) married twice, first to Ira Carson Hendricks (1912-1969) and later to Wilford Leon Boan (1913-1983)
David Holley Graves Sr. (1917-1984) carried on the family name in Hartsville
Hubert Carl Graves (1919-2003) married Estelle White (1918-2011) and eventually moved to Aberdeen, North Carolina
James Archie Graves (1921-1970) served in World War II and married Betty Rae Polson (1929-1984) in 1946
Final Years and Passing
Daniel Gulledge Graves died on May 17, 1955, at the age of 78, in Chesterfield County, the same place where he had been born 78 years earlier. His death came during the prosperous post-World War II era, and he lived to see his country emerge as a world power and his community begin to modernize.
His funeral was held at Bethesda Methodist Church, with Rev. Bessie Parker officiating, and he was laid to rest in St. Mary's Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Chesterfield County. His wife Eula survived him by nearly 14 years, passing away on February 28, 1969, at age 73.
Historical Context of His Lifetime
Daniel's 78 years spanned an remarkable period in American history. He was born during Reconstruction, lived through the Industrial Revolution, saw the invention of the automobile and airplane, survived two World Wars, the Great Depression, and died during the early years of the Cold War. As a farmer in rural South Carolina, he witnessed the transformation of agriculture from hand tools and animal power to mechanized farming.
His life represents the story of countless American farmers who worked the land, raised large families, and persevered through economic hardships while maintaining strong family and community ties. The fact that he owned his own farm and successfully raised five children to adulthood speaks to his character, work ethic, and the strong partnership he had with his wife Eula.
Daniel Gulledge Graves lived a full life rooted in family, faith, and the red clay soil of Chesterfield County, South Carolina, leaving behind a legacy that would continue through his children and grandchildren for generations to come.
Daniel Gulledge Graves is my 2nd Great GrandUncle.
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