Was David W. Graves Twice Married?

There is no doubt that David W. Graves married Mary Ann Gulledge about 1872 and together they reared a family of five children; 2 sons and 3 daughters. But was he previously married?

I THINK THAT HE WAS PREVIOUSLY MARRIED.

David W. Graves's age varies from Census to Census and among other documents. But, if his tombstone in the Saint Mary's Presbyterian Church Cemetery (old) is correct he was born 22 January 1812.

DAVID W. GRAVES./ BORN/ January 22, 1812,/ DIED/ November 21, 1898./ --/ Blessed are the pure in/ heart; for they shall see/ God./
Burial: Saint Mary's Presbyterian Church Cemetery (old); Patrick, Chesterfield County, South Carolina

Based on this date, from his Tombstone, David W. Graves was 60 years old when he married Mary Ann Gulledge. Mary Ann Gulledge was 30 years of age. It highly unlikely for any man to wait till he‘s 60 for his first marriage. There are other clues.

In the 1850 Census for Chesterfield County, we find David W. Graves, age 32, in the household of Mary Graves, age 55.  

This is the family of David W. Graves in 1850 Chesterfield, SC. Mary is the head of the household and very likely the Mother of David, age 32. Notice that his reported age would make David born in 1818, not 1812 as shown on his tombstone. 

But, who are the parents of Sarah Jane and Thomas? If David is the father of these two whether he was born in 1812 or 1818 either would not rule him out as the Father of the children. It's very unlikely that Mary is the Mother; she was a widow in the 1830 Census.

I think Sarah Jane and Thomas are children of David W. Graves and an unknown wife and that Mary Graves is the children's Grandmother and the Mother of David W. Graves. Based on the age of the children I think David was married about 1833. I have no physical record of David W. Graves until he appeared in the 1850 census for Chesterfield County, SC. If you have information about any of the GRAVES mentioned within the blog post I would love to hear from you. 

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[1] 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.

[2] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 January 2008); Memorial page for David W. Graves; (22 January 1812–21 November 1898); Find a Grave memorial # 47922854, Citing Saint Marys Presbyterian Church Cemetery (old); Patrick, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.

Census Sunday~Mary Graves Household

For many years I have studied and puzzled over the composition of the Mary Graves Household in the 1850 Chesterfield County Census. Her household is Dwelling 110, Family 110 on page 106. ¹

 



Within this family is my 2nd great Grandmother Sarah Jane Graves, age 16, just a few years before she and my 2nd Great Grandfather William A. Purvis were married.
All of us who have researched our ancestors for a  while knows that censuses before the 1880 Census provides no reference to relationships of  individuals that are enumerated within a household.

The relationship of these four individuals are not given. I think we can safely say the Sarah Jane, age 16, and [William] Thomas Graves, age 14, are siblings.  But, whose siblings?

Are they children of David and maybe a deceased wife? David is listed here as age 32, making his birth year to be 1818. His tombstone in the St. Mary’s Presbyterian Church cemetery shows that he was born 22 January 1812. So David may be older than was reported to the Census taker. ²

David and Mary can be found in the 1860 census. Sometime after 1860 Mary Graves died. Then around 1871 David W. Graves at age, 59 or 53 married Mary Anne Gulledge. They had five children; three daughters and two sons.³

I just don’t believe this is the fist marriage for David W. Graves thus the two children in Mary Graves household are David’s from a previous marriage and he is the Father of Sarah Jane, age 16, and [William] Thomas Graves, age 14.

Nor do I believe that Mary Graves had two small children at age 39 and 42 years of age. Census data confirms this in that Mary Graves is listed as a widow in both the 1830 and 1840 Census for Chesterfield County, South Carolina. ^{4 5}

Mary Graves is the Grandmother of the two children and the Mother of David W. Graves. 

To my readers, given the facts as presented do you think the children are the son and daughter of David W. Graves or do you have other thoughts. I’m open to suggestions concerning this family. 
  










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[1] 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.
[2] Find A Grave, Inc., Find A Grave, database and digital images, (http://www.findagrave.com : accessed 1 January 2008); Memorial page for David W. Graves; (22 January 1812–21 November 1898); Find a Grave memorial # 47922854, Citing Saint Mary's Presbyterian Church Cemetery (old); Patrick, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, USA.
[3] 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.
[4] 1830 U. S. Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, page 243, Household of Mary Graves; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 2008); citing National Archives Microfilm M19_172.
[5] 1840 U S Census, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, population schedule, Chesterfield County, South Carolina, Page 347, Line 15, Household of Mary Graves; digital images, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : viewed 15 January 2011); citing National Archives Microfilm M740_Roll 510.

Military Monday–Thomas Graves

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.

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|77411038

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|77411040

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.

http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|77411050

His oldest daughter, Mary Ann married William F. Rivers who also died during the war. She then married Ferguson Hale Smith. Mary Ann died about Nov 1870.

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.

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[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.

[3] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|77411035

[4] http://www.fold3.com/image/#20|77411037