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The Family Garden
Notes
Lorenzo James GRAVES
Lorenzo and Polly were initially buried in O'Brien Cemetery in Buckner, TX (now extinct). The cemetery was in very poor condition, with no fence, pasture land with many goats, rooting hogs and cattle and the headstones were knocked over. The headstones and the remains that could be found were eventually moved in February of 1985 to Melissa Cemetery where there is perpetual care. It is located about 5 miles north of McKinney and 1 mile west of Melissa, TX).
Note from Linda Graves Walker - I visited this new cemetery with my father around 1990. He took pictures of the site, but since he passed away, I have been unable to locate them.
Collin County Cemetery Listings, surveyed 1973
O'Brien Cemetery
Graves, Lorenzo J., b. 1818, d. 1886
Provided by Linda Talkington via email
All of the birth/marriage/death dates for the children of Lorenzo and Polly were recorded in Polly's father's bible (Obadiah Merritt). The bible contains the inscription "bought for Obadiah Merritt the year of1840". I do not know who owns the original bible, but these records were provided to my father, Sam Houston Graves, by Marguerite Graves Nichols. (Note also listed in Thelma Landrum's book listed below).
1850 Federal Census, Wilson County, TN Enumeration Date: 9 Oct 1850, 19th Civil Dist., Household # 727, p. 189
GRAVES, Lorenzo, 32, m, TN
---Mary, 26, f, TN
---Nancy, 8, f, TN
---Priscilla, 6, f, TN
---Martha, 5, f, TN
---Obediah, 4, m, TN
---Easter, 3, f, TN
---John, 1, m, TN
---David W. Lea, 14, m, TN
He was a farmer in Dist. 19. They appeared on the 1850 and 1860 census of Wilson Co., but there is no further information on them. They may have left Wilson Co. *Source: Samuel Thompson Clemmons and His Descendants, Thelma Caraway Landrum, 1981, p. 138
note - there is a Lorenzo Graves in the 1880 Panola Co, TX census.
They did leave Wilson County, Tennesse and moved to McKinney, Collin County, Texas. I do not know when they moved.
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Note, "Grandmother Graves" was discussed in an oral interview with
Mary Thompson MERRITT
Polly and her brother Green married a brother and sister (Lorenzo James Graves and Lourane E. Graves respectively), both children of Bartlett Graves and Nancy Farrington.
Collin County Cemetery Listings, surveyed 1973
O'Brien Cemetery
Graves, Polly T. (wife-L. J.), b. 22 Sep 1822, d. 31 July 1898
Provided by Linda Talkington via email
The Democrat Supplement, Thursday, August 4, 1898
Obituary
On last Saturday night, July 30, 1898 after the moons golden rays had disappeared in the western horrison between the hours of 12 and 1 o'clock the death angel visited the home of Grandma Graves and carried her sweet spirit away on its snowy wings, to its bright and beautiful home beyond the skies; prepared by the blessed Savior for all who die triumphant in a Saviors love? In the language of the Bible we hear the Savior saying, "is is enough, come up higher and enjoy the home I have prepared for you:" she there in the arms of Jesus awaits the coming of her dear children and loving friends.
Aunt Polly, as she was familiarly called was 76 years of age and had been a true and faithful Christian for three score years. No wonder that she told her children often during her late illness, not to weep for her, she was going to her long sought home. She had fought a good fight and was going on to her reward.
She was the mother of 8 children, 57 grandchildren and 12 great-grand children. She was the wife of the late L. J. Graves, a Collin county pioneer, who went to his reward about 12 years ago. Her children were all present but two, to take a farewell look on all that was mortal of their dear mother. Those present were Mrs. Amanda Donald of Vernon, Tex, Mrs. Susie Whitley of Young County, Tex, Mrs. Shorter of Hilltown, Tex., Mr. Sam Graves of Pilot Point, Tex, Benjamin and Rufus Graves who lived with her. It was sad indeed to see those children weeping over their dear mother, but weep not dear ones as those who have no hope, for you only can be submissive to the will of God, and say as did one of old, we cannot bring her back, but we can to to her. We commend you to Jesus for he says in his word "come unto me all who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest." We hear those soft footsteps, those gentle words of encouragement here no more, we can look at her vacant place at the table and see her empty rocking chair by the fireside and remember those sweet parting words to her dear ones to meet her in Heaven where she is resting the sweet eternal rest, of her blessed Savior.
ONE WHO LOVED HER
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Note, in an oral interview with her great-grandchildren, they discuss what Grandmother Graves did. This story may not be about her, but it is the only "Graves" ancestor in the right time frame to be involed in the Civil War.
Source: Oral interview with Madge Dunaway and Sam Graves, 1993, by Ann Daberko
Well, do you know what your Grandmother Graves did? What she did to the Yankees? Well, they lived down there in Tennessee and they raised horses. And the Yankees took all of their horses but 2 or 3 and she hid them in the barn and they had a crib next to the barn and you could get in there without opening the barn doors or windows to the outside, and you could open it and throw corn in there. So, the Yankees came and she crawled into the barn through the corncrib. Well, 3 Yankees came up over there and the first one stooped over to crawl in behind her and as he came in she bashed him in the head with an axe, and the 2 others, she done the same thing. She was home alone and when the others came home, they had 3 dead Yankees to bury.
Obadiah Pitts GRAVES
Tombstone Inscription: age 7 years, 10 MO, 28 days
Hugh Allen GRAVES
Social Security Index:
Died Apr 1973
Residence: Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Buried in Old Mutual Cemetery, Plano, Collin County, Texas
Headstone reads:
Graves, Hugh A., b. 1899, d. 1973
Info provided by Linda Talkington via email
Hugh Allen GRAVES
Social Security Index:
Died Apr 1973
Residence: Dallas, Dallas County, Texas
Buried in Old Mutual Cemetery, Plano, Collin County, Texas
Headstone reads:
Graves, Hugh A., b. 1899, d. 1973
Info provided by Linda Talkington via email
Henry Randall "Slim" GRAVES
No known children. My father (Sam Houston Graves) told me that all of Rufus's sons were over 6 feet tall and that Slim was the tallest at 6 foot 7. He said that Henry was very thin and very tall, thus the nickname "Slim".
John Willis GRAVES
This headstone is in the Old Mutual Cemetery, Plano, Collin County, Texas. Is this his son?
Graves, John Willis, Jr., . Mar 1933, d. Apr 1933
Bachelor Bartlett GRAVES
From "History of Wilson County" edited by Dixon Merritt, p. 302: "Bartlett (or Batchelor, as he was sometimes known) Graves entered the military service June 23, 1812, two days after Phillips got to Nashville and gave his message to Governor Blount. Graves thereby......
Unlike most Wilson County soldiers of this war, Bartlett Graves did not serve with Jackson in the South, but with William Henry Harrison in the Northwest. His record shows him to have been a fife major in the 24th Regular United States Infantry. He was discharged at Louisville, KY, Dec 27, 1813".
From p. 321 of the same book, following a description of a company of Confederate soldiers being readied for service at Lebanan, Tenn. about 1862: "Piping the boys in gray off to war was Bartlett (Batchelor) Graves, soldier of the War of 1812, over 70, and without a tooth in his head, but still ready to do his part."
He was buried on the Obediah Merritt farm in Wilson Co, TN. He was a farmer.
27 Jun 1816 - Bond filed for the marriage of Batchler Graves to Nancy Ferringtonton in Wilson County, TN (copy in files).
1830 Census, Williamson County, TN on ancestry.com
A Bartley Graves is listed. No image available
1840 Census, Wilson County, TN on ancestry.com
Bartholomew Graves listed. No image availalbe.
1850 Federal Census, Wilson County, TN
27 Aug 1850, 1st Civil Dist.
#152--#152
GRAVES, Bartholomew, 60, m, farmer, NC
---Nancy, 47, f, TN
---Nancy E., 15, f, TN
---Houston, 9, m, TN
---Reuben M., 6, m, TN
*Provided via email by Linda Talkington
1860 Wilson County, TN Census (copy in file)
Bartholamew Graves, age 60, born in Virginia
Nancy, age 47, born in North Carolina
Nancy E., age 15, born in Tennessee
Houston, age 5, born in Tennessee
Reuben M., age 6, born in Tennesee
Copies of documentation in my possession:
1. Pension Office request for evidence of Bachelor Graves service in the War of 1812, dated 25 Aug 1871.
2. Verification of service in 1812 War, provided by J. L. Bryan on 20 Sep 1871.
3. Record of Bachelor Graves under Capt Robert Desha's Co for War of 1812
4. Brief of Claim for a Survivors Pension from War of 1812 for Bachelor Graves
5. Declaration For Pension for Bachelor Graves service in War of 1812 (dated 27 Mar 1871)
6. 1 Nov 1850 - document of Bachelor Graves reporting service in War of 1812 to obtain land grant of 160 acres for those who served in the US Militia. (Did he ever receive the land grant?)
Other documents relating to Bachelor's service in 1812.
NOTES on Bachelor's name:
Bachelor's father was also named Bachelor, and they are both referred to as Bachelor, Bartlett, Bacheldor and Batchler, and there is some hint that the father's middle name may have been Bartholomew. Dixon Merrit, a respected Tenn newspaper man and historian referred to his father as Bartlett. There is speculation that Bachelor was a nickname. However, it seems to me that this Bachelor would not have used a nickname for his military service and other official records, so I lean towards his real name being Bachelor. There are at least two other Bartlett Graves in Virginia around the same time as the Senior Bachelor Graves, both being descendents of Thomas Graves ofJamestown, but they are not part of our lineage as far as I can tell.
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There is a Bartholomew Graves in the 1850 census for Wilson County, TN, 1st Civil District listed in the index on Ancestry.com. I have not found the census detail as of yet. Also listed:
Lorenzo Graves, 19th Civil District
Joel F. Graves, 8th Civil District
Asa Graves, 19th Civil District
Others that I don't know if are related:
3rd Civil District
William, James, Benjamin, George
8th Civil Distric
Rice
20th Civil District
Lewis
24th Civil District
Benjain, Cornelius, John William, Fox
Nancy Ann FARRINGTON
She is reportedly the daughter of John Ferrington of Wilson Co, TN, however some of the Merritt's think her last name was spelled Farrington and that her father was Jehu Farrington. *Source: Graves Family Association
Bartlett Houston GRAVES
He was called Houston or "Sam".
Obediah MERRITT
His brother Obediah is my ancestor and his grave was discovered in 1988 as part of the Graves/Merritt family cemetery by Ernest Graves of Smyrna on the old Merritt land. Source: Internet Genforum
1850 Census, Wilson County, Tennessee, District 21, Page 176
Obidiah Merritt, age 63, b. North Carolina
Priscilla, age 60, born North Carolina
Martha, age 25, born Tennessee
Richard Carnes, age 12, born Tennesee
Obediah Merritt married his first cousin, Priscilla Clemmons. The following chart helped me understand this relationship:
John Coggin m. Ann Powell
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Nancy Ann Coggin Martha Coggin
m. James Merritt m. Samuel Thompson Clemmons
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Obediah Merrit married Priscilla Clemmons
Priscilla CLEMMONS
Priscilla Clemmons, daughter of (Samuel) Thompson Clemmons and Martha Coggin, was born about 1790 in Montgomery Co., North Carolina. She was about fifteen when her family left N.C. and moved to Tennessee. She married her cousin, Obediah Merritt, Sep. 13, 1813, in Wilson Co. He was born about 1790 in Moore Co., N.C., son of James Merritt and Nancy Coggin. His mother and Priscilla's mother were sisters. It was not uncommon for cousins to marry in those days.
Obediah acquired land in Dist. 21, and was also allotted 14 acres of land from the estate of William Clemmons, which was Priscillla's share of her brother's land. Obediah Merritt was a farmer.
Priscilla died in 1860, Obediah died in 1863. They are buried in a family cemetery on their home place.
*Source: Samuel Thompson Clemmons and His Descendants, Thelma Caraway Landrum, 1981, p. 133
A great deal of the information on Priscilla Clemmons Merritt's family was copied from an old Merritt family chart that was written and compiled by her son, Green B. Merritt, and told to his grandson, Dixon Merritt, who recopied the chart. Additional and more up-to-date information was obtained from courthouse records and federal censuses.
*Source: Samuel Thompson Clemmons and His Descendants, Thelma Caraway Landrum, 1981, p. 139
Priscilla Desdimony GRAVES
On tombstone: died at age 46 years, 7 months 7 days
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