James Thomas Graves and Lucy Everett Family

James Thomas Graves

Had at least seven children.

Graduate of Thomas Jefferson Medical School, Philadelphia.
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Graves Family Association Genealogy #270 (Caswell County, North Carolina): Dr. James  Thomas  Graves (5 October 1834 - 5 January 1914)

John Graves m. Unknown
Thomas Graves m. Mary Perkins
John Graves m. Isabella Lea
Thomas Graves m. Hannah Miles
James Graves m. Mary Slade
Thomas Williams Graves m. Mary Sims Graves
Dr. James Thomas Graves
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Looking Backward by Hugh Johnston

Dr. J. T. Graves

James Thomas Graves, son of Thomas Williams Graves and wife Mary Graves of Caswell County, was born on October 5, 1834, and died on January 5, 1914, in Wilson. On August 14, 1860, he married Louisa Frances Barnes, daughter of Edwin Barnes and wife Elizabeth Simms of Wilson County. She was born on April 9, 1840, and died on July 10, 1904. (1) Mary Elizabeth, born in July of 1861, married Jesse Jackson Yates, (2) Franklin was born on November 14, 1862, and died on April 1, 1885, (3) Frances Simms, born on November 5, 1868, married James Edwin Woodard on February 12, 1891, (4) Leonora, born on May 31, 1872, married Henry Watson Wharton, (5) Edwin Barnes, born on February 7, 1874, married Cornelia Stallings, (6) William Williams, born on February 7, 1876, married Gladys Wells, and (7) Sarah Simms, born on August 18, 1879, married Robert Lee Bagley.

Dr. Graves received his medical degree from the University of Pennsylvania and by 1860 was practicing his profession while residing with C. C. Peacock in the Town of Stantonsburg. He drove a span of fine horses and maintained a very successful appearance. About the same year Dr. R. G. Barham, born in 1835 in Virginia, bought a lot in the Town of Wilson and began to practice while living with Jesse H. Adams. Both young physicians immediately laid siege to the heart of Louisa Frances Barnes, who had small feet, a wonderful disposition, and the prospects of heiring a considerable property, but who could otherwise lay no claim to beauty.

The contest became extremely heated, and a state of ill feeling existed. The rivals maintained something like an armed truce until Dr. Barham stated publicly his expectation of being the lucky man. Dr. Graves with fiery impetuosity challenged him to a duel so "the best man would get her." Dueling had long been contrary to the laws of North Carolina, but Virginia was conveniently near. Franklin Washington Barnes, brother of the young lady in question, acted as Dr. Graves's second and an early meeting was arranged for Emporia. Graves and Barnes actually took the train to Emporia and waited for Barham to appear, but mutual friends had in the meanwhile argued the latter out of going. It is interesting to note that Dr. Barham was in another year the Assistant Surgeon of the 28th North Carolina Infantry Regiment, Confederate States Army, and that he never returned to Wilson to live.
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1850 United States Federal Census
Name: James T Graves
Age: 14
Estimated birth year: abt 1836
Birth Place: Caswell
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Caswell, North Carolina
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Hi! My name is Nailah Graves-Manns. My maternal grandfather is Ashby Graves and a DNA match to the genealogy 270 which is the same as Kenneth's. We are one of many families descended between slaves and the white Graves men. My family has always known that our last name was genetic and not one taken after slavery as it is commonplace for mixed slaves to know who their parents were.

My grandfather's father is Joesph Graves b.1891 in Caswell County. His father was Joesph Thomas Graves b.1858 to Dr. James Thomas Graves (white) and a slave woman named Lucy Everett (Turner by marriage years later) who is said to be of native or mixed descent. This is verifiable by the marriage certificate and the DNA test. We are also related to the descendants of Major Henry Graves (white) who lived with James Thomas Graves father, Thomas William Graves b. 1801, the once register of deeds in Caswell County. Major Henry Graves had 8 children by a mulatto woman named Margaret and they lived together although she was listed as a servant on the census. It would be helpful, if those of you with papers belonging to your ancestors of this period to please share them. The first photo is of Joesph Graves b. 1891 and his wife Savannah Richmond. Their marriage was written up in the Reidsville Review citing several white attendees.

Source: Nailah Graves Manns 28 May 2018 Post to Graves Family Association Facebook Page.

Dr. James Thomas Graves/Lucy Everett
Joseph Thomas Graves
Joseph Graves
Ashby Graves
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Graves Family Association Genealogy #270

CHILDREN OF JAMES GRAVES (528)

Gen. Thomas Williams Graves (1785) was born 27 Feb. 1801 in Caswell Co., NC, and died 15 Oct. 1877. He married Mary Graves (#542), his first cousin once removed, daughter of Barzillai Graves and Ursula Wright, on 17 July 1828 in Caswell Co., NC. Mary was born 15 Sept. 1798 in Caswell Co., NC, and died 24 Aug. 1875. This family was recorded on the 1850 census in Caswell Co., NC; all children and siblings recorded with the family were born in Caswell Co., NC.

They lived on the homestead of Mary's father, situated about three miles from Yanceyville, N.C. She was born, lived, and died in this same house.

Gen. Graves was a close personal friend of Gen. Andrew Jackson, later President of the United States, and from a similarity of characteristics was called "Little Hickory." General Jackson presented Thomas Graves with a gold-headed walking stick engraved "To Little Hickory Thomas Graves from Old Hickory Andrew Jackson."  After that he was known as Little Hickory Thomas Graves. Thomas held many prominent positions in NC.

Based on DNA evidence, the descendants of Joseph Thomas Graves, a former slave, are being added to this genealogy. Family stories claim their Graves ancestor was a white doctor.  However, Dr. James Thomas (or J. T.) Graves was living in Wilson Co., NC in 1860, and his father, Thomas Williams Graves, seems a more probable father. One source indicated that Joseph Thomas Graves may have had a brother named Giles Graves. All records found for Giles indicated that his father was Thomas Graves and his mother was Barbara ------.  Giles? genealogy is continued in Genealogy 471.

Joseph Thomas Graves marriage recorded listed his listed his parents as Thomas Graves and Lucy Turner.

Information about Lucy Turner has been difficult to locate. R-596 states that Lucy Turner was actually Lucy Everett. She was a Native American woman owned by David Everett. Lucy Everett married Walter Turner on 20 Feb. 1868 in Caswell Co., NC.  They were recorded on the 1900 and 1910 censuses in Williamsburg, Rockingham Co., NC. In both censuses Lucy stated that she had no children.

Without further proof of Joseph Thomas Graves parents, we are placing him here with the family of Thomas Williams Graves. (R-17, R-596, R-915)
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Note that the Graves Family Association believes that the father of slave Joseph Thomas Graves more likely is Thomas Williams Graves as opposed to his son Dr. James Thomas Graves. At some time during the 1850s James Thomas Graves moved to Yanceyville to live with his Uncle Jeremiah Graves in the Dongola mansion. This may have been to study medicine with one of the several medical doctors practicing in Yanceyville at the time.
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Thomas Williams (Little Hickory) Graves (1801-1877). Graves Family Association Gen. #270: John, Thomas, John, Thomas, James, Thomas Williams

The following 1850 census record has caused some confusion, and this confusion has resulted in incorrect assumptions. The confusion is not helped by Ancestry making mistakes in the online transcription, including shuffling the order of the household members. Corrections and addditional information are in brackets below.

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Thomas W Graves [Thomas Williams Graves]
Age: 49
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Birth Place: North Carolina
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Caswell, North Carolina
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas W Graves 49 [Thomas Williams Graves]
Mary Graves 52 [Mary Sims Graves]
Frances M Graves 17
Franklin Graves 8 [John Henry Franklin Graves]
Franklin Graves 34
James T Graves 14 [James Thomas Graves]
John S Graves 27 [John Slade Graves]
Major H Graves 33 [Major Henry Graves]
Mary M Graves 13 [Mary Ursula Graves]
Mary S Graves 0 [33] [Mary Slade Graves]
George R Swift 17 [student; no family relationship shown]

Four younger siblings of head-of-household Thomas Williams Graves apparently were living with him at the time of the 1850 census. Their parents had died some years earlier:

John Slade Graves
Major Henry Graves [Major is not a title, but his given name.]
Franklin Graves
Mary Slade Graves

Thus, the children of Thomas Williams Graves and Mary Sims Graves Graves listed in the above 1850 census record are:

John Henry Franklin Graves
Mary Ursula Graves
James Thomas Graves
Frances M. Graves

A more correct version of the census record follows (all born in Caswell County):

1850 United States Federal Census
Name: Thomas Williams Graves
Age: 49
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1801
Birth Place: North Carolina
Gender: Male
Home in 1850 (City,County,State): Caswell, North Carolina
Household Members: Name Age
Thomas Williams Graves 49
Mary Sims Graves 52
John Henry Franklin Graves 8
Mary Ursula Graves 13
James Thomas Graves 14
Frances M Graves 17

John Slade Graves 27
Major Henry Graves 33
Franklin Graves 34
Mary Slade Graves 40

George R Swift 17 [student; no family relationship shown]

Note: Thomas Williams Graves and Mary Sims Graves Graves also had a child not shown in the above census record: Barzillai J. Graves (1830-1831). Also note they may have named two sons James Thomas Graves, as one apparently died young:

Family Data Collection - Individual Records
Name: James Thomas Graves
Parents: Thomas William Graves, Mary Graves
Birth Place: Caswell County, NC
Birth Date: 1836
Death Date: 1837
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1850 United States Federal Census
Name: James T Graves
Age: 14
Birth Year: abt 1836
Birthplace: Caswell
Home in 1850: Caswell, North Carolina, USA
Gender: Male
Family Number: 604
Household Members:
Name Age
Thomas W Graves 49
Mary Graves 52
Frances M Graves 17
James T Graves 14
Mary M Graves 13
Franklin Graves 8
Mary S Graves 0
Franklin Graves 34
Major H Graves 33
John S Graves 27
George R Swift 17

1860 United  States Federal Census
Name: J. Graves
Age: 25
Birth Year: abt 1835
Gender: Male
Birth Place: North Carolina
Home in 1860: Yanceyville, Caswell, North Carolina
Post Office: Yanceyville
Dwelling Number: 830
Family Number: 839
Occupation: Farmer
Household Members:
Name Age
J Graves 75 [Jeremia Graves]
J Graves 25
D R Graves 19 [Donna Rebecca Graves]
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