Ninth Generation

382. John Sebastian GRAVES Sr.^18,308,309 was born about 1703 in Germany.³¹⁰ He was naturalized on 22 March 1763 in Salisbury, Rowan Co., NC. He died in 1804 at the age of 101 in Union Co., TN.³¹⁰ John was buried in 1804 in New Loyston Cemetery, Union Co., TN.^311,312 Was buried in the Longmire Cemetery (TVA #48, grave #2, disinterred on May 4, 1935, re-interred in New Loyston Cemetery (TVA) cemetery #39. Came from Germany to Pennsylvania on the ship, 'Alexander and Ann', landed 5 Sep 1730. Lived in Berks Co., PA., before migrating to Stinking Quarter Creek in Orange Co., NC (now Alamance Co., NC) about 1757. In Theodore Roosevelt's history, 'The Winning of the West', G. P. Putnams Sons, New York, Volume 2, 1889, page 372, footnote, John is referred to as "Old John of Stinking Quarter". Originally the name was GRAFF rather than Graves.

Little is known of the early life and background of John Graves, who settled on Stinking Quarter Creek, a branch of the Alamance, in N.C. possibly in 1757, as the earliest record found at Hillsboro, N.C., was a deed from Hugh Dobbins to John Graves for 640 acres in 1757. In 1762, he purchased 190 acres from Thomas Lawson. In February, 1764, there is recorded a deed from the Earl of Granville to John Graves for 210 acres; Luke Lea to John Graves, 174 acres, John Loy to John Graves 75 acres. In August 1765, the Earl of Granville deeded to John Graves 457 acres.
John Graves' name appears on the 1779 tax list for Orange County taxed on property valued at $5,663, and in 1782 he was taxed on 408 acres of land.
The birthplace of John Graves is not known. but it is believed by his descendants that he was born about 1702/3 and died in Tennessee in 1803/04 at the ripe old age of 102. Tradition has it that he moved from North Carolina late in life to what is now Union County, where he lived with his grandson, John Graves, who married Sarah Sharp, sister of Conrad. The writer has found no records to prove this, but the deeding of some of his property in Orange County to his son Jacob on Nov. 22, 1779, might indicate that he did leave North Carolina about 1800 and settled in Tennessee.
Judging from the Orange County records, John Graves was rather a large land owner, and one of the earliest settlers in the county. His name does not appear on the 1755 tax list for that county, so it must have been about 1757 that he moved to North Carolina from Berks County, Pa.
That John Graves did live in Berks County before settling in North Carolina is evidenced by the birth records of two of his sons, Jacob and Boston (Sebastian) contained in the Dunkel Church and Baptism Records, Greenwich Township Berks County, Pa., on file at the Congressional Library.

Boston Graves, son of John, stated in his pension application for services performed during the Revolutionary War (R 4213) that he was born in Pennsylvania on Oct 1, 1747, and the Stoner Church Records give the date of Jacob Graves" death as 1820 "in his 74th year", which seems to be ample proof that Sebastian Graff and Boston Graves are identical, also John Jacob Graff of Pennsylvania and Jacob Graves of North Carolina.

It is believed that Old John had 17 children, only four came to Tennessee with him around 1799.

Some sources I have seen have his wife as Maria Magdalena Fuchs and also Catherine Wyrick.
Mary COBLE and John Sebastian GRAVES Sr. were married.

383. Mary COBLE³¹³ was born (date unknown). Sharp Family book has her name, Maria Fuchs.

Children were:

	i.	Peter GRAVES died on 13 November 1794 in Sharp's Chapel, Union Co., TN.18 He was born in NC. He thought he heard a turkey gobbling above the fort. Creeping into the woods to investigate, he was shot in the head and then scalped by Indians. He was the first person buried in the cemetery near Sharp's Station.
191	ii.	Barbara GRAVES.
	iii.	John Jacob "Jacob" GRAVES314 was born on 8 March 1746 in Greenwich Twp., Berks Co., PA.308,314 He signed a will on 24 May 1790 in Orange Co., NC.315 WILL OF JACOB GRAVES 9 April 1820 Wife Turley shall enjoy full possession of my house with my daughter Betsey to live also with her mother as long as she lives single and also my wife to have my negro girl Rainey as long as she lives, also 2 horses and gears...give and bequeath to Mary Glass $50 which she has instead of a horse; also give unto Catherine Glass the like sum of $50 instead of a horse which she received. I give unto Nelly Neace $50 instead of a horse she having received $11. I give unto Barbara Graves $50; I give and bequeath to Betsy and Sarah Graves $150 each; to son Daniel Graves tract of land whereon he now lives not to cross Stinking Creek above the mill at the fork or junction of the two creeks or to interfere or have any part of the mill tract. Also give to said Daniel part of my 206 acre tract all on south side of the creek. Said Daniel Graves is to pay to my estate of executors the sum of $500, paying $100 within a year after my death and the balance within 2 years thereafter clear of interest which shall be his part of my estate. My son Elias Graves the balance of 206 acre tract...pay my estate $500, $100 within year of my death and balance within 2 years which shall be his part of my estate; son David my old tract and the same he lives on and that part of 206 acre tract which lies in the fork of the two creeks heretofore reserved for my said son David to pay $500 to estate, $100 within 2 years and balance 2 years thereafter as his share. I wish my wife to enjoy my mill and the land contained in the mill tract and I wish for the mill to be kept in repair out of my estate, my sons Daniel, Eli and David aiding in getting the timbers.............furnishing the same off their tract of land. It is my wish after the death of my wife for my mill, together with the land attached to it, to be sold among my children to the highest bidder also the negro girl and her increase to be sold among my children after my wife's death. It is my wish and desire what property or part of my estate which may be left after the death of my wife to be equally divided among my two sons Bostion and John Graves and all my daughters share and share alike my other 3 sons named having received ? their parts in their land...Nominate George Isley, Bostion Graves and David Graves to act as executors to my last will... Signed: Jacob Graff Recorded 1820 Witnesses: Jacob Graves C. Hale Martin X Jacob Anthony Will proven for name at place on date.316 He died on 10 April 1820 at the age of 74 in Alamance Co., NC.317 Buried in Stoner's Cemetery, Alamance Co., NC. Jacob was buried in April 1820 in Stoner's Church Cemetery, Alamance Co., NC.312,316 Information on John Jacob and family from the records of Mrs. Clyde B. Dalton-Vance, "Buddy Clyde", 9571 Scotstoun Dr., Huntington Beach, CA., 92646-6445, 714-968-6989, sent to me in July of 1992. Buried in Stoner's Church Cemetery. Years of birth and death listed in Sept 1984 issue of the Alamance Genealogist, page 14. Lists wife as Turley Coble and says "son of John Graves." He appears to have served for a time in the British Army during the Revolutionary War. This may be explained by the fact that the Royal Governor (Tryon) forced those men whom he defeated at the Battle of the Alamance in 1771 to sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown, and many of these men were loyalists through religious conviction when the Revolution broke out. The first record found in Orange County concerning Jacob Graves was an indenture between John Noe and Jacob Graves made May 12, 1770...half part of my grist mill and mill seat including 10 acres of land to be laid out in a square making the mill the center...situate on both sides of Stinking Quarter Creek and being part of a larger tract of land which Pete Noe purchased from Henry McCollogh, containing 110 acres. Signed: John Noe. Jacob Graves' name was mentioned in the following indenture made June 25 "in the 12th year of our Sovereign Lord King George the third and in the year of our Lord Christ 1772," between John Noe and Catharina his wife and John Graves, planter...part of land granted to John Noe by Henry E. McCollogh, dated Apr. 20, 1764...116 acres, except 5 acres which he sold to Jacob Graves, a son of said John, containing 111 acres... The name of Jacob Graves appears on the 1780-1 Orange County tax list assessed on 312 acres of land.
158	iv.	Sebastion "Boston" GRAVES.
	v.	Maria Philipena GRAVES was born on 8 August 1751 in Berks Co., PA.262 She died on 4 March 1815 at the age of 63 in Orange Co., NC.262 Buried in Stoner's Church Cemetery. Death date from Cemetery records published in the Sept 1984 issue of the Alamance Genealogist, page 14. Record states "wife of Isaac Sharp, dau of John and Marie Magdalen Graves.
	vi.	John Sebastian GRAVES Jr.18,230 was born about 1752 in Berks Co., PA. He died about 1843 at the age of 91 in IN. He could have been born in NC. He moved to Indiana about 1820. Had six children.
	vii.	Elizabeth "Lizzie" GRAVES was born in 1757 in Greenwich Twp., Berks Co., PA.318 She died on 15 October 1830 at the age of 73 in NC. Death date is John's will date. She died prior to this.