More work to do for the GRAVES family

Watching what's happening in Ottawa this week makes me remember driving on Sussex Drive before going to the airport in April and I realize that I'm desperate to get back to Kingston. While it is was a trip of a lifetime and I hope to take my son there sometime because of the military history, the money spent on the cost of a trip could be spent other ways to get the same information I could get if I lived in Kingston, so it's not likely that I'm going back anytime soon.

I think over the past months, the best piece of advice I got was to look at film #199690 from the LDS FHC. What a jackpot of information. I'm going to keep it for a permanent loan at my local FHL. The film is an index of who owned the land by Concession and Lot. It lists who too and who from, how it was owned (i.e. patent, purchase, will, mortgage) how much was paid for it. I think I've got some good leads as to how the GRAVES family fits together and maybe that Elizabeth's McLean's parents were Joseph McLean & Mary Anderson. I think 199690 is an index to films #199634 to #199646 and #199691 to #199695.

Right now the GRAVES are my number one priority. I'm confident that brothers Adam Graves & George Graves who were in Maryland in 1781 are my ancestors. After they were traitors to the newly formed USA, they escaped to Canada and went to Sorel, Quebec with other Loyalists of the time. I found what I think is Adam's death and a number of other GRAVES family life events on the film #1430819 , but I'm not yet sure how they all fit together.

I also Googled Adam and George GRAVES and got the following interesting websites:

A description of why Adam and George GRAVES were tried for treason. This story is consistent with the information from the book American Migrations talked about in a previous post. What I find ironic about the story is that the new government (which wanted to be rid of the British) used the British laws as to determine the traitors punishment to hang and quarter the seven men convicted of conspiracy. It does call to the men Adam Graves and John George Graves, not as George Graves.

This capture of the conspirators must have been a big deal. A book called The Loyalists of Pennsylvania by Wilbur H. Siebert also talks about George & Adam Graves very briefly on page 15.

The On-Line Institute for Advanced Loyalist Studies has a few letters that talks about Adam Graves, George Graves and Nicholas Andres and, if I'm reading it correctly, allowed them to get land in Canada since their land and possessions were confiscated and sold.

George and Adam Graves are listed as part of the index to The Old United Empire Loyalist List.

The details of a legal battle between James Graves and residents of Pittsburgh who supposedly owned the land. It looks like it took place in about 1862. Unfortunately the notes did not always include the first names of those involved so it was a little confusing. From what I understand, James Graves pretened to the heir to the land because he hadn't heard from his brother, George Graves, who was the legitimate heir, in over 7 years (was George a sailor?). Then George returned from England and was upset that James had his land, but in the meantime they figured out that it wasn't James or George's land because their father Adam had sold it without ever going to Pittsburgh Township, so really there was nothing anyone could do about it. Apparently Adam exchanged it for land in Sorel, Lower Canada, so I should find out how to look at those land records as well.

I also found a Maryland books look up page, but I can't find it again. I emailed some of volunteers and got one response.

From the book Inhabitants of Frederick County, MD

"Fees received by Mr. Martin [Frederick County Clerk?] from the Sherrif [sic] of Washington County, and paid to C. Edelson, Sherrif of Frederick County, November 1781: ...Jno. Geo. Graves, Adam Graves..." (p. 185)

"Frederick County Subpoena Docket 1781: ...July 26, 1781: The State of Maryland vs. Doct. Woolse. Witnesses: Mary Elizth, Graves the wife of Jno. Geo. Graves, Christena Graves the wife of Adam Graves, notation "Washington [County] for both." (p. 188)

"Judicial Writs Returnable 29th October 1781: ... State of Maryland vs. Jno. Geo. Graves, Washington [County]; State of Maryland vs. Adam Graves, Washington [County]." (p. 189)

"Recognizances to the Especial Court Begun and Held at Frederick Town ..6th of July 1781: July 4 1781 [sic]: Philip Erehart, to testify for the State vs. Adam Graves." (p. 191)

The Christ Church Sorel film mentions the death of Christena, wife of Adam Graves, so that's consistent with this information, so from this it could be that George Graves wife's name was Mary Elizabeth. That is if the man I called George Graves is the same man as John George Graves mentioned in this book.

This article gives information on the Loyalists of Sorel. It's interesting background information.

I think it would be helpful if the Graves named their children something other than George. And if I could find a marriage for George Graves who married Catherine Percy about 1820. Unfortunately, there appeared to be no such information in the records of Christ-Church at Sorel. So somewhere, I'm assuming between Sorel and Pittsburgh Township along the St. Lawrence, George Graves met and married Catherine Percy of Upper Canada. There is a Percy Township originally named for a Percy family, but it is seems very out of the way from the St. Lawrence so I'm hesitant about searching in that area.

What I need to do is figure out how George & Adam link with my Henry Graves born in 1825. Right now the best information I will have is the land records since it appears that Henry and his brother Michael were given their land in their father George Graves' will. I'm back to waiting for films..... #199634 should be on it's way from Salt Lake.