My Genealogy Hound

Thomas A. Graves was born in 1812 in Culpeper County, Va., the son of James and Nancy (Martin) Graves, the former of English stock, born June 5, 1779, and the latter born in Orange County, Va., in 1780. The father married in 1803, in 1815 went to Fayette County, Ky., and in 1832 to Danville, where he lived a retired life until his death in 1857, the year of his wife’s demise. Our subject and a brother are the only survivors of ten children. When he was four years old his parents made the removal to Kentucky. He began, when twenty years old, as foreman of a cotton factory in Danville for his father and James Oldham, and continued there about seven years. April 5, 1838, he married Mary Bruce, who was born in Lincoln County, Ky., in 1821. Their children are William H., Thomas, Laura (the wife of W. B. McRoberts), Alice (the wife of James Penn) Mollie (the wife of James Lloyd), James and Robert. In 1840 he came to this county, and bought 200 acres of land, where he soon after settled and has resided ever since. He lost his wife in August, 1863, and the following year married Mrs. Lucinda McRoberts, a sister of his first wife. Our subject now owns an estate of 360 acres, and in politics is a rather independent Democrat. He is a descendant of Whig ancestors, and first voted for Harrison. He has been supervisor of registration, and township clerk. He and his wife are members of the Church of Christ, of which he has been a ruling elder for twenty years.