Deacon George Graves of Hartford

Not the child of Michael Graves & Elizabeth Graves

Biography

An Original Proprietor of Hartford, Connecticut

Source: http://www.foundersofhartford.org/founders/grave_george.htm

George Grave,1 weaver; an original proprietor; his home-lot was on the highway now known as Elm St., near the Little River; chosen townsman, 1650, 1668 ; deputy, 1657, 1658; fence-viewer, 1666; against the “Withdrawers” from the First Church, 1658, but afterward an original member of the Second Church, with his wife, Sarah, Feb. 12, 1670, and deacon; d. in Sept., 1673; inv. Sept. 30, £278. 13. 2.
His wife, Sarah, was probably second wife, as she was the “mother-in-law” of his son, George. Wm. Andrews, in his will, calls him “Brother.”

Children

1. George, b. ab. 1629 (aged 58, April, 1687); m. April 2, 1651, Elizabeth Ventris; townsman, 1672; removed to Middletown; for some years Marshal of the Colony; d. Dec. 3, 1692
2. John, m. (1) Nov. 26, 1657, Elizabeth, den. of Jasper Stilwell, of Guilford ; rem. to Guilford ; deputy, 1670 and 1676 ; m. (2) 1690, Hannah, son. of Philip Davis, of Hartford.
3. Sarah, m. Nov. 21, 1660, Jonathan Deming, of Wethersfield ; d. June 5, 1668
4. Mary, m. Dec. 12, 1665, Samuel Dow, of Hartford, a sailor
5. Priscilla, m. William Markham, of Hartford, afterward of Hadley ; d. ab. 1688. (Thomas Thornton owned, in 1699, the message, tenement, ate., which had belonged to “Marshal George Graves,” containing “five roods more or less, and whereof my said Brother Died Seized”. Did he marry another daughter of George Grave, Sr. 13)

1 “George Graue, freeholder in the Borough of Hertford, 1921:” - Cussan's Hertfordshire

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George Graves was one of the original proprietors of Hartford, Conn., where he settled about 1636 on the south side of Elm St. about opposite the Daniel's Mill1. A sketch map showing the south-side plantation portion of Hartford in 1636 (map shown on next page) shows Deacon George Graves' house lot situated on the Little River between the lots of Governor Edward Hopkins and Stephen Post[11].  He was a weaver in comfortable circumstances, and was appointed to inspect linen and woolen goods for the Colony at Hartford 3 June 1644 He was chosen "Townsman", as the Selectmen were then called, in 1650.

He was married first in England and his two eldest children were born there and brought to America by their father1.  He secondly married widow Sarah Ventres mother-in-law of his son George

Anna Graves, born about 1583, lived in London. Anna Graves had only one daughter, who died by 1675. A widow Ann Graves (possibly the same as Anna Graves) of Great Monores St., St. Botulph Parish, Aldgate (or Olgate), London, by will proven in 1676 gave annuities to the children of Deacon George Graves in case her grandson, Joseph Hardey, had no children.

Links

1. http://www.gravesfa.org/gen065.htm
   • The American Genealogist, vol. 82 (April 2007): pages 107-110. "The English Origins of Thomas1 and Sarah (Scott) Grave(s) of Hartford, Connecticut and Hadley, Massachusetts," by Leslie Mahler “ DNA comparing the Y-chromosome passed from father to son indicates a connection between George Graves of Hartford, CT (gen. 65) and Thomas Graves of Hartford, CT & Hatfield, MA (gen. 168) were connected. Mahler says in her TAG article, "This is especially significant because the probable origin of George Grave(s) is believed to be in the area of Hertford, Hertfordshire, just north of London. He had relatives in London and probably in Nazeing, co. Essex. The DNA study of early Grave(s) families means that the origin of Thomas Grave(s) may also be in this same area.”