John Graves, of Falmouth & Little Compton

John Graves was born about 1651 in Bentley, Yorkshire, England and died after 1712 probably in Little Compton. 

notes

From -----DESCENDANTS OF WILLIAM GRAVES AND BEATRICE OF BENTLEY, YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND Graves Family Association, Rev. 25 Aug. 1996, Gen. 517

John Graves (3) was born about 1651 in Bentley, Yorkshire, England. He was sent over to America about 1673 by his uncle, Mr. Samuel Hall, formerly of Salisbury, to Mr. Samuel Symonds of Ipswich, MA. He was soon followed by his brother Francis. John did not refund his passage money to his uncle; Francis did and was remembered in his uncle's will (Waters, i, 780-1).

John married Martha Mitton, daughter of Michael Mitton and Elizabeth Cleeve, before 8 Nov. 1677, perhaps not in ME.

John lived in Ipswich in 1678, and was noticed in Falmouth only in June 1680, when he was granted administration on Michael and Nathaniel Mitton's estates, sued Nathaniel Materson for defamation, and witnessed George Felt's deed. He was apparently gone the next month, possibly direct to Kittery, where he lived on Champernowne's Island, 1680-87. He was recommended by Mr. Tyng in July 1686 as a marshall for the Province. He served on a grand jury, 1687, and as foreman of that jury, 1688 (lists 225a, 227). He deposed in July 1690 (age about 39) about Capt. Champernowne 14 years before and money he had engaged to pay Samuel Hall. His wife Martha was paid £8 in 1682 from the money Mr. Hall left for relief of war sufferers.

Martha died in 1700 at Little Compton, RI, where they removed after 1690 (list 225). John Graves last found deposed in Kittery, 15 May 1712, age about 60.

The fact that John was in Falmouth for a short time is probably the reason he has been confused with a fourth generation descendant of immigrant Samuel Graves of Lynn, MA (see Samuel Graves, 1630 Settler of Lynn, Mass. And His Descendants, Kenneth Vance Graves, 1985, pp. 30-31).

There may have been other children, as Martha and Dorothy were the "two surviving daughters" in 1722. (R-1)

From Collections of the Maine Historical Society, Volume 1 (Google eBook) Maine Historical Society The Society, 1865 - Local history. Page 260. "Death of Mrs. Harvey"

• >"Graves was living in Kittery in 1712, aged about sixty-seven. He moved to Little Compton, R. I., where he died, leaving one son and two daughters"

Comment: the notes below from the GFA conflict with their earlier notes. April 2014

From DESCENDANTS OF JOHN GRAVES AND MARTHA MITTON OF FALMOUTH, ME & LITTLE COMPTON, RI Rev. 11 Aug. 2012, Gen. 241 by the Graves Family Association

John Graves (1) was born in 1653 in Ipswich, Essex Co., MA.  He married Martha Mitton, daughter of Michael Mitton and Elizabeth Cleeves, about 1682 (or by 1677, as mentioned below).  She was born in 1650 in Falmouth, Cumberland Co., ME, and died in 1700 in Little Compton, RI.

This John Graves has been confused with the John Graves who was born 11 June 1691 at Andover, MA, probably died in 1726, and was descended from immigrant Samuel Graves of Lynn, MA (genealogy 83).  That John went at an early age to that portion of Mass. which is now the State of Maine, and settled in Falmouth, where lands were granted to him in 1721.  He married Elizabeth Bean, daughter of Captain Joseph Bean and Joanna Treethy of York, Maine, about 1724.

The John Graves who married Martha Mitton (or Mitten) arrived from England about 1673 (according to Roland B. Graves), and married Martha of Ipswich prior to 8 Nov. 1677.  John and Martha did move to Falmouth, Me. and stayed there briefly before moving to New Hampshire and eventually to Rhode Island.  The fact that they were in Falmouth for a short time probably led to the confusion.  (The basis for this paragraph is found in the Genealogical Dictionary of Maine and N.H., by Sybil Noyes, Genealogical Pub. Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1976.)

There is contradictory information is the above paragraphs regarding the birthplace of John Graves.  Was it Ipswich, MA or England?  This needs to be resolved.  Did this John Graves have other children?  (R‑1)

Children - Graves

• +2. Martha Graves, b.c. 1685, m. Philip Kneeland, 10 Dec. 1709.

notes

"Immigration: John was sent from England by his Uncle, Samuel Hall 1673 Ipswich, Essex, Massachusetts"

Links

• Find A Grave Memorial# 113067538