Peyton Gravely

VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION, 1861 . . .

         PEYTON GRAVELY, OF HENRY COUNTY, WAS THE SON OF JOSEPH GRAVELY AND ELEANOR COX GRAVELY. HE OPENED A SMALL TOBACCO FACTORY AT LEATHERWOOD IN PARTNERSHIP WITH HIS BROTHER WILLIS AND DEVELOPED A HIGHLY POPULAR BRAND OF PLUG TOBACCO WHICH HE MARKETED AS “HONEY DEW POUND.” IN 1847 HE MARRIED MATILDA F. THOMAS.

         GRAVELY WAS A MEMBER OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES FROM 1825 TO 1830 AND 1831 TO 1835. ALTHOUGH NOT A SLAVE OWNER, HE VOTED AGAINST ALL PLANS FOR GRADUAL EMANCIPATION DURING THE SLAVERY DEBATES OF 1832. AT THE TIME OF THE NULLIFICATION EXCITEMENT OF 1832-1833, HE “STOOD UP AS A GALLANT DEFENDER OF STATE’S RIGHTS.”

         GRAVELY WAS A DELEGATE FROM HENRY COUNTY IN THE STATE CONVENTION. IN SPITE OF HIS EARLIER STANDS ON SECTIONAL ISSUES, HE VOTED AGAINST SECESSION BOTH ON APRIL 4 AND ON APRIL 17. HE DID, HOWEVER, SIGN THE ORDINANCE OF SECESSION.

         SOURCE: BIOGRAPHICAL REGISTER OF MEMBERS, VIRGINIA STATE CONVENTION OF 1861, FIRST SESSION, WM H GAINES JR, 1969, VA STATE LIBRARY, P39

SOURCE: The General Assembly of Virginia, 1619-1978, A Bicentennial Register of Members, Virginia State Library; compiled by Cynthia Miller Leonard, published for the General Assembly of Virginia by the Virginia State Library, Richmond, VA, 1978, p339, 344, 356, 368
Session Dec 3, 1827, thru Mar 1, 1828: House of Delegates: Peyton Gravely, David Dyer
Session Dec 1, 1828, thru Feb 17, 1829: House of Delegates: Peyton Gravely, David Dyer
Session Dec 6, 1830, thru Apr 19, 1831: House of Delegates: Peyton Gravely, David Dyer
Session Dec 2, 1833, thru Mar 14, 1834: House of Delegates: Peyton Gravely, David Dyer

SOURCE: 1850 Census, Henry Co VA,
[transcribed by James Hankins]
Gravely Peyton 57 m Tobacconist $7,155 both b VA
Gravely Matilda 22 f (Matilda Frances Thomas)

SOURCE: Library of Virginia, Death Records
Gravely, Peyton
Race: White
Gender: Male
Date of death: Sep 1864
Place of death: Henry Co VA
Cause of death: Dropsey
Age at death: 67 years
Place of birth: Henry Co VA
Source of information: Henry Co, 1864, p42, line 12
Gravely, Eleanor, parent
Gravely, Joseph, parent
Gravely, Matilda F., consort/informant

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Nov 27 2022, 20:02:12 UTC