David Graves

1730-1808 · Virginia

Born 1730, Spotsylvania County, Virginia

Died 1808

Children include Elizabeth

David Graves was born about 1730, in Spotsylvania County, Virginia, by his memorial, which names his parents as Thomas Graves and Ann Davenport. He married Agnes Holloway, also of Spotsylvania. Their children included Barbara, Edmund, William, Elizabeth, called Betsy, Richard and Susannah.

In old age he was living in Shelby County, Kentucky, east of Louisville, where his daughter Betsy was married to John Leatherman. Their son Samuel Gibbs Leatherman was born there in 1799.

He made his will on 9 January 1808, "sick and weak in body, but of sound mind and memory." He left his granddaughter Agnes Connelly "one year old bay mare and saddle" and the bed and furniture "such as my wife Agness shall give her." Everything else was to stay with "my beloved wife Agness Graves during her natural lifetime," and afterwards to be sold under the direction of his son Richard Graves and Andrew Holmes. A boy named Harry, one of the people he held in slavery, was left to Thomas Martin "for his services to me and other reasons known to myself."

The second page of the will settles who his heirs were. He wrote that "the money arising from the sale of said property shall be equally divided amongst all my children. Nevertheless, my will and desire is that one equal moiety of said estate hereby descending to Elizabeth Leatherman shall be lodged in the hands of Richard Graves for her use and under his directions." A moiety here means a share. Richard was to hold his sister Betsy's share and pay it out for her, a common way of keeping a married daughter's inheritance out of her husband's hands. No sale was to take place until Agness died, though an inventory was to be taken at once. Andrew Holmes, John Caldwell and John Rodman witnessed it. On 8 February 1808 Holmes and Caldwell proved it in the Shelby County court, and James Craig, the clerk, recorded it. Agnes lived until 1819.

Children

Elizabeth Graves 1776-1846

Sources

Shelby County, Kentucky, Will Books 1804-1811, will of David Graves, recorded 1808; FamilySearch image ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89DP-23FR.

Shelby County, Kentucky, Will Books 1804 to 1811, will of David Graves, 9 January 1808, proved 8 February 1808, second page (FamilySearch full text, image 3:1:3QS7-89DP-237D).

Shelby County, Kentucky, Will Books 1804 to 1811, will of David Graves, 1808 (FamilySearch image 3:1:3QS7-89DP-23FR); Find a Grave memorials 138294372, 138294467 and 137440798; Shelby County, Kentucky, Will Books 1804 to 1811, will of David Graves, 9 January 1808, proved 8 February 1808, second page (FamilySearch full text, image 3:1:3QS7-89DP-237D)

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Cite: Heirology, "David Graves (1730-1808)", https://heirology.com/ancestors/david-graves-1730-1808-5a787a.