Person:Thomas Graves (2)

Information on Thomas Graves

For extensive details, see http://www.gravesfa.org./gen028.htm

Highlights include...

Thomas Graves was from a prominent shipbuilding and mariner family of London, and came to America as early as 1628. He sailed on the Talbot (to Salem in 1629), the Arabella, the Plantation (1630), the Plough (1631), the Whale (1632), the Reformation and Elizabeth Bonadventura in 1633 and 1634, and the James in 1635, making many trips between England and the colonies. He brought his family (consisting of his wife and two children) to the colonies about 1636 or 1637 and settled in Charlestown, Mass. His wife's mother, Katherine (Myles) (Gray) Coytmore, also immigrated around the same time. Her will, dated 28 or 30 April 1658 named 14 grandchildren, including the 5 children of her daughter Katherine.

Thomas Graves and his wife were admitted to the First Church, Charlestown on 7 Oct. 1639. He was freeman at general court, Boston, on 13 May 1640. He acquired land in Massachusetts, but continued to follow the sea. He was appointed by Parliament captain of the frigate President in the Royal Navy on 30 May 1652 for capturing a Dutch man-of-war. The following year he was appointed rear admiral of the White, and on board the St. Andrew, he was killed participating in the naval battles with the Dutch. His body was landed from the fleet in Aldborough Bay, Co. Suffolk, England and buried there, his wife's family being from that county. Parliament granted his family 1000 pounds. His will dated 13 June 1652, deposited with his brother Abraham in England, was forwarded to America. It was presented for probate by his widow and proved on the first of the tenth month of 1653 (old style calendar, 1 Dec. 1653), several months after his death.

Will

Will of Thomas Graves of Charlestown: This my last will and testament is that I do bequeath unto my beloved wife Katharine Graves, my now dwelling house scittuate in Charlestowne in New England for the terme of her life, and also the one-third part of all my goods, shiping & moneys and plate, I give and bequeath unto my daughter Rebecca five pound, & to her child three pound, I do bequeath unto my sonne John my house scittuate in Limehouse neere Dickes shoare, he paying One hundred Pound, to be payd the one third part of it to his mother my beloved wife, the other two thirds to be divided unto my sonne Thomas, Nathaniel, Susanna & Joseph, my will is that my Land at Oburne in New England, and Land in Charlestowne neck, and what goods, household stuffe, chipping, plate or moneys I have be all vallued, with one hundred Pound, I Appoynt my sonne John to pay of all with my will is that my wife shall have the one third part of, And the other two thirds to be Equally divided between my sonne Thomas, Nathaniel, Susanna & Joseph, but my desire is, that if the house at Limehouse which I do bequeath unto my sonne John he paying one hundred pound be not vallued to be worth as much as double what wilbe of my estate dividable to my sonne Thomas, Nathaniel, Susanna or Joseph, that then my sonne John shall pay lesse to be dividable as above mentioned, for my desire is that my son John should have twice as much as the rest of my children.

Further I do bequeath unto my sonne Thomas after his mother's decease, my now dwelling house, with all the garden & orchard there unto belonging, which is scittuate in Charlestowne in New England, provided that my sonne Thomas pay unto his sister Rebecca ten pound, Nathaniell Ten pound, Susanna ten pound, Joseph Ten pound. I do Appoynt my beloved wife and my sonne John to be my Executors and do appoint them to pay to the church at Charlestowne forty shillings And I do intreate my Brother Nowell & my Brother Lindes of Charlestown to be overseers of my will, and do give to them Twenty shillings apeece, witnes my hand this 13th of June 1652. Thomas Graves

This last will of me Thomas Graves being left by himselfe sealed up, and delivered to his Brother Abraham Graves and presented by his relict widow before the Deputy Governer, and the rest of the magistrates, it was by them allowed & Approved the first of the 10th month 1653. Thomas Danforth, Recorder Entred & Recorded 25 10 mo. 1655. Thomas Danforth, Recorder.

Rear Admiral Thomas Graves has sometimes been confused with the engineer of the same name. Thomas Graves, the engineer was of Gravesend, County of Kent, England, signed a contract with the Massachusetts Bay Company in March 1629, arrived in New England in July 1629, and laid out Charlestown. In 1629 the engineer had a wife and five children, had an extensive reputation as an engineer, and was older than the 24 years of age that the Rear Admiral was at that time. Signatures of both men are extant and do not match.

1. ↑ Church of England. Parish Church of Stepney (Middlesex). Parish registers, 1568-1929. (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Society of Utah, 1969-2001).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4} Graves Family Association, http://www.gravesfa.org./gen028.htm.
3. ↑ Graves Family Association, http://www.gravesfa.org./gen028.htm.

   citing Francis Vere, Salt in their Blood, The Lives of the Famous Dutch Admirals, 1955, London ("The final engagement began on July 24, 1653, and in the final battle on July 31 (p. 98), the Dutch lost again, but the English eventually lifted their naval blockade. That day, the Dutch lost at least 14 ships and hundreds of men; the English lost 2 ships, a Vice-Admiral, a Rear-Admiral (Thomas Graves), and 5 captains. ")

4. ↑ Wyman, Thomas Bellows. The Genealogies and Estates of Charlestown, Massachusetts: in the County of Middlesex and Commonwealth of Massachusetts, 1629-1818. (Boston, Mass.: David Clapp and Son, 1879)
   I:432.