Person:Jacob Graves (1)

Name appears in the Dunkel Church Birth and Baptism Records, Greenwich township, Berks Co., Penna., as John Jacob Graff.

He appears to have served for a time in the British Army during the Revolutionary War. This may be explained by the fact that the Royal Governor (Tryon) forced those whom he defeated at the battle of the Alamance in 1771 to sign an oath of allegiance to the Crown, and many of these men were loyalists through religious conviction when the Revolution broke out. In this connection it is to be noted that Jacob's brother Boston served in the Continental Army.

The following letter from Jesse Benton (father of the great Missouri Senator) to Colonel Thomas Hart, dated Mar. 23, 1783, is published in Theodore Roosevelt's The Winning of the West (New Library Edition, vol. II, part I, page 203): "I cannot help mentioning to You an Evil which seems intailed upon the upper part of this state, to wit, Mobbs and commotions amongst the People. I shall give you the particulars of the last Work of this kind which lately happened, & which is not yet settled; Plunder being the first cause. The Scoundrels, under the cloak of the great Whigs cannot bear the thought of paying the unfortunate wretches whom Fame and ill will call Tories (though many of them perhaps honest, industrious and useful men) for plundered property; but on the other hand think they together with their Wives and Children (who are now begging for Mercy) ought to be punished to the utmost extremity. I am sorry that Col O Neal and his brother Pete, who have been useful men and whom I am in hopes are pretty clear of plundering, should have a hand in Arbitrary measures at this Day when the Civil Laws might take place.

"One Jacob Graves, son of John of Old Stinking Quarter, went off and was taken with the British Army, escaped from the guards, came and surrendered himself to Gen'l Butler, about the middle of last month and went to his family upon Parole. Col O'Neal being informed of this, armed himself with gun and sword, went to Graves's in a passion. Graves shut the Door, O'Neal broke it down. Graves I believe thinking his own life at stake, took his Brother's gun which happened to be in the house and shot O'Neal through the Breast.

O'Neal has suffered much but is now recovering. This accident has inflamed and set to work those who were afraid of suffering for their unjust and unwarrantable Deeds, the Ignorant honest men are also willing to take part against their Rulers and I don't know when nor where it is to end, but I wish it was over. At the Guilford Feb'y Court Peter O'Neal and others too, beat some men caled Tories so much that their lives were despaired of, broke up the Court and finally have stopd the civil laws in that County. Your old friend Col. Dunn got out at Window, fled in a Fright, took cold and died immediately. Rowan county Court I was told was also broke up.

"If O'Neal should die I fear that a number of unhappy wretches called Tories will be murdered, and that a man disposed to do justice dare not interfere, indeed the times seem to imitate the commencement of the Regulators."

Evidently Jacob was in real trouble, because he had shot the Colonel, or because he was under suspicion of being a Loyalist which to some people in those turbulent times was the same as being a traitor. In tghe North Carolina State Records, vol. 19, page 260, we read: "the house met according to adjournment. Received from his Excellency the Governor the followng message: To the Honorable, the General Assembly, Gentlemen: I herewith send you sundry petitions in favor of Jacob Graves who is now under sentence of death in Hillsborough Gaol for high treason, who is to be executed the 15th day of May. I request the senbse of the Honorable the General Assembly as to the fate of t his person. Alexander Martin.

"Resolved, it is the opinion of this House that Jacob Graves, now under sentence of death in the Gaol of Hillsborough, is a proper subject for the mercy of Government to be exercised upon and that it would be advisable for his Excellency the Governor to grant him a pardon for the particular offense of which he is convicted.

"Received fromthe Senate the resolve of this House for extending mercy to Jacob Graves, now under sentence of death in Hillsborough Gaol. Endorsed in Senate 24 April 1784, read and concurred with."

Jacob's name appears on the 1780-1 Orange County tax list assessed on 312 acres of land. His will is recorded in the Archives, Raleigh, N.C., as follows:

"WILL OF JACOB GRAVES, dated April 9, 1820... wife TURLEY shall enjoy full posession of my house with my daughter BETSY to live also with her mother as long as she lives single and also my wife to have my negro girl Rainey as long as she lives, also 2 horses and gears... give and bequeath to MARY GLASS $50 whicih she has instead of a horse; also give eunto CATHERINE GLASS the like sum of $50 instead of a horse which she recieved. I give unto NELLY NEACE $50 instead of a horse she having recieved $11. I give unto BARBARA GRAVES $50; I give and bequeath to BETSEY AND SARAH GRAVES $150 each; to son DANIEL GRAVES, tract of land whereon he now lives not to cross Stinking Creek above the mill at the fork or junction of the two creeks or to interfere or have any part of the mill tract. Also give to said DANIEL part of my 206 acres tract all on the south side following the creek. Said DANIEL GRAVES is to pay to my estate or executors the summ of $500, paying $100 within a year after my death and the balance within 2 years thereafter clear of interest which shall be his part of my estate. My son ELIAS GRAVES the balance of 206 acre tract ... pay my estate $500, $100 within a year of my death and the balance within 2 years which shall be his part of my estate; son DAVID my old tract and the same he lives on and that part of 206 acre tract which lies in the fork of the two creeks heretofore reserved for my said son DAVID to pay $500 to estate, $100 within 2 years and balance 2 years thereafter as his share...I wish my wife to enjoy my mill and the land contained in the mill tract and I wish for the mill to be kept in repair out of my estate, my sons, DANIEL, ELI AND DAVID aiding in getting the timbers.... furnishing the same off their tract of land. It is my wish after the death of my wife for my mill, together with the land attached to it, to be sold to the highest bidder among my children also for the negro girl and her increase to be sold among my children after my wife's death. It is my wish and desire that property or part of my estate which may be left after the death of my wife to be equally divided among my two sons BOSTON and JOHN GRAVES and all my daughters shar and shar alike my other 3 sons named having recieved their parts in their land...Nominate George Isley, Boston Graves and David Graves to act as executors to my last will...(signed) Jacob Graff."

Jacob was a member of the Moravian (Reformed) Church. He died in 1820 and is buried in the Stoner cemetery, Alamance Co., N.C. The inscription on his gravestone (partially illegible) is as follows: "Jacob Graves died in his LXXIVth TH L YEAR X AP. 1820." 11 children: JOHN, BOSTON, DANIEL, ELI, CATHERINE, MILLY (OR NELLY) DAVID, BARBARA, ELIZABETH, SARAH, MARY.