Herkimer County NyArchives Biographies.....Graves, Solomon February 14, 1819 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ny/nyfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Starjak http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006329 December 7, 2008, 11:48 am Author: Hardin & Willard Graves, Solomon, Russia, was born February 24, 1819, in Russia, N.Y., a son of John, who was a son of Russell. John Graves was born December 22, 1778, and came from Stephentown, Rensselaer county, to Newport, this county, at the age of 16, with his only property, an ax, on his shoulder, jobbing it in clearing land till he bought land of his own, which he cleared up and paid for by his own personal exertions. He first purchased 106 acres of land, on which subject now resides, afterwards adding 144 acres, making 250 in all. September 30, 1800, he married Abigail Munn, born December 27, 1780, by whom he had three sons, Crosby, Ezra and John R. She died December 27, 1816, and in 1818 he married Esther Smith, a native of Rhode Island, born December 19, 1784, by whom he had two sons and one daughter. Mr. Graves was a Jacksonian Democrat and afterwards a Republican. He was sheriff of Herkimer county one term, justice of the peace, school commissioner, supervisor many times and was twice elected member of the Assembly. He died in 1855 and his wife died in 1860. Solomon Graves was educated in the common schools of Russia, in Clinton Liberal Institute and Union College, graduating from the latter in 1842. April 27, 1842, he married Margaret Smith, a native of Williamsville, Erie county, born February 27, 1821, a daughter of Oziel Smith, of Clarendon, Rutland county, Vt., born April 17, 1784, in Clarendon, Rutland County, Vt., and Phoebe Norton, born October 22, 1789, in Richmond, Berkshire county, Mass. Mr. Smith and wife had four daughters and one son. He died January 3, 1836, and his wife March 13, 1890, at the age of 100 years. To Mr. Graves and wife were born five children: Edward O., Crosby J., Charles A., William H. and Jessie, the latter two deceased. Mr. Graves taught school a short time and then engaged in farming on the old homestead until 1850. He next purchased property in Geneva, N.Y., and resided there a short time, but soon returned to the old homestead, where he remained until 1873, when he sold out, and in 1876, whent to Washington, D.C., and engaged in the manufacture of ornamental and architectural terra cotta work and sewer pipe for four years. In 1889 he bought back the old homestead, where he has since resided. He was an early and earnest Republican, and has been school commissioner a number of years and supervisor five years. In 1859 he represented the first district of Herkimer county in the Assembly. He is a member of Newport lodge, No. 455, F. and A.M. Additional Comments: source: History of Herkimer County, New York : illustrated with portraits of many of its citizens edited by George A. Hardin ; assisted by Frank H. Willard Syracuse, New York : D. Mason, 1893 550 p., 276 p. : ill., maps, ports. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ny/herkimer/bios/graves705gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/nyfiles/ File size: 3.4 Kb